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TheWahhabiInvasionofAfricaDawitW.GiorgisJanuary,2016

“Nilikuonyeshanyotanauliangaliakidoletu.”“Ipointedoutthestarstoyou,andallyousawwasthetipofmyfinger.”—Tanzanianproverb.Africa is beset bymultiple problemswith security issues at the topof the list.Unable to provide thebasic needs (which include freedomand justice) for their people, andnotbeing able to exercise fullcontrol over their territory, many African countries are falling victims to transnational crimes andterrorism. Extremists have turned people against each other in such a brutal way that restoringharmonyhasbecomeanimpossibletaskinsomecountries.FromtheGulfofAdentotheAtlanticcoastacross, fromNorthAfrica to the southern end of sub-SaharanAfrica, large swaths of territory havebecomeungovernable.In2015,19oftheworld’s25failedstateswereinAfrica.1This article is not about religion! It is about politics and how religious fanaticswant to seize politicalpower and control peoples’ lives. But the greater society refuses to allow this. People are defendingtheir rights to live and exercise freedom of choice. The extremists are well funded, determined andorganized.Battlesinthewarareraging.Thewarwillspreadandescalateandchaosrisksbecomingthenorm,anexistentialdaggerdrivenintotheheartofAfrica.This article deals with the role that Saudi Arabia and its brand of Islam (Wahhabism) are playing indestabilizing Africa. The Saudi version of Islam is the product of mid 18 century fundamentalisttheologianMuhammadAbdal-Wahhab.HepreachedastrictinterpretationofIslam,condemnedotherinterpretationsandinnovations.Hesawwesternvaluesandcivilizationasabhorrentlyevil.In1744,Abal-WahhabenteredintoapoliticalagreementwithMohammedbinSaudi,warlordandrulerofDiryah,aroundtoday’sRiyadh.ThisisthefoundationofmodernSaudiArabia.SincetheindependenceofSaudiArabia in 1932, the two families have ruled the country with the Koran as the constitution of thekingdom. Bin Saudi descendants are kings and Imams (spiritual leaders), while Ab al- Wahhab’sdescendantsaretheUlama,religiousadviserstothekings.‘Wahhabism’demandsconformitytotheWahhabiideologyandunquestionedallegiancetooneleader."Abd al-Wahhabdemanded conformity—a conformity thatwas to be demonstrated in physical andtangibleways.HearguedthatallMuslimsmust individuallypledgetheirallegiancetoasingleMuslimleader (aCaliph, if therewereone).Thosewhowouldnotconformtothisviewshouldbekilled, theirwivesanddaughtersviolated,andtheirpossessionsconfiscated,hewrote.Thelistofapostatesmeritingdeath included the Shiite, Sufis and other Muslim denominations, whom Abd al-Wahhab did notconsidertobeMuslimatall.Toachievehisaims,Abdal-WahhabandhisfollowersmassacredShiites,destroyedmanyShiiteshrines,plunderedthetombofImamHussein,thegrandsonofProphetMohammad,andattackedtheHolyCityofKarbala.ABritishofficial,LieutenantFrancisWarden,observingthesituationatthetime,wrote:“theypillagedthewholeofit(Karbala),andplunderedthetombofHussein…slayinginthecourseoftheday,withcircumstancesofpeculiarcruelty,abovefivethousandoftheinhabitants”2.

1http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/06/17/fragile-states-2015-2http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theworldpost/2http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theworldpost/

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TheiroverallobjectivehasbeentobringpeopletheycaptureintosubmissionjustliketheIslamicStateofIraqandSyria(ISIS).AlistairCookenotesthat“SaudiArabiawasfoundedwithterrorism……Thereisnothing here that separates ‘Wahhabism’ from ISIS. The rift would emerge only later. From thesubsequent institutionalization of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s doctrine of “one ruler, oneauthority, one mosque” these three pillars being taken respectively to refer to the Saudi king, theabsoluteauthorityofofficial ‘Wahhabism’…it isthisrift–theISISdenialofthesethreepillarsonwhichthe whole of Sunni authority presently rests-makes ISIS, which in all other aspects conforms toWahhabism,adeepthreattoSaudiArabia”.3The leaderof the grandmosqueofMecca,AdelAl Kalbani, statedonBBC inMay2009 that all ShiaMuslims were apostate, unbelievers, and as such should be hunted down and killed. 4ThisWahhabiideology and its practice in Saudi Arabia has also become the guiding ideology of al Qaeda and itsaffiliates, Boko Haram, Alqueda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQUIM), al Shabaab, and ISIS. “For fivedecades, Saudi Arabia has been the official sponsor of Sunni Salafism (Wahhabism) across the globe.SuchentitieshavebeenlavishlysupportedbytheSaudigovernmentwhichhasappointedemissariestoitsembassiesinMuslimcountrieswhoproselytizeforSalafism.”5‘Wahhabism’ and Salafism are distinct in some ways. ‘Wahhabism’ rejects modern thoughts andpractices and Salafism attempts to reconcile Islam with modernism. However both adhere to a‘fundamentalist’ interpretation of the Holy Koran. Although Salafism and ‘Wahhabism’ seem to bedistinct in their practice of Islam: “Faisal’s (Saudi king, 1964-75) embrace of Salafi pan-Islamismresulted in cross-pollination between ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s teachings on tawhid, shirk and bid’a andSalafi interpretationsofahadith (sayingsofProphetMuhammad).SomeSalafisnominated ibnAbdal-Wahhab as one of the Salaf (retrospectively bringingWahhabism into the fold of Salafism), and theMuwahideenbegancallingthemselvesSalafis.”6IslaminAfricaIslam came to Africa at about the same time it emerged in the Arabian Peninsula. The firstMuslimsimmigrated to modern day Ethiopia in 615 AD in order to escape persecution. As the teachings ofMohamedtheProphetbecamemorepopular,manytribesinMecca,includingMohammed’sowntribe,theQuraysh,sawhimasathreattotheirleadership.WhenMohamedrefusedtostophispreaching,theleadershippersecutedhisfollowers,someofwhomwereforcedtoleaveMecca.TheProphetMohammad“realizedthathecouldnotprotecthisfollowersfromthispersecutionandtoldthem to go to the Habesha, (modern day Ethiopia and Eritrea).”7 Thatwasthefirst“hijra”(migration)inIslam’shistory.There has been a continuousMuslimpresence inAfrica ever since,withtheMuslimpopulation,forthemostpart,peacefullyco-existingwithlocaltraditionsandotherreligions.

3http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theworldpost/4BBCArabicLive,28April20155http://www.globalresearch.ca/why-does-the-u-s-support-saudi-arabia-a-country-which-hosts-and-finances-islamic-terrorism-on-behalf-of-washington/53984086TrevorStanley,UnderstandingtheOriginsofWahhabismandSalafism,Publication:TerrorismMonitorVolume:3Issue:14,July15,20057http://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-ashgar-razwy/two-migrations-muslims-abyssinia

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Islam’sexpansion inAfricawas largelynonviolentandgradual. Islamcame toAfricanot to replaceoreliminate local traditions, but to use it as ameans to establish connectionswith peoplewho are farawayfromtheArabianPeninsula,non-ArabsthatdidnotspeakArabic,andwerewithoutamonolithicculture.ThisresultedinthediversityofthepracticeofIslaminAfrica.ThekindofIslamthatwaslargelypracticedinAfricawasSufism.Sufismacceptedandpromotedthefusionofpre-IslamicbeliefsandnewIslamicprinciplesoffaith,unitingpeopleofdiverseethnicandculturalbackgrounds.In contrast to this traditional practice of Islam in Africa, Wahhabi ideology attempts to reduce aheterogeneous civilization into a monolithic religious culture. Africans are traditionally defined bycultural,ethnic,and linguisticdiversity,andfindthiskindofhegemonyoffensive.Thus, the Islamthatwaspracticed inAfricabecamedifferent fromwhat is practiced in SaudiArabia.Mali’s history as thecenterofQur’anic studies, aswell as the intellectual and spiritual capital ofAfrican Islam,makes it agoodillustrationofthisdifference.TheMalianversionofIslamhashistoricallybeenpeaceful,andwasthe driving force behind the propagation of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries.TimbuktuwasanIslamiccenterlongbeforethebirthofAbdal-WahhabintheArabianPeninsulaandthebirthofthecountryknownasSaudiArabia.Inhisstudyentitled‘TheAfricanVortex’DavidMcCormackwrites“InitstraditionalAfricanform,(Islam)isentirelyapartoftheAfricanculturalheritageandthusanAfricanreality.”8Thischangedwiththediscoveryofoil in theArabianPeninsulaandthe flourishingof theoilbusiness.With access to almost unlimited wealth, Saudi Arabia started its campaign of “Wahhabization” inearnest.InAfrica,perhapsmorethanelsewhere,theWahhabibrandofIslambecameachallengetotherootsofAfricanidentity.Sufism:APartofAfricanReligiousTraditionSufism emerged in theMiddle East in the 12th century and then spread to Africa. Sufism’smysticalapproach to Islamwas easily integrated into the African tradition because it permitted, and perhapspromoted, the fusionofpre-Islamicbeliefswithnew Islamicprinciplesof faith. “In fact the rootingofSufism in the spiritual landscape began to translate intoa very elaborate transaction inexorablyintertwinedwith social structures,matrimonial rules (including the preeminence ofmatrilineage andpowerofwomeninsomeregions),andwiththetiesandritualsoflocalreligions.”9OneleadingexampleofAfricanMuslimphilosopherswhopreached,wroteandspreadtheSufimessageof peace and tolerance is Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, founder of theMouride brotherhood in Senegal.BambaandhisfollowersreinforcedthepracticeofSufismasapeaceful,tolerant,yetadaptableIslamicforce.AsseeninmanycountriesandcommunitiesinEastandWestAfrica,SufismpresentedIslamasareligion that couldpeacefully coexist,bothwithother civilizationsandwithmodernity. SheikhBambawrites: “The truewarrior inGod’s path is not hewho kills his enemies, but hewho combats his ego(nafs)toachievespiritualperfection…Indeed,thetoughestJihadconsistsinhinderingone'smindfromeverinvolvinginaught(thought?)thatisnotproper.”10

