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Posted by Matt Dempsey matt_dempsey@inhofe.senate.gov
Story missed the mark
POINT OF VIEW - Oklahoman
Trips to Africa
BY SEN. JIM INHOFE
Published: December 26, 2008
"Inhofe's trips to Africa called ‘Jesus thing'" (news story, Dec. 20) was mostly accurate, but, unfortunately, missed the mark concerning the center of my work there.
More than 10 years ago, I made a personal trip to Africa that forever changed my life. I was immediately touched by the plight and perseverance of the people of this often forgotten and overlooked continent, and also began to see the strategic danger in allowing this continent to be pushed to the wayside. On that first trip, I began building relations in the spirit of Jesus in three countries. Today, I have been honored and privileged to have developed personal relationships with Africans from all walks of life in more than 30 countries.
In 2001, the administration made a decision to become active in Africa as concerns grew that terrorism was coming down through the Horn and spreading throughout Africa. Since I was the only member of the Senate Armed Services Committee with personal experience in Africa, I became the point man. As a result, my efforts were expanded beyond assisting in humanitarian relief and conflict resolution into helping the Africans fight terrorism.
American and global interests could be severely endangered by allowing any of the several threats plaguing the continent of Africa to take root. These include the threat of terrorists and extremists, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, foreign policy intentions by China and Russia, refugee crises caused by decades of conflict, and the ever-increasing rate of hunger, poverty and disease. I continuously pushed for the establishment of a single command whose focus is solely on Africa and its people. In 2007, U.S. African Command (AFRICOM) was stood-up. Unlike previous U.S. military command, AFRICOM brings synergy to all U.S. efforts in Africa, focusing on helping Africa address security requirements while supporting on-going humanitarian and economic initiatives.
So while I continue to develop intimate relations with the African people and their leaders, I also help Africans through military programs to be in a position to prevent and respond to humanitarian crises and defend themselves as terrorism strikes without depending on direct U.S. intervention. It is the right thing to do.
Inhofe, R-Tulsa, was elected in November to his third full term in the U.S. Senate.