I'm sorry to
say it but US backing of UNITA and Christian involvement through groups like
the Heritage Foundation through the 1970's and 80's did not help the situation
and the societal tension it has fostered.
The US tried
to 'clear the board' after the Cold War and abandoned some of its old allies
including UNITA's Savimbi who was finally killed in 2002. After the first Bush
administration turned their back on him he turned to DeBeers and became one of
the monsters of Africa involved in blood diamonds and a lot of other ugly
stuff. His old ties with the Christian Right and the US utilization of Apartheid South Africa in the Angola War were conveniently forgotten.
How is this
relevant? Once again the destabilization of societies mixed with religious
fervour and identification with a political cause lead to the rise of monsters.
You can't make a mess ten times worse and then walk away claiming no
responsibility.
The MPLA
regime's harsh response to these groups as well as the very existence of such
groups cannot be understood apart from the context of the civil war... another
African tragedy.
Angola's
recent rise in the world energy economy has created an economic boom, for some.
Actually it's increasing disparity and already existent tensions. The US now
backs the ex-Marxist regime and has gained access to the oil market. Just to
clarify this shift happened under George Bush.
Irony of
ironies, they shake hands with former enemies and look the other way while old
allies are put down. Anyone who trusts the US is a fool. The American Woman and
her war machine have stabbed so many allies in the back, it simply beggars
belief that anyone would trust it. Yet, everyone is looking to cash in, they
want access to the US market and investors. They want her riches and
delicacies.
It's like a
movie that never ends, it goes on and on and on and on.