8DavidMcCormack,AnAfricanVortex:IslaminSub-SaharaAfrica,washDC,CenterforSecurityPolicy,20059MamadouDiouf,ToleranceDemocracyandSufisminSenegal10AbdulAziaMbacke,JihadforPeace:ExploringthePhilosophyofShekhAhmadouBamba,TheAfricanMuslimLeaderofNonViolence(1853-1927)

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These principles contrast with the political and violent form of Islamic extremism preached byWahhabists.Wahhabiideologyisbasedontheunionofpoliticsandfaithandrequirestheenforcementof religious practices through political power. In contrast, Sufism, as practiced in Africa, promotestolerance and respect for other religions. In Africa as in Pakistan and many other Middle Easterncountries, Sufismhas thereforebeenunder sustainedattacks byWahhabis since the timesofAbdalWahhab.InMaliaswellasinSomaliatheresistancetotheSaudibrandofIslamisalivebutfacesgreatchallengefromthehighlyresourcedsheiksandmosquesoperatinginthecommunitiesmostvulnerable.TheAfricaReportwritesabout thesechallenges inMali: “AnewgroupofSufi leadershas launchedacampaigntowinoverMali’syoungMuslims,whoarebeingcourtedbyawaveofconservativepreachersbackedbymoneyfromSaudiArabiaandQatar…whohavesetupclinicsandreligiousschoolsinMaliandhavebeenwinningsupport fromcommunities frustratedby the lackofgovernmentbacking forsocialwelfareprojects”11LocalsalloverAfricarepeatthesestoriesthatarebeingtold.SaudiArabiahaspromotedWahhabisminAfricainnumerousways.Oneexampleisthrougheducation.TextbooksusedinWahhabischoolsallovertheworldare“virulentandhate-filled.”12.AbookfoundintheKingFahdmosquedistributedbytheSaudiEmbassyinWashington,DC,andpublishedbytheSaudiGovernmentreads:“Bedissociatedfromtheinfidels,hatethemfortheirreligion,leavethem,neverrelyonthemforsupport,donotadmirethemineverywayaccordingtoIslamiclaw”.13ThesearethesametextbooksthatSaudiArabiaexportsfreelytoallitssponsoredschoolsinAfrica.TheSaudi religious leaders preach and justify slavery as an integral part of Islam. Although the kingdomofficiallyabolishedslaveryin1962undergreatpressurefromtheUnitedNations,theSaudiclergiesstillbelievethatslaveryispartofIslam.MostrecentlySheikhAl-Fewze,amemberofthecouncilofclerics,SaudiArabia’shighestreligiousbody,declared“slavery isapartof Islam”and“slavery ispartof JihadandwillremainaslongasthereisIslam”.14‘Wahhabism’alsoviolatesbasichumanrightsbydenyingwomentherightstofreelytalk,dress,work,drive, communicate, and play. Additionally, there is nothing resembling religious freedom in SaudiArabia. The country allowsno churches, andnoChristians are allowed toworship,while at the sametimeitbuildshundredsofmosques,mostnotably,inAfrica.In2013,theGrandMuftiofSaudiArabia-thetopIslamicofficial-declareditnecessarytodestroyallchurchesintheregion.15PoliceroutinelysearchhousesforChristiansholdingbiblestudiesintheirhomes.HumanRightsWatch,World Report 2015, listed the violations, primarily systematic discrimination against women andreligious minorities…lack of protection of the rights of 9 million foreign workers…unfair trials andarbitrarydetention…andcriminalizationofanyformofpeacefulcriticismsofauthoritiesasterrorism.16ManyexpertsandhistorianshavewrittenaboutthesimilaritiesbetweenISISandSaudiArabiaintheirideologyandmethodstheyusetoenforcetheirbrandofIslam.

11TheAfricaReport12August2015 13SaudiArabia:FriendorFoeintheWaronTerror,HudsonInstitute,Nov2005,NinaShea14http://www.crethiplethi.com/slavery-is-a-part-of-islam/global-islam/2010/15https://www.mnnonline.org/news/saudi-arabia-declares-destruction-of-all-churches-in-region/16HumanRightsWatch,WorldReport2015

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AcrossAfrica–‘Wahhabism’isontheOffensiveSomaliaIhavelivedandworkedwithruralSomalicommunities(intheOgaden)formanyyearsandcountmanySomalis as my friends. I have found Somalis of all generations to be open and liberal-minded. Theypractice a flexible version of Sufi Islam and are unique in Africa because they are bonded by onelanguage,and have no tribes but only clans. Located along one of the most strategic places in theworld,Somalia had all the ingredients to establish a united peaceful country. However, Somalia’sambitiontouniteallSomalipeopleincludingthoselivinginDjibouti,Ethiopia(Ogaden),Kenya(NorthernFrontierDistrict -NFD) into aGreater Somaliahasbrought it intocollisionwithEthiopia and to somedegreewithKenyaandDjibouti,andplantedtheseedsofclanandreligiouswarwhichultimatelyledtothecollapseofthestate.Nohistoriancouldhavepredictedthatthecenturiesofunityandopen-mindednessoftheSomalipeoplewouldbeshattered insuchashort,brutalperiodoftime.Yet ithappened,withthehelpofacountrythathasantremendousamountofmoneyandiscapableofexertingenormouspressurewhileimposingarabidversionofIslam.In whatever way Islam first came to Somalia, it has been present since the time of the ProphetMohammad,where, for themostpart, thepeopleof theHornofAfricacoexisted. It iswidelyknownthat themodelof IslamembracedbySomaliswasSunni,andthemostdominantwasSufimixedwithSomali pastoralisttradition. Sharia was never institutionalized and, because of the way of life of theSomalis as pastoralists, the practice of Islam was guided more by customary law than practicesprescribedbyanysingleschoolofthought.In 1953 an Institute of Islamic Studies run by Egyptian scholars from Cairo’s al-Azhar University wasestablishedinMogadishu.ThiscreatedthefirstofficialcontactwiththeEgyptianMuslimbrotherhoodinCairo. After Somalia’s independence in 1960, “Saudi religious and educational institutions—especiallytheIslamicUniversityofMedina,theUmmal-QuraUniversityinMecca,andtheImamMuhammadbinSaud Islamic University in Riyadh—joined al-Azhar in offering scholarships to the graduates of theseinstitutions.”17 The scholars in the al-Azharwere, according to DavidMcCormick, ‘Wahhabi inspired‘.Somali students in these universities were treated with generous benefits and financial assistances,including free accommodation and food, pocket money, marriage allowances and yearly round-triptickets.Despite this, tolerance and peace continued to be the landmark characteristics of Somali Muslims.Somaliwomenneverworetheveil,preferringtheirowntraditionaldresswhiletheyworkedalongsidemen.Infact,womenplayakeyroleintheadministrationoffamilyandcommunityaffairsamongSomalinomadicpeoples.18Islamismwasagradualphenomenonthatappearedafterindependencein1960.Inthe1980sand90s,the government of President Said Barre played a role in suppressing Islamistmovementwherever itappeared. “As a result of oppression and prosecution, many Islamic activists fled to Afghanistan,

