Militarization of Poverty in Africa

African nations stretching from Guinea-Bissau to Somalia are subject to war, coups, and large-scale demonstrations. These nations face similar economic situations, with failing agricultural markets and booming mining industries. In the 1990s, the IMF and the WTO imposed liberal reforms that battered Africa’s agricultural sector. Meanwhile, after the markets were opened, global elites invested their surplus wealth into African mining commodities, which displaced populations, damaged the environment, and funded militant groups. In response to rising violence in Africa, the US invested more in AFRICOM and justified militarization of the continent at home by invoking outrageous fears of fundamental Islam. http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/153-expansion-a-intervention/51672-the-militarization-of-poverty-in-africa.html