Ebola:

A  Step  In The Right Direction - But The Systemic Problems Remain

Pandemic

When the rest of the media was telling you everything was OK I correctly identified Ebola as a pandemic. (Refer to my earlier blog.)

How did I know this? Am I psychic?

The answer to both questions is 'no'.

It is very obvious to anyone who has had an elementary knowledge of virology that, because of a number of prevailing factors, an outbreak near centers of populations densities, would, in this day and age of mass transportation and communications, have a devastating effect.

I add the word 'communications' and let me explain why:

In tribal African societies as exist in the 21^st century, it is only natural for victims to seek assistance first from related tribal family elders and members then from extended family – even before seeking medical assistance.

Why Is This The Case?

The stigma of symptoms at a time and in, what I call, more primitive cultures than our own , where Witchcraft, superstition, fear of the unknown, coupled with fear of known and very real and topical viruses such as HIV, create absolute hysteria and panic in such communities and within such tribal societies as existing in Africa. They (their uneducated politicians to be precise) then behave in irrational ways and take draconian measures – similar as to how people (and more critically, their politicians) behaved and reacted when 'Witchcraft' was 'identified' to 'exist' in towns and villages not too many centuries ago in Europe and America - and as also happens today in very primitive Saudi Arabia.  All such factors accelerate local hysteria and create the very environment where the exercise of commonsense and reason become less rather than more likely until the 'outbreak' source (those responsible for the Witchcraft) has been identified and 'purged' or expurgated from local communities. Only then, when this ' blood lust' has been 'satisfied' , will the 'hunt' cease.

Let me give you just one related personal example.

I know a very highly educated West African colleague who 100% believes in the power of Witchcraft.  That person has given me many examples from his/her life. I have tried to logically reason this issue in many discussions over dinner and at my home but that individual would have none of it.  
That person will often exasperate my reasoning by telling me that, logically, aeroplanes should not be able to fly (!)   And he/she is not alone.

I have met many (Christian) Africans (West, East and Central Africa) in the course of my life who as much believe in the power of Witchcraft as they - and other Christians  do - in the power of prayer and miracles. The fact that meditation (or prayer) and 'miracles' may have logical explanations is neither here nor there. The fact that one has a belief  that they do produce results, is, in my opinion, the relevant factor.

Welcome To WEST AfriCa - 21^st Century

So this is the environment, 21^st century, into which Hi-Tech American forces are being deployed.

Again, and typical of today's First World hubris, few (if any) will have any training in Anthropology and tribal customs. So they will be entering unknown territory in more senses than one.   In some regards, they might just as well be venturing onto an alien spacecraft – but without the pre-training for interactive communications and contact.  All the technology is in place, but the mindset is not.  Technologically they will be fully equipped and prepared but, as I mentioned in the case of Afghanistan and elsewhere, you simply cannot parachute the 21^st century back into the 8^th, or 9^th  regardless whether two different cultures, worlds apart, are using the same cellphones or eating  at McDonalds and expect everything to just settle down or morph in an instant into global congeniality (!)

If it's a Paul Bremer style Pro Consul U.S. 'administrative' military operation in West Africa (as in Iraq) then God help the unfortunate locals (!)

I have to be cynical and say that the only reason I believe President Obama has now acted is because China, Russia (and even Cuba) are already on the ground lending their skills and assistance to a very confused and frightened population.

America, far from leading, is the last of the superpowers to arrive with physical boots on the ground and logistical assistance in West Africa to help contain this pandemic.

The Iraq Factor – Exclusion Is the Order of the Day

 Again, and sadly I must draw parallels with the defeat of ISIL .

If the majority of politicians were really serious about it's defeat, as former United States Congressman Ron Paul has recently said, they would be prepared to work with those countries who have a real vested interest in it's defeat – Iran, and the government of President Assad in Syria (and whose forces will not cut and run) and not with those who, like the Iraqis, will run away, not stand their ground when ISIL forces appear, and, as with the Saudis and Gulf States, will only be prepared stand and fight to the last drop of (in the main) Christian blood (sic. armed forces from supporting countries of the  Europe, Australia and the United States.)  The exception is of course the Turkish Armed Forces - who are disciplined, determined, combat-ready and will most certainly stand their ground.   But modern Turkey (successor to extinguished the Ottoman Empire of yesterday) is regarded, with private suspicion, by the West, as the new 'Great Game'¹ of geopolitics unfolds in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucasuses and any role it is invited to partake will factor in these parameters.