17“Somalia,”WorldAlmanacofIslamism,accessedOctober4,2013.(http://almanac.afpc.org/Somalia)18HistoryofIslamicMilitancyinSomaliaPart3,”SomaliFreethinkers,accessedOctober4,2013.(http://somalifreethinkers.blogspot.com/2010/09/history-of-islamic-militancy-in-somalia.html)

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Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, and the Persian Gulf states, gaining employment there andeducationintheIslamicuniversitiesinthesecountries.”19Even in the early 90s, people did not notice radical Islam was spreading its tentacles in the Somalicommunity in typical Muslim Brotherhood-organization style, and waiting for the right moment tostrike. Somali journalistBashir Goth reflects of the period of early 1990s: "The Ulema of Dillarepresented a generation and a time when Islam and the Somali culture lived together in perfectharmony…whenbeingSomaliandMuslimwasanindivisiblewhole…Itwasatimewhenthemessageoftoleranceandpeaceprevailed…Onecouldprayoccasionally,orneverprayatall, fast inthemonthofRamadan or never fast at all, make a pilgrimage to Mecca or never do it at all; but would foreverconsideroneselfatruefollowerofIslam,knowingthattobeaMuslimisabondbetweenmanandGodandthatone'sfaithisnotanswerabletoanyoneelse."20During the last days of Siad Barre’s regime, the Islamist took advantage of the chaos and the rise ofradicalgroupslikeal-Ittihadandal-Islah.Thesegroupssurfacedandstartedpreachingopenly.Afterthefall of Said Barre,Somalia disintegrated anddegenerated into a state of lawlessness ruled by rivalwarlords.ManySomaliswhohadbeenstudyinginSaudiArabiaandEgyptreturnedtojointheIslamistgroupsinthearmedstruggletofillthevacuumandtakeoverstatepower.Itwasduringthiscrisisandthe ensuing clanwarfare that ‘Wahhabism’ found an opportunity tomobilize people and unite themunderonereligiousandpoliticalpower.AfterthecollapseofthestateandthecompletedisintegrationofSomalia,thedesperateSomalislookedtotheUSbutwerenotsavedfromtheonslaughtofextremism.AmericaabandonedthemaftertwoUSBlackHawkhelicopterswereshotdown.ThecounterterrorismoperationlaunchedtodestroytheSomaliinsurgents was aborted and turned into a rescue operation. Surrounded by Somali insurgents, theAmericansfoughthardbutwereleftwith18Americansdead,and70wounded.TheAmericanspulledoutfromSomalia.Amidstthecontinuingcivilwar,Somaliatriedtoestablishacentralgovernment.Successivetransitionalgovernmentsfailed and in the process a new more radicalized and more organized militant IslamistorganizationcalledtheUnionofIslamicCourts(UIC)cametopowerin2006.In2007,theUICgavewayto the emergence of Al-ShabaabandHizb-al-Islamwhich changed the entire security and politicalsituationofSomaliaand,indeed,theregion.ThenbeganthedestructionofSufishrines,includinggravesandmosquesinSouthernSomalia.TheBBCreports, “Since they began to capture large swathes of southern Somalia, radical Islamists have beenundertakingaprogramofdestroyingmosquesandthegravesofreveredreligiousleadersfromtheSufibranchofIslam.”21ManySufiMuslimswereattacked,includingtheelites,thepreachers,andthosewithgreat influencewere forced togo intohiding resulting in thecollapse,bothof the traditional system,

19“HistoryofIslamicMilitancyinSomaliaPart3,”SomaliFreethinkers,accessedOctober4,2013.(http://somalifreethinkers.blogspot.com/2010/09/history-of-islamic-militancy-in-somalia.html)20“Wahhabism,theEnemyofIslam?”FrontPageMag,accessedOctober4,2013.(http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=15069)21Mohamed,“SomaliRageatGraveDesecration,”BBC,June8,2009.(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8077725.stm)

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andthestateapparatus.AUSStateDepartmentreportindicatesthattwoSuficlericswerebeheadedinBaladinMarch2009.22Duringthiscivilwar,hundredsofthousandsofSomaliswere internallydisplacedandputoutofwork,while many others fled in search of food and peace. Unfortunately, some of this help came fromextremistgroups.Forexample,SomalissufferingfromthecivilwarhavereportedthatrepresentativesoftheSaudicharityorganizationknownastheMuslimWorldLeague’s(MWL),havepressuredSomaliswithofferingsofhumanitarianaidtochangetheirIslamicpracticesfromtraditionalSufiinterpretationsto“thetrueIslamicway.”23Asaresult,theoverwhelmingmajorityofSomalis–inonewayoranother–developedsomesortofaffinityforIslamicextremism,destroyingthetoleranceofSomalisociety.InMogadishu the resurgence of Sufism since al Shabaab’s recent expulsion is palpable. “With Allah'swish, we are here free and worshipping today," said Sheik Abdullahi Osman, a Sufi cleric.But‘Wahhabism’ is alive and thriving in Somalia inmany forms, and is now pervasive in Somali society.Somaliahasforeverchanged.TheWahhabistswillcontinuethefightforpoliticalpowerinSomaliaandfor regional hegemony to ensure that the entire Somali people, in all neighboring countries, will beunited under one Islamic ‘Greater Somalia’ state to be used as a staging ground for their nexttarget,neighboringEthiopia.SenegalSenegal has a slightly different experience with Wahhabism. In Senegal 95% of the population areMuslims and less than 5% are Christians. The two faiths have historically coexisted harmoniously.Despitebeingpartofaminority,whenSenegalbecameindependentin1962,itsfirstPresident,LéopoldSédarSenghor,wasadevoutCatholic.SenghorwasthefirstAfricanpresidenttohandhispresidencytoademocraticallyelectedsuccessor.ThepresidentsthatsucceededhimwereMuslims;theirwiveswereCatholics. In thisway, Senegal is amodel of inter-faith relation inAfrica. This harmony, promotedbySenegal’s tradition of Sufism is eroding as extremism infiltrates the region. Senegal has nowbecomeveryvulnerabletoWahhabiinfluence.“Moreandmore,fundamentalistgroups,suchasalQaedaintheIslamicMaghreb[AQIM],aretappingintonationalcausesandgivingthemareligiousspin,tocreatenationalideologies-thatispartoftheirnewstrategy,”saidanImamintheDakarneighborhoodofSICAPBaobab,whopreferredanonymity.24Some reports indicate that several Senegalesewhohave returnedhomeafter attending radical Islamschools inMeccaarecriticizingtheSufiorderandtryingtopopularizetheWahhabischoolofthought.Further,thereisadualschoolsystem;onesystemrecognizedbythegovernmentandtheothersystemestablished and funded by the private sector, which has created duplicity of education and anopportunityfortheWahhabischoolofthoughttoflourishwithoutrestraint.25

22USDepartmentofState,“2009HumanRightsReport:Somalia,”March11,2010.(http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135976.htm)23TeresaHarings,“TheMuslimWorldLeague:CreepingWahhhabiColonialism?”TelAvivNotes,theMosheDayanCenter.(http://www.aftau.org/site/DocServer/TANotes_Muslim_Harings.pdf?docID=1726124SenegalLookingMoreVulnerabletoExtremism,Instability,”IRINNEWS,May30,2013.(http://www.irinnews.org/report/98122/senegal-looking-more-vulnerable-to-extremism-instability)25“SenegalbetweenIslamicConfraternitiesandtheIslamistDrift,”InvisibleDog,May17,2013.(http://invisible-dog.com/senegal_islam_eng.html)

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Saudi Arabia has built many mosques in Senegal and it is mostly through these mosques that theWahhabiideologyisbeingpreached.OneMuslimclericsaid,“IfwetookmoneyfromtheSaudistobuildourmosques,we'dhavetopraythewaytheywanted,"26.Moneyseemstoplayanimportantfactorinthe conversion of many people to ‘Wahhabism’. Senegal’s failing economy and vast number ofunemployedyouthshasleftthecountryvulnerabletoextremists.ExtremistelementswithintheurbanareasarepropagatingtheideathatanalternativepoliticalsystemintheformofpoliticalIslamcanbringeconomicprosperitytothefrustratedpopulation.MaliInMali,Sufischolars forcenturies taughtan Islamicmessageof love,peaceandtolerance,amessagethatwasintegratedintothelocalwayoflife.WhileMaliansneversuccumbedtoIslamicextremism,thecountry has become vulnerable due to the combination of famine, weak government and a Tuaregrebellioncausedbyregionalinstability,specificallyinLibya.Inearly2013SunniIslamiststookadvantageoftheTuaregrebellion,overtooktheNorthernpartofthecountry,createdanalliancewiththerebels,established Sharia law, and destroyed the rich heritage in Timbuktu and in other areas under theircontrol.TheideologyofintolerancewasWahhabiandalQaedainspiredandlinkedtotheusualsuspect,SaudiArabia.AlQaeda(AQIM)hasclaimedresponsibilitiesforthemostrecentattackonRadissonBluhotelinBamako,whichkilled19people.“Thepeopleof this countryhavebeen religious forover tencenturies,” said ImamMahamoudDicko,President of the Islamic High Council ofMali, “We have our Islamic system,weworship God. This isnonsensewhat theyaredoing in theNorth—cuttinghands, stoningpeople.” 27Another charismaticleader known as Sheikh Cherif OusmaneMadani Haidara,who represents the version of IslammostMaliansidentifywith,says:“Wedon’tneedtheirSharia.WehavebeenMuslimshereforcenturies.Maliis a secular country.We livewithChristians,we livewith Jews, andwe livewithanimists.WeareallMalians together here [and] Islamists in the north have destroyed historical structures, includingcenturies old shrines, mosques, schools and libraries, and have amputated limbs, instituted publicfloggingsandbeheadings.”28New Sufi Islamic leaders have emerged determined to win over young Muslims, who are beingrelentlessly indoctrinatedbya concertedand resourcedeffortsofpreacherswho, according to them,arefundedbySaudiArabiaandQatar.AmongthemisCherifOusmaneMadaniHaïdarawhostatesthat“GroupementdesLeadersSpirituelsMusulmansduMali(GLSM)istryingtoeradicatethementalitythatWahhabigroupsare implanting in the futuregeneration……seeks topersuade theyouth that Islam isnotthiskindofextremismthatthey[Wahhabiproselytizers]aretryingtodisseminate”.29ThiernoAmadouDiallo,theministerforreligiousaffairs,says“wealthysponsorsoftheWahhabigroupsarebehind their growing influence. Forexample, theSaudiArabian-basedWorldAssemblyofMuslim

26DanielFlynn,“Senegal’sMuslimBrotherhoodPreachesHardWork,”Reuters,May15,2007.(http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/05/16/us-senegal-religion-mourides-idUSL154074882007051627http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/in-mali-imams-and-rebels-clash-over-islamic-doctrine/article4313510.ece28ThomasC.Mountain,“Mali,Wahhabis,andSaudis:FollowingtheMoneyTrail,”ForeignPolicyJournal,January4,2013.(http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2013/01/04/mali-wahhabis-and-saudis-following-the-money-trail/)29Mali:FaithandthefightbackByByRoseSkeltoninBamako,TheAfricaReport,12August2015

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Youth (WAMU)hasbuilt a huge Islamic education centre inBamako topropagate the strictWahhabiinterpretation of Islam.…… There has been no control of funding from religious organisations….. Thestateisweak,soreligiousnon-governmentalorganisationsplaytheirpart."30Foreign Policy Journal says, “Every Wahhabi movement that has been competently investigated hasbeen tied to the Saudis, in most cases to the almost 30,000 strong Saudi royal family and theMaliWahhabis are no exception.”31 A Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) report showstheMali Army withcaptureddocumentsprovingwiretransfersfromSaudiArabiatotheIslamicterroristsinMali.32Another report states that, “Islamicmilitants associatedwith Ansar Dine, and al-Qaida in the IslamicMaghreb[AQIM]are“recruiting”youngTuaregboyswithpromisesoffoodtoeat(aluxuryforsomeinMali)andmoney,areteachingthemtohatetheWestanduseweaponsinanetworkofmadrassasorreligiousschools,fundedbyourfriendsinSaudiArabiaandQatar.”33DuringtheinvasionofMalibytheradicalIslamistsfromtheNorthernpartofthecountry,theUNchiefBan-kiMoondiscussedtheMaliancrisiswithleadersofQatarandSaudiArabia.34ThisisaratherbluntindicationoftheinvolvementofSaudiArabiaandQatarintheconflictinMali.“There is plenty of evidence pointing to the fact that Saudi money is financing the various Salafistgroups,”saidSamirAmghar,authorof“Lesalafismed’aujourd’hui.MouvementssectairesenOccident”(Contemporary Salafism: Sectarianmovements in theWest) and according to Antoine Basbous, whoheads theParis-basedObservatoryofArabCountries, “theSalafismwehearabout inMali andNorthAfrica is in fact the exported version of Wahhabism.” The Saudis have been financing [Wahhabism]aroundtheworldtothetuneofseveralmillioneuros,”BasboustoldFRANCE24.Mali’sproblemwillnotbesolvedbyarushedelectionthatdoesnottakeintoaccounttherealitiesandthreatsofRadicalIslamintheregion.Malifacesanexistentialistthreatandthismustbeaddressednotthroughcosmeticchangesofgovernment,butthroughastrategythatexploresthefundamentalsourcesoftheproblemandaninterfaithdialoguetochallengetheagendaofSaudiArabiainMaliandelsewhereinAfrica.KenyaRadicalIslamarrivedinKenyaintwoways:theNorthernpartofKenyawithasizableSomalipopulationborderingSomalia,knownduringcolonialtimesastheNorthernFrontierDistrict(NFD),andtheEasterncoastalcityofMombasa.Sincethe1990s,MuslimsinKenyahavebeenexposedtoreligiousradicalismfromalQaedathroughitsaffiliateal-Jihadal-Islam(AIAI),whichwasfightingtoestablishashariastateinSomalia,inthenorthernpartofKenyaandtheOgadeninEasternEthiopia.Duringthosetimes,Kenya30Mali:FaithandthefightbackByByRoseSkeltoninBamako,TheAfricaReport,12August201531“SaudiArabiaFundsIslamicTerrorisminMali,”TheFederalistBlog,January30,2013.(http://thefederalist-gary.blogspot.com/2013/01/saudi-arabia-funds-islamic-terrorism-in.html)32MuradMakhmudovandLeeJayWalker,“IslamistsinMali:FundingandIdeologicalRatlinesLinkingSaudiArabiaandQatar,”ModernTokyoTimes,July2,2012.(http://global-security-news.com/2012/07/03/islamists-in-mali-funding-and-ideological-ratlines-linking-saudi-arabia-and-qatar/)33http://global-security-news.com/2012/12/24/islamists-start-destroying-more-african-islamic-culture-in-mali-saudi-arabia-and-syria/34“UNChiefDiscussesMalianCrisiswithLeadersofQatar,SaudiArabia,”XinhuaNews,July5,2012.(http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-07/06/c_123377188.htm)

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experienced sporadic attacks like theattackon theUSembassy inNairobi in 1998, the attackon theIsraeli-ownedhotelinMombasain2002,andtheIslamistterroristsattempttobringdownanElAlplanewith surface-to-airmissiles inMombasa the sameyear. .AIAI leaders,who laterbecamepartof theleadershipofalShabaab,startedsecretlybuildingnetworksinKenyaandEthiopia.Reportsindicatethat“al Shabaab’s primary source of support in Kenya appears to resolve around the Pumwani RivdhaMosque,locatednearEastleighinNairobi.Untilrecently,individualsatthemosquedistributedjihadistpamphletsandarticlesauthoredbyAnwaral-Awlaqi,theYemeniAmericanmemberofalQaedaintheArabian Peninsula, who was killed by a US drone in September 2011. The cleric and his followersdelivered sermons that were considered extremist and inflammatory. The victims of this venomouspropagandaweremainlytheSomalipeopleintheregion.AUNreportindicatedthatthereare"extensiveKenyannetworkslinkedtoalShabaab,”35whichnotonlyrecruitandraisefundsfortheorganization,butalsoconductorientationandtrainingevents.TherecentterroristactofalShabaabattheWestGateMallinNairobicouldnothavebeenconductedwithoutthecooperation of local jihadists linked to this network. It was a terrible wakeup call to the Kenyangovernment, and indeed to the entire region, of the need to take a concerted coordinated regionalapproachtopreventsuchincidentsfromhappeningagainandensurethattheexternalsupportersofalShabaab get their share of the blame and responsibilities for this atrocious crime. But it did happenagain,viatheterroristsattackonGarissaUniversityinApril2015,andthekillingof147students.ThebrutalhandiworkofalShabaab.ThereisgrowingextremismattheKenyanCoastaswell,particularlyinMombasa.TheKenyancoasthasalargebutminorityMuslimpopulation.,DuetoitsgeographicproximitytotheArabianPeninsula,Islamthereiseasilyinfluencedby'Wahhabists'fromacrosstheRedSea.ForyearsmainstreamMuslimleadershavebeenwarningoftheriseofIslamistextremismandsocialtensions.AboudRogoMohamedwasonaUSsanctionslistforsupportingSomalia’salShabaabmilitantsandhadallegedlyencouragedlocalMuslimstoengageinjihad.Hisassassinationin2012resultedinriotingthatleftfourpeopledead.In2013therewasanotherriot,whichresultedinthedeathof4peopleafterKenyanclericIbrahimOmarwaskilled.ReportsfromKenyastatethatthekillingofIbrahimOmar“issimilartothatofAboudRogoMohammedtheyearbefore.”36Kenya’sproblem,liketheothercountriesintheHorn,isintricatelytiedwiththeregionalsecurityproblemsandcanbeaddressedonlythroughregionalcoordinationandpolicies.

35DavidClarke,“KenyanMuslimNetworksFundAlShabaab:UNReport,”Reuters,July28,2011.(http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/28/ozatp-kenya-shabaab-un-idAFJOE76R0C320110728)36http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-24395723

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NigeriaInNigeria,religiousradicalismcanbetracedtoSirAhmaduBello,whopreachedtheestablishmentofanIslamic state in Nigeria and worked very closely with the Saudisto become instrumental in theestablishmentoftheMuslimWorldLeague(MWL).Hewasappointedasthefirstvicepresidentoftheleague.37Bello’sbiographer JohnPradennotes,“Through this connection,Saudimoneydesignated for religiouspurposes began to flow to Nigeria. Saudi gifts in 1963 and 1964 totaling $200,000 for the work ofspreading Islam apart from “unofficial donations probably amounting to millions of pounds.”38 WithSaudifunding,theMWLhasexpandedto17countriesinAfrica.39Bello recruited a firebrand preacher, Abubakar Gumi, who, with the support of MWL, establishedtheSocietyofRemovalofInnovationandReestablishmentoftheSunna,(knownasIzalaorYanIzala)in1978.The Izala movement was established to fight Sufism and today is one of the largest Islamicmovements, not only in Nigeria, but also in neighboring Niger and Chad. Izala is particularly activeinD’awaand education.The terrorist organizationBokoHaramand the radical Shia preacher Zakzakywhoheadsthe IslamicMovementNigeria(IMN-aHezbollahtypeorganization40)arethemovement’soffspring.TheIslaminAfricaOrganization(IAO)wasfoundedduringtheOIC’sIslaminAfricaConferenceheld inAbuja in1989.Theoutcomeoftheconference,knownastheAbujaDeclaration insistson"re-instatingastrongandunitedumma"(Islamiccommunity) inAfricaandon"restoringtheuseofArabicscript in the vernacular."In addition: "TheConferencenotes theyearningofMoslemseverywhereonthecontinentwhohavebeendeprivedof their rights tobegovernedbytheshariaandurgesthemtointensify efforts in the struggle to reinstate the application of thesharia(Islamic law)”. Islamicintolerance in Nigeria and more generally in Africa, became more aggressive and Saudi Arabia’scampaign to ‘Wahhabise’Africa started inearnest after this conferenceand theestablishmentof theIAO.BokoHaramhasmanyovertconnectionstoSaudiArabiaandhasaconstantpresencethere.ThegroupwasoriginallyledbyAbubakahLawan,wholaterleftthecountrytostudyattheUniversityofMedinainSaudiArabiawhilethenextleader,MuhammadYusuf,foundrefugeinSaudiArabiatoescapeaNigeriansecuritycrackdownin200441.BokoHaram’sspokesman,AbuQaqa,hasalsoclaimedthattheirleaders“travelledtoSaudiArabiaandmetal-Qaidathere” inAugust201142.AlthoughIbrahimZakzaky isnowShia,hebeganhispoliticalcareerasaSunnifundamentaliststudentleader,andwasfirstinfluencedbytheworksofSayydQutb,theintellectualforcebehindEgypt’sMuslimBrotherhood,whoseideasformthebasisofalQaeda’sideologytoday.43

37http://www.blackpast.org/gah/bello-alhaji-sir-ahmadu-1910-196638AfricanVortex39“ExternalOffices,”TheMuslimWorldLeague,accessedOctober4,2013.(http://en.themwl.org/MWL-external-offices)40https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Movement_(Nigeria41JacobZenn,“BokoHaram’sInternationalConnections,”CTCSentinel,January14,2013.(http://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/boko-harams-international-connections42MonicaMark,“BokoHaramVowstoFightUntilNigeriaEstablishesShariaLaw,”TheGuardian,January27,2012.(http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/27/boko-haram-nigeria-sharia-law)43ElyKarmon,“TheIran/HezbollahStrategicandTerroristThreattoAfrica,”March28,2012.(http://www.ict.org.il/Articles/tabid/66/Articlsid/1060/currentpage/1/Default.aspx)

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In1999, thegovernorofZamfara inNorthernNigeriadeclaredhis state tobegovernedbysharia lawwithaseniorSaudiofficialstandingbyhisside.Elevenotherstates,allofwhosejudgesaresenttostudySharialawinSaudiArabia,followedclose.44Because of its relationship to the Saudi state, theMWL does not receive the scrutiny that other aidorganizationsdo.This isparticularlydisturbing in lightofallegations that theMWL’ssubsidiarieshavebeen involved in terrorist financing. In 2003, theWall Street Journal reported the discovery of linksbetweentheMWLandalQaidaduringaraidinBosnia,includinga“handwrittenaccount”ofameetingattended by “the Secretary General of the Muslim World League and bin Laden representatives.”45MWLsrecordisrepletewithaccountsofitsrelationshipwithterroristsandactivitiesonthepropagationoftheWahhabiideology.46Cameroon,Chad,Niger,BurkinaFasoandtheCentralAfricanRepublicInCameroon,Chad,NigerandtheCentralAfricanRepublicextremismandreligiousconflictsareontherise.TheInternationalCrisisGroup(ICG)reportingonthecrisisinCameroonwrites:“theriseofChristianrevivalist (born again) and Muslim fundamentalist movements is rapidly changing the religiouslandscapeandpavingthewayforreligiousintolerance”47.Thegovernment’sresponsehasbeenmilitarydirectedonBokoHaram,whichhasrecentlybeenoperatinginCameroonwithdestructiveeffects.Niger is also plagued by cross border violence from Boko Haram and theMali basedmovement forOneness in West Africa (MUJAO) and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQUIM). The incidents ofviolencehaveincreasedsinceNigersenttroopstotheregionalforcetofightBokoHaram.BurkinaFaso,which justemergedfromaprotracted internalcrisis,hasrecentlybeenstruckbyoneoftheaffiliatesofAQUIM(al-Murabiton),whichisheadedbythenotoriousextremistMokhtarBelmokhtarresponsible for many terrorist attacks in the region. The group seized one of the big hotels inOuagadougoukilled28people,kidnappedafewmostlyforeignersandinjuredmanyothers.The violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) after the SELEKA rebels took power, has taken areligious dimension between the Muslim in the North and the Christian South. CAR had never afunctioninggovernmentsince independencebuthasbeentoleratedandexploitedbyFranceformanyyears. France contributed funds to the crowning of Jean-Bedel Bokassa, a demented former Frenchcolonialarmyorderly,asEmperorin1977,intheimageofhisidolNapoleonBonaparte.CARhasbeen,besides France, the playground ofman y countries in the region. It has been the staging ground ofcoups and counter coups in Chad and Sudan. It can be said, CAR can only be what France and itsneighbors,nineofthem,wantittobe.Inthislatestcrisisawedgeisbeingdriveninthereligiousdivideandit issaidthatSudan’sgovernment,aWahhabifundedandinspiredgovernment,hasahandintheemergenceofradicalgroupsinthecountry.

44TheGuardianNewsService,2845http://listserv.tau.ac.il/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1204&L=taunotes-l&P=130446TeresaHarings,“TheMuslimWorldLeague:CreepingWahhhabiColonialism?”TelAvivNotes,theMosheDayanCenter.(http://www.aftau.org/site/DocServer/TANotes_Muslim_Harings.pdf?docID=17261)47ICGAFRICAReportno229,September2015

