Posted by
C-Hayes on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 1:12:00 PM
When you hear "crisis" and "Africa" in the same sentence these days, what immediately comes to mind?
Probably AIDS?
That's likely because President Bush has done more than any other president in the history of this country to help Africa combat AIDS. As recently as May of last year
he announced a pledged budget of $30 million for this purpose.
Here are the countries on the "focus list", so to speak - the 15 most vulnerable countries to the AIDS crisis (including, as you'll see, countries outside Africa):
Botswana
Cote d'Ivoire
Ethiopia
Guyana
Haiti
Kenya
Mozambique
Namibia
Nigeria
Rwanda
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
Vietnam
Zambia
While this is one of the largest humanitarian efforts in the world, Africa is beset by many other problems besides AIDS - which really isn't covered on the nightly news.
The country arguably in the most trouble right now in Africa is not even on the United States' "focus list". And its major problem is not AIDS.
The country is Zimbabwe. And the problem is hyper-inflation.
Yes, you read that right.
100,000 percent.
What's Mugabe's solution? To pander to the
"indigenous people of the country" by passing racist legislation that will allow the state to take over both foreign-controlled and white-owned businesses.
Elections in Zimbabwe occur March 29, and nothing to stem the rising hyper-inflation is likely before then. Or after, for that matter.
With all the hysteria surrounding the AIDS crisis and Darfur, you would think Africa has no other problems.
This is a huge one.
Isn't this kind of crisis exactly the type where the U.N. is supposed to step in? I couldn't find anything on
its website...
Look for more updates around election time...
UPDATE
(3/11/08 1:12pm) Ed Morrissey at
Hot Air.