The World, As One Family, Has A Vested interest in Containing Ebola

So the U.S. Armed forces will not be working with China, Russia nor Cuba in West Africa but 'doing their own thing '.

In all fairness, I don't want to be overtly critical but I honestly believe that where global emergencies erupt, there is a duty on all politicians not to try to play politics with the future of the earth.   Sadly (and I have said this for so many other issues) as a species, we just never learn and are fated to repeat the same mistakes over and over and over again.   Neither am I saying that Russia and China do not have ulterior motives – but I cannot deny they were there in West Africa with the practical help and assistance with their immense logistical capabilities, first and not last.  Cubans, as a people, have a historical link with the African continent so, despite the enormous sanctions and hardships they themselves are still under, it does not at all surprise me that they have offered to assist with whatever help they can give.  I only hope that the United States does not behave with hubris and demand the West African governments reject their assistance or it will 'penalize' the countries concerned.  Knowing how arrogance operates, this would not at all surprise me and I do not see them working happily nor cooperatively together – but CNN and Fox will not cover this part of the story – you will have to dig deeper to find out if my interpretation of this aspect of human nature continues to prevail.

The Systemic Problems in West Africa Remain Unchanged

No amount of foreign assistance will change the fact that West African politicians will continue to prefer to spend foreign aid on private airplanes and their own aggrandisement rather than on a sanitation, healthcare and education infrastructure for their respective countries and people as a whole.

I am sorry to have to tell you the truth and some of you will be disappointed that I have said this – but it's just a sad fact of African life.  No doubt it will change.
But it has not in my time on this planet.

I recall many years ago (when I was in my 30s) I was being interviewed

for quite an important government first appointment – which could have had great potential for personal advancement.

I was asked by the Interview Panel what I thought about the issue of Global Warming and how we should 'assist' the Third World to 'get it right' rather than their continued destruction of 'our' climate and environment.

I said that I thought Brazil, China and developing Africa were doing no different than Europe and the U.S. did during their periods of industrialization and that their burning of fossil fuels and tree felling for forest (jungle) clearance and agricultural development were perfectly acceptable.  We had done it to get ourselves industrialized so why apply different standards to hold back development in the Third World?    Besides, I added, they will someday 'grow out of it' and 'evolve' just as we did.  You could hear a pin drop as the Panel looked at me in horror.  Needless to say, I did not get the job (!) ; but I left that interview content that I had told them the truth to the question they had asked me, as I saw it.

So to return to West Africa, as I said in an earlier blog, don't have too high hopes on African leaders 'seeing the light' once the emergency has passed.

Containment is the key objective at present.  Changes in behavior (sic. human nature) are much more difficult and longer - term.

I do not see the latter happening until, perhaps, something really tragic wakes both Africa and the world up to respect State - subsidized public sanitation, healthcare, health education and, in my opinion, education for the masses as a right and not as a privilege for the few and for which African countries take responsibility for allocating realistic proportions of their GDPs to pay for such - rather than the existing  practice of reliance on handouts from foreign aid agencies for small-scale projects (much of which in any event never arrives into the respective health and education programs but ends up in pockets and bank accounts of local politicians, sometimes with the knowledge and complicity of their Western sponsors.)

Patrick Emek

Islamic Witch hunts  - Saudi Arabia :

wikiislam.net/wiki/Islamic_Witch_Hunts_-_Saudi_Arabia

and just one more  example from Saudi Arabia of a more primitive society than our own:
http://www.newser.com/story/195995/saudi-fined-for-driving-herself-to-hospital.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=inbox&utm_campaign=newser

 http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Game 

http://www.ronpaul.com/ 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/106062813186522446847/about