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TanzaniaZanzibar, part of the Republic of Tanzania, is composed of a group of islandsin the IndianOcean.Zanzibar is a popular tourist destination because of its history, natural beauty and pristinebeaches.ItspeopleareextremelyfriendlyandtraditionallypracticeamoderateversionofIslam.Inthelast decade this has changed, and there is growing concern that they, too, have become victims ofradicalIslam.Anexample is theal-Noorcharity, setupa fewyearsago inTanzaniawithmoney fromSaudiArabia.Every year, the organization pays for students and teachers to study in Sudan, AbuDhabi, and SaudiArabia. It isestimatedthatSaudiArabiaalonespends$1mayearon Islamic institutions inZanzibar.48ThepreachingofthisnewideologyhascreatedafundamentalshiftinthepracticeofIslaminZanzibar.Peopleare increasingly intolerant ofotherformsof Islam,aswellas Christians. InMay2012,a mobstormed a church and burned the 500 seats inside. There was a huge demonstration following thisincident,anditleftamarkoffearandsuspiciononanislandthathasbeenpracticingmoderateIslamforyears.49TheAssociationfor IslamicMobilizationandPropagation,betterknownasUamsho,hasthreatenedtobeheadallchurchpastors inZanzibar.50 Ithasalsostatedthat it isfightingtosecedefromTanzaniatoestablishitsownstatebasedonpoliticalIslam.Thesestatementsdidcreateanatmosphereoffearanduncertaintyaffectingtourism,whichisthebackboneoftheZanzibareconomy.TheriseofradicalisminTanzania is very clearbut themanner inwhich successive governmentshavehandled the situation isvery commendable. They have encouraged inter-faith dialogue and rarely used force. Tanzanians arehighly integrated, cultured and tolerant people and this virtue will eventually triumph in containingextremismandinterfaithconflicts.EthiopiaAsmany as one-third of Ethiopia’s 85million people are SunniMuslims and,for themost part, havelived peacefully with Christians. These groups have lived as one people in unprecedented harmony.However, inthe lasttwodecades,thispeaceandtolerancehasbeenchallengedbythearrivalofnewbreeds ofMuslim radicals and the policies of an ethnocentric government that rules by dividing thepopulation along ethnic and religious lines. The Wahabists have seized upon this advantage andrecruitedandradicalizedmanyyoungEthiopianMuslims.AWikiLeakscableshowedthattheUnitedStatesisawareoftheSaudistrategy.Inthecable,formerUSAmbassador to Ethiopia Yamamotowrote, “Arab Wahhabi missionaries, mainly from Saudi Arabia,continuetomakeinroadsintotheEthiopianMuslimcommunity,butaremeeting increasingresistanceindoingso.….Asaresult,Ethiopia'sdelicateMuslim/Christianbalanceandhistoricattitudesbetweenthe faith communities regarding tolerance and mutual respect are being challenged, thereby

48“SaudiArabiaFundsIslamicTerrorisminMali,”TheFederalistBlog,January30,2013.(http://thefederalist-gary.blogspot.com/2013/01/saudi-arabia-funds-islamic-terrorism-in.html)49DanielHowden,“TroubleInParadiseAsRadicalIslamGrownInZanzibar,”TheIndependent,October30,2012.(http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/trouble-in-paradise-as-radical-islam-grows-in-zanzibar-8231626.html50http://morningstarnews.org/2013/05/anti-christian-hostility-high-in-zanzibar-as-tanzania-mainland-also-heats-up/

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underminingUS interest in the region. SufiMuslim leaderswant support from theUS to counter thispressure.”51Many exileswho left Ethiopia for political and economic reasons to neighboring countries have beeninducted inmadrassasand Islamicschools, inSudan,Pakistan,SaudiArabiaandotherplacesandsentbacktoEthiopia.Ofthese,manyhavebeeninfluencedbytheWahhabischoolofthought.TheAmericanForeignPolicyCouncilwrote in2011 that thosewho supported the constructionofmosques, schoolsandassociationsinEthiopiawereWorldAssociationofMuslimYouth(WAMY)andtheAlawiyahSchoolMission Center, owned since 1993 by the Saudi controlledWorldMuslim Leagues. The InternationalIslamicReliefOrganization(IIRO)isveryactiveinEthiopiaandtheUSTreasuryDepartmenthasformallydesignatedIIROasaninstitutionfacilitatingterrorism.For now, the people endure. Alem Zelalem from Ethiopiawrites; “We did not struggle against everyconceivablecolonialistandimperialistpowerinthepast,andtocomethisfar,onlytosuccumbtoSaudiArabianWahhabis.Thatwouldbeaninsulttoourhistoryandculture.ThesystemthatprevailsinSaudiArabiamaybegoodforSaudiArabia,butnotforEthiopia.Wefinditoffensivetohumanfreedomanddignity. It is absolutely unacceptable to ourway of life.Wahhabism has no place in our society. ThesoonertherulingcirclesinSaudiArabiarealizethisfactandleaveusalone,thebetter.”52However,withagovernmentthatisdeterminedtoendreligiousandethnicdisputesbyforce,thefutureseems bleak. In many cases extremists and criminal gangs thrive in a climate of political crisis andinstability.Theexperiences inothercountriesshowthatsleepingcellsofextremiststakeadvantageofthegrievancesofpeopleandpresentthemwithachoice.Theyarefed,trainedandbrainwashedwithanideologyofhateandintoleranceandgivenarmstofightforthatcause.Tocountersuchascenariothepreferredalternativewouldbeinter-faithandinter-ethnicdialoguethatidentifiestheenemies,bothdomesticandforeign,andmakepeopleunderstandtheirrealagenda.Thegovernment must build on the commonalities and the factors that have united these people forcenturiesifitwishestopreventacivilwar(religiousandethnic)andthebreakupofthishistoricnationthathasremaineduniteddespitesomanykindsofinvasionsandadversities.ThewidespreadunrestbytheOromoethnicgrouponitsownmightnottransformintoawidespreadreligious and ethnic violence but beneath this surface there may be dark forces financed andencouragedbyforeignelementswhohaveadifferentagenda. Whilethestruggleforgenuinechangegoeson,allindicationsarethatthedestabilizationprocessisalsointhemaking.Ifthegovernmentistocling on to power by allmeans could lead the country into civilwar, producing the likehoodof itsignominiousend. In a civil strife the governmentwill lose powerbut thepeople could lose theircountry. Lookingbeyondwhat the fingerpoints is the responsibilityof the leadersof thisnationwhoneed tousewisdomand common sense so that Ethiopia avoids the fateof fallingunder the yokeofreligiousextremists.

51https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ADDISABABA1674_a.html52AlemZelalem,“SaudiArabia’sWahabismandtheThreattoEthiopia’sNationalSecurity,”Ethiomedia,September26,2003.(http://www.ethiomedia.com/press/wahabism_threat_to_ethiopia.html)

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YemenYemenisgeographicallypartoftheMiddleEastbutpoliticallyitishasmoretodowiththepoliticsandsecurityoftheRedSeaandcountriesoftheHornofAfrica.WhateverhappensinYemendirectlyaffectsthe Horn. Historically Yemen has been a strategic commercial route and recently piracy, human andarmstraffickinghavemadeitthemostdangerousmaritimezoneintheworld.With thecomingofsectarianwar in theMiddleEast ithasnowbecomethecenter for theproxywarbetweenIran(Shia)andSaudiArabia(Sunni,Wahhabi).SaudiArabiahasformedaten-nationArabSunnialliancewhichhasbeenpoundingoneofthepoorestcountriesonearth-alltoassertSunni(Wahhabi)supremacy in the region. In yet another surprisingmove, Saudi Arabia has invited back Hamas fromGaza.“ThevisitsbytheIslamistorganizationisthelatestsignofanabout-faceinSaudipolicy,whichisnow seeking a rapprochement with the regional Muslim Brotherhood movement, to which Hamasbelongs”53.All indicationsare that thenewkingSalmanbinAbdulaziz ismoreconservative thanhispredecessor.Thiswas underlined by the execution of 47 Saudis at the beginning of this year including a dissidentoutspokenShiiteclericNimiral-Nimirunderaseriouslyflawedtrial,accordingtoAmnestyInternational.TheSaudi government took this stepdespite thewarningof the international communityparticularlyIran.TheUN,Europe,theUSandmanyothershavecondemnedtheexecutions.Itwasarecklessmove,which is another demonstration to what extent Saudi Arabia is prepared to go to protect itsunchallengedruleof theSaudipeopleandassert itspositionastheheadof theSunniMuslimsacrosstheglobeandthedefenderoftheWahhabiideologyandatthesametimeuseitasanexcusetofurtherclampdowndissent inSaudiArabia.Adisturbing factor in thissordidepisode is that, reportedly,KingSalman suffers from dementia and is unduly influenced by his son, the arrogant, hawkish defenseminister,PrinceMohammadbinSalman.ThewarinYemenwillnotenduntilSaudiArabiaanditsalliesensurethattheHouthiminoritysubmitsto the rule of themajority, the Sunnis. But the issue ismore than just a democratic exercise of themajority. It ismore to dowith ensuring that the Saudi Arabia’s neighbor becomesmore than just aneighborbut a firmally that defends itswestern and southern flanks and suppresses Shiadissentalongitsborder.EritreaItisreportedthatSaudiArabia’sKinghashostedEritrea’sPresidentIsayiyasonApril28of201554.IthasalsobeenreportedthattheEritreangovernmenthasenteredintoanagreementwithArabAlliancetosend troops to Yemen. TheUN Tribune reports, “400 Eritrean troops are embeddedwithUAE forcesbattlingHouthirebels….andthattheUAEhasleasedakeyEritreanport(Assab)for30yearsandalongwith itsGulfAllies, SaudiArabia has established amilitary presence in Eritrea in return formonetarycompensation and fuel supplies“55. Ifwhathasbeen reported is true, Eritreawill be the secondnon-Arab African nation, after Senegal, to contribute troops to the Saudi-led alliance against the HouthirebelsinYemen.EritreausedtosupporttheHouthisinYemen.Withtheoverallshiftofalliancesinthat

53July,2015NewYorkTimes54UNTribune11.02.201555http://untribune.com/un-report-uae-saudi-leasing-eritean-port-using-eritrean-land-sea-airspace-and-possibly-troops-in-yemen-battle/

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partoftheworld,EritreahasnowjoinedtheallianceagainsttheHouthis.EritreabeingacrucialplayerinthepoliticsoftheHornandtheRedSea,itsparticipationinthiswarcouldbeagamechangerbothonthe ground and in the politics of the Red Sea and the Horn in general. Saudi Arabia will be wellpositioned topursue its other agendaof infiltratingmoreaggressively in to theheartlandof Ethiopiathroughits insidiousmeans. TouseAssabaslogisticsbasetocontrol theRedSeaandpreventIranfromanykindofoperationalongthecoastofYemen,will beabigstrategiccoup fortheArabSunniAlliance.Afterall, ithasbeenthedreamoftheArabWorldtomaketheRedSeaanArabLakeandto‘Arabize’and‘Wahhabise’theHorn.TheEritreangovernment,unliketheEthiopiangovernment,hasmanagedtosuccessfullyestablishinterethnicandreligiousharmony.Ithasfocusedonbuildinganationalunityandinthisitisasuccessstorythoughitspoliciestosuppressdissenthasbeenwidelycondemned. ItsalliancewithSaudiArabiawillcertainly come to haunt it if it does not exercisewisdombecause it is as vulnerable as Ethiopia is toextremism. I want to believe that the Eritrean government understands the risk it is taking and itsdecisionisacalculatedone.NoothergovernmentwouldunderstandbetterthanEritreaitselfhowandwhy such a move would escalate the tension that exists between it and Ethiopia and its severeconsequences.IfYemenbecomesthepuppetofSaudiArabiathenextmovewouldbetowardsEthiopiaandEritrea.Sudan,andEgypt,asfirmalliesoftheSaudiandtheArabAlliancewouldbeconvenienttoolstocreatepressureallalongtheirborderswithEritreaandEthiopia.Thestrategycouldbetomakethetwocountriesweakandungovernableandusethemasfootholdandstepping-stonesforthegrandArabambition(toconnecttheArabPeninsulatoEastandWestAfrica);adreamthathaseludedpanArabismforyears.IntheendbothEritreaandEthiopianeedtorealizethattheirdestinyistiedbygeographyandhistoryandtheyhavenootheroptionthantojointlyfighttheexpansionistpolicy,extremism,terrorismand transnational crimes. The consequences of not doing so are very grave: the Horn can becomeanotherregionforaproxywarmuchlarger,muchmorecomplex,thancanbeimagined.FordecadesTheHornhasbeenthemostvolatile,mostmilitarizedregion inAfricaandperhaps intheworld.Ithasthelargestnumberofliberationmovementsaswellasoneofthemostdestructiveterroristorganizations (al Shabaab). With the Yemen situation beingmore complicated and internationalizedthe region is entering another phase leading to a prefect storm, the Syria, Iraq and Afghanistansyndrome.Theproblemwiththisregionasawholeisthatonecannottalkaboutsecurityinonecountrywithouttalkingaboutsecurityintheentireregion.Ethiopia,Eritrea,Djibouti,Somalia,northandSouthSudan, Kenya, Uganda, Central African Republic,Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon,DRC,BurundiandalltheNorthAfricancountriesalongtheMediterraneanCoasthaveserioussecurityproblems,whichareintertwined.TheGulfofGuineacomprising15countrieshasbeencategorizedasthemostdangerousmaritimezoneintheworld.GuineaBissauhasbeenbrandedasthenarcocapitaloftheworldwhereFBIarrestedtheadmiralinchargeofthenavyfordrugtrafficking.ThenewpreferredcocaineroutefromSouthandLatinAmerica has now been the Gulf of Guinea north through the barren land towards the porous NorthAfrican borders to theMediterranean coast. Though these transnational crimesmay not seem to berelated to terrorism, in many instances they have become the source of financing for terrorists.Terroristsoperateandthriveinsituationswheregovernmentsdon’tfunctionproperlyandWestAfricaand Central Africa is a classic example. Because of weak and sometimes corrupted governments,porous borders and common ethnic and religious groups that spill across national borders ,withoutaddressing issues of governance and agreeing on common regional policies and strategy no onecountrycansolveitssecurityproblemsonitsown.

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AfricangovernmentsneedtoboldlyaddresstheunderlyingfactorsfortheriseofterrorismandviolentextremisminAfricaandquestionthemotivesofplayerssuchastheSaudiswhoarepumpcashintothecoffersofindividualsanddubiousorganizationsintheirrespectivecountries.Theseriousnessofthereligious and ethnic divide that has been built up over the last decades are veryworrying to say theleast.InsummarizingthesecuritychallengesofAfrica,AISSShadthistosayinitsconceptdocument.‘AgrowingnexusbetweenorganizedcriminalgangsandterroristgroupshasturnedAfrica intoanewtheaterofviolenceandterrorism.Thecrisiscreatedbytheactivitiesoforganizedcriminalgroupsisoneof the most serious challenges to regional and global peace, stability, economic development andpeacefulco-existence.Governanceandtheruleoflaw,corruptionanddysfunctionalinstitutions,weakcivil society, poverty and horizontal and vertical inequality, porous borders, radical interpretations ofreligions and other extremisms, have coalesced, leading to the rise of violent militant groups andcriminalgangs.InmanypartsofAfricatheabsenceofhopeforabetterfuturehascreateduncontestedenvironment for recruitment and indoctrination. The fate of several African countries hangs in thebalanceasconflictsravagepartsofthecontinent,mostlyinNorth,West,CentralandtheHornofAfrica,andspreadingsteadily southwards.’ (Africa Institute forStrategicandSecurityStudies (AISSS)conceptdocument:www.africaisss.org)TheWestandSaudiArabia.Inhisinauguralspeechon21January2013PresidentBarackObamastated“WewillsupportdemocracyfromAsia toAfrica, from theAmericas to theMiddle East, because our interests andour consciencecompelus...”However,JohnKerrystatedinhisnominationhearingforSecretaryofState:“morethanever,foreignpolicyiseconomicpolicy,whichmeansglobalcompetitionforresourcesandmarketswilloutweigheveryotherconsideration”.ButitwasSamanthaPower,USambassadortotheUN,whosaiditbest:“Foreignpolicyisanexplicitlyamoralenterprise.”56ItseemsitwastakenfromMachiavelli’s,ThePrince:“Politicshavenorelationtomorals.”ThatmaybewhysuccessiveUSadministrationshaveestablishedclosetieswithSaudiArabia,an immoral, repressive,corruptandoneof themostbackwardgovernmentsonearth -agovernmentthatadministrativeofficials,inraremoments,haveidentifiedasthe“kernelofevil.”These are polices which are mutually exclusive and always pose a challenge in striking a balance.Washingtonhashistoricallybeenwillingtosellthedemocraticaspirationsof28millionSaudicitizensforbarrels of oil, arguably the most tragic externality of the nearly 80-year relationship with the Saudimonarchy.57TheUnitedStatesisSaudiArabia'slargesttradingpartner,anditisalsothelargestUSexportmarketinthe Middle East. Saudi Arabia is one of the leading sources of imported oil for the United States,providingmore thanonemillionbarrelsperday (bpd) to theUS.According toCitibank, shaleoilandnewArcticoilfieldsmayseeUSproductiondoublingto14.2mbpdby2020.Thatcould“leavetheUS56https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2013/06/26/as-un-ambassador-samantha-power-represents-real-danger-to-us-and-middle-east/57MartinMichaels,“ExclusiveSeries:TheHouseThatOilBuilt,UnspokenyetPowerfulSaudiLobbyinWashington,”MintPressNews,December17,2012.(

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freetobecomeanetexporter,tothetuneof4.7bpdofoilandLNG.”58InotherwordsthecurrentneedtoimportfromSaudiArabiamaynotexist.ButtherelationshipwithSaudiArabiaismorethanjustaboutoil.SaudiArabiabuysbillionsofdollars’worthofweaponsandthepowerful lobbyofmilitary industrialcomplexensuresthatthis relationshipflourishes.Moreimportantly,SaudiArabiaisthegreatestallynexttoIsraelinmaintainingthestrategic,securityandeconomicinterestoftheUSintheMiddleEast.Duringthelastfewyears,theevershiftingalliances in this part of the world has defied textbook explanations of foreign policies and nationalinterests.TheUSanditsalliesarefightinggroupsthatarefundedandsupportedbySaudiArabia.TurkeyandSaudiArabia“areactivelysupportingahardlinecoalitionofIslamistrebelsagainstal-Assad’sregimethatincludesal-Qaeda’saffiliateinSyria,JabhalalNusra,anextremistrivaltoISISwhichsharesmanyofitsaspirationsforafundamentalcaliphate”.59SaudiArabiaandIsraelarenowdefactoalliesinthefightagainsttheresurgenceofIran(Shiite)powerin the region. The internationally acclaimed and award-winning journalist Robert Fisk believes that“SaudiArabiaisfinancingandarmingISISandotherorganizations.”60USVicePresidentJoeBidenstatedthat the Saudi regime, along with others from theMiddle East had “poured hundreds ofmillions ofdollarsandtensofthousandsoftonsofweaponstoanyonewhowouldfightAssad”,namingal-NusraandalQaedaasbeneficiaries.61It is indeed strange timeswhere alliances are fast changing and contradictions and inconsistencies inforeignpolicieshavebecomeroutineasalliesandenemiessleep inthesamebed.Thestrongfundingthat the Sunnis are getting from Saudi Arabia is systematically dismantling Iraq. The West goes onfightingSunniextremistsinSyria,IraqandAfghanistanwiththeenemyinsideitsbelly.ItwastheSaudiswhofundedtheMujahedeenandenabledthecreationoftheTaliban.ItwastheSaudiswhofundedthemadrassas inPakistan tomake itoneof the largest radicalizationcenters in theMiddleEast. It is theSaudis, according to regionalandAmerican reports,whohelpedcreate ISIS inSyriaand Iraqagainbyfunnelingarmsandcash.ItwastheunelecteddespoticSaudiregimethat,terrifiedbytheimplicationsoftheArabSpring,opposedpro-democracymovementsinEgyptandelsewhereandenergeticallyassistedin the brutal suppression of Shia Muslim reformers in Bahrain. The Bahrain uprising showed to theSaudis that kings are no more infallible and sacred. Completely shocked by the effects of the ArabSpring, the Saudi monarchy sent troops to Bahrain and started implementing a very stringent anti-terrorismlawathome.On the anniversary of 9/11 a Saudi millionaire gave 10 million dollars to Yale University for theestablishmentofCenterofIslamicLawandCivilization.“ButtheSaudi-YaledealisaboutmorethanYaleor9/11,muchmore. It is aboutelite institutions constantlyprostratingat the feetof theSaudiRoyalfamily.ThefamilyhasgivenHarvardandGeorgetown$40million.TheyhavefundedresearchatleadingscientificinstitutionstomaximizeSaudioiloutput.Theyhavedonatedtoleadingfoundations,includingtheClintonFoundation.Theyhavepaidforfundamentalist ImamsinAmericanprisons.FromCalifornia

58http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/27/saudi-arabia-and-the-west-how-cosy-relationship-turned-toxic59TheIndependent,12May201560TheIndependent,June201461BBC,7October2014

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to India, they have erected a mammoth infrastructure ofWahhabi madrassaswhich indoctrinateimpressionableyoungmentothevirtuesoftheircause.”62SaudiArabiahas thisyear formedacoalitionof34mainlyMuslimcountries includingpowerssuchasEgypt andTurkey to coordinatea fight against "terroristorganizations".SaudiArabia fancies that it isindeedtheleaderoftheSunniMuslimsintheworldduetoitscustodianshipoverthetwoHolyMosquesinMeccaandMedina. Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran and its allies, Syria and Iraq, were excluded from the alliance. Inaddition to Saudi Arabia, the coalition include Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Bahrain,Bangladesh,Benin,Turkey,Chad,Togo,Tunisia,Djibouti,Senegal,Sudan,SierraLeone,Somalia,Gabon,Guinea, the Palestinians, Comoros, Qatar, Cote d’Ivoire, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mali,Malaysia,Egypt,Morocco,Mauritania,Niger,NigeriaandYemen.ThisofcoursefliesinthefaceofallwhatweknowaboutSaudiArabiaasaleadingfunderofterrorismglobally. The largest number of this coalition is from Africa, many of them impoverished states thatcannotinanywaycontributemeaningfullytothemilitaryoperationenvisagedbythecoalition.Nigerianpapers rejectNigeria’s inclusion in this coalitionbecause it raises serious question; “Nigeria is not anIslamicState…..Opensthedoortomoreattacks……HavewegainedanythingfromSaudi?DowewanttobepartoftheSunni-Shiitedispute?”63Comoros has aMuslimmajority but it is strategically significant because some of its islands are veryclosetoZanzibarandcanbeusedasaspringboardforextremists.WahhabicontrolofComoroswouldposeaserioussecuritythreattobothZanzibarandthemainland.ItisimportanttonotethatCameroonwasnot included inthe coalitionthough ithasbeenatargetofrepeatedattacksbyBokoHaramandhas a sizable Muslim population. The head of state is a Christian. Gabon does not have a Muslimmajoritybutwas includedasmemberoftheSaudicoalition.Gabon isrelativelywealthyanddoesnotgainanythingfrombeingamemberofthecoalition.ButthePresidentofGabonisaSunniMuslim.Togo,Benin,SierraLeone, IvoryCoastandGuineaare impoverishedcountriesandnot inaposition toplayany role but they will probably get financial and other benefits from Saudi Arabia. Gambia, recentlydeclaredasanIslamicRepublic,hasnotbeenincludedinthecoalition.MostoftheseAfricancountrieshavegovernmentswhopreferrednottocondemnSaudiArabiafor itsflagrant abuse of African migrants who have been discriminated, called names, abused, flogged,deported,treatedlikeslaves,executed.InSeptemberoflastyearSaudiArabia’sal-ArabiaTVreportedlyquotedtheheadofthecentralHajjcommitteethatAfricansweretobeblamedforthestampedethatresulted inthedeathand injuryofhundredsofpilgrims. Therewasanoutrageofblatant racismbutnothingwentbeyondthat.“In2011theUSsoldarecordof$66.3billioninweaponstocountriesabroad.SaudiArabiabought$33.4billionworth of arms themost by any country”.64 In 2012,theUS came to an agreementwith SaudiArabiaona$60billionarmsdeal,thebiggestdealofitskindinUShistory.65

62http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omer-aziz/wahhabism-saudi-arabia-63http://venturesafrica.com/four-reasons-why-nigeria-should-not-join-saudis-alliance/64MartinMichaels,TheHousethatOilBuiltUnspokenyetPowerfulSaudiLobbyinWashington,MPN,201265AdamEntous,“SaudiArmsDealAdvances,”TheWallStreetJournal,September12,2010.(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704621204575488361149625050.html)

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WilliamHartung,thedirectoroftheArmsandSecurityProjectattheCenterforInternationalPolicyandauthorofProphetsofWarsays“thevolumeofmajordealsconcludedbytheObamaadministrationinitsfirst5yearsexceedstheamountapprovedbytheBushadministrationinitsfulleightyearsinofficebynearly30billion.ThatalsomeansthattheObamaadministrationhasapprovedmorearmsthananyUSadministrationsinceWorldWarII…SaudiArabiatopsthelistat46billioninnewagreements.”66This and the role that Saudi Arabia continues to play in theMiddle East is crucial in formulating USforeignpolicy.ItwouldbeagreatdilemmafortheUStodisengageitselffromthecloserelationshipithaswithSaudiArabia.Thoughmanymightsaythatthisdoesnotwarrantcompromisingtheprinciplesthatthisnationhasstoodforsinceitsfounding;thatwouldbeconsideredassimplenaivetyincurrentpolitics.Theessenceof internationalpolitics istosaysomethinganddoexactlytheopposite.Socratesoncesaid“Iwasreallytoohonestamantobeapoliticianandlive”.WiththeUKgettingmorebusinesscontracts,SaudiArabiacontinuestobeoneoftheclosestallyoftheUK.UKcontinuestolobbytogetmore business contracts from theworld’smost notorious human rights abusers. TheGuardian statesthat Saudi Arabia and Egypt are among the biggest markets for UK arms despite human rightsbreaches.67PeoplehaveaskedwhytheUShasapolicyofprotectingciviliansinmanypartsoftheworldbutnotthepeopleofSaudiArabia.Whyoppose theextremist ideasof ISIS, Iranor theTaliban,but remainsilentwhile Saudi Arabia uses its wealth to spread extremist ideology around the world?These are hardquestionsbutnoeasyanswers.ItisindeedtruethatUSrelationshipwithSaudiArabiaistheