The American surrogate, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, is butchering a neighbouring African country while the continent keeps mum. Another African, adept at currying favours from the Bushes of the world, has 1,700 troops in Mogadishu under the umbrella of the African Union.

Other African governments have not dared to join him. Museveni of Uganda moved swiftly from the African bush where he fought a guerrilla war to save his country from militarism, to the American Bush, from whom he can only bring death and devastation not only to his, but even neighbouring countries.

Just before the invading Ethiopian forces, instigated by the Americans, overthrew it, the United Islamic Courts (UIC) had managed to bring a semblance of peace and hope to the Somalis.

The UIC defeated the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace against Counter-terrorism (ARPCT), which was a coalition of opportunist warlords backed by the Americans. At the time, through IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development), African states had managed to knock together a Transitional Federal Government (TFG), another coalition of warlords based in Nairobi. It was an unstable alliance with little support in the country.

The leadership of TFG was backed by the Ethiopians. When the UIC defeated ARPCT and took over Mogadishu, the Americans changed sides. The foxy Meles Zenawi got his opportunity. The US raised its bloody banner of 'terrorism,.

The UIC was Al-Qaeda inspired; Somalia was becoming a haven for foreign terrorists, they claimed. The superpower lies and lies. It is a living lie. Just as they manufactured evidence about the WMD (weapons of mass destruction) in Iraq, so did they fabricate "facts, about the presence of Al-Qaeda in the UIC.

Instigated by the Americans, Ethiopia invaded Somalia and installed their surrogate TFG in Mogadishu, which was hitherto confined to Bidoa. Somalis deeply resent Ethiopian presence in their country. TFG has hardly much support. Abdulahi Yusuf, the so-called president of TFG, spends more time in Nairobi and Addis than Mogadishu.

Unfortunately, some African governments toed the American line. Through UN they approved an African Union force to precede a UN force for Somalia. Our own government came very close to participating in this force. Thanks to our Stars, wise counsel prevailed; otherwise, we would have been in the same boat as Ethiopians and Ugandans; though we could not get away without any scar.

Tanzania was the only African country in the International Contact Group, whose sole purpose was to provide the Americans with a veneer of legitimacy to their adventure in Somalia.

The Iraqinisation of Somalia could be foreseen; it was foreseen. Yet, African leaders, including ours, did not pay heed to the warnings. Fascinated by dollars and mesmerised by globalisation, our governments are failing to read the signs of the time.

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'Energy and militarisation under the aegis of globalisation, is the agenda of US imperialism. 'Terrorism, is a justifying ideology; a means to rally the American people on the one hand, and to demonise liberation struggles from imperialism by the peoples of the South, on the other.

WAT (war against terrorism) plays just about the same role that the bogey of communism played during the Cold War. In the Third World the war was never "cold".

From the Korean through Vietnam to Nicaragua-and Guatemala, the war in the Third World was very hot indeed. However, Europe and North America were peaceful. (Since 9/11, chickens are coming home to roost.

The liberal Europe and democratic America is girding itself with racist immigration laws to keep out coloured immigrants under the bogey of terrorist infiltration.)

Nationalist governments in the Third World, including Africa, whether authoritarian or democratic, were overthrown under the bogey of communism simply because they were trying to assert some independence and control over their resources. CIA-sponsored army coups abounded.

Patrice Lumumba was murdered in cold blood; Nkrumah was overthrown by the CIA-supported soldiers.

His crime was to expose neo-colonialism. Nyerere just survived by keeping distance from the super-powers while shaming the European social-democrats to assist him.

But today, neither Europe nor North America, has any social-democrats left. Since the neo-liberal era of Reagan and Thatcher you only have the likes of Sarkozy (France) coming to power all over Europe.

Fascism is on the rise. Even an American "ally, and a highly Europeanized Turkey is being kept out of the European Union because its population is mainly Muslim!

Meanwhile, the US pursues its twin objectives of securing energy (oil) and establishing its absolute military hegemony. In this scheme of things, driven by these objectives, the eastern seaboard of Africa, from Djibouti to Durban, is strategic.

Before the American-backed Siad Barre was overthrown in Somalia in 1991, he had signed concession agreements with four American oil companies. It is believed Somalia has oil and gas reserves, although the amounts are not yet fully established. Our own channel between the Islands and mainland are the target of energy grabbers.

The Americans are furiously looking for a base for their Africom. The US African Command is a military command for Africa created by Bush in February 2007. A number of African governments have openly refused to provide them with a base. A few seem to be supporting it in the private but dare not come out in the open.

That the Americans may be eyeing Tanzania for this purpose is logical. The country has the legendary political stability, and respect and reputation on the continent.

It is one of the biggest countries linking the Indian Ocean with the rich central Africa, especially the DRC. Its people are unsuspecting, peaceful, hospitable and satisfied with small favours like dispensaries and anti-malarial drugs dished out by uniformed gringos, as we often see them on the front pages of our newspapers.

I get worried therefore when I see the stripes-and-stars-carrying ambassadorial car moving around the country condemning corruption, seducing journalists with trips to Washington and New York, entertaining sheikhs to Iftar, or giving 'human rights, prizes to gullible NGO leaders. Why so much interest in Tanzania?

Africans must learn from the Iraqinisation of Somalia. There are two states in the world today one should keep distance from, the US and Israel.

These are the most militarised states; the least law-abiding and the greatest warmongers that the humankind has ever seen. One has flattened two countries to rubble within a decade; another wanted to bomb Lebanon to Stone Age causing enormous devastation.

True, politics and diplomacy may require one to keep quiet; true one is not powerful enough to fight these forces single-handedly. But 'if you can,t fight them, join them, is not always the best policy. If you can,t fight them; keep away. You don,t have to join them.

Issa Shivji is professor of Law.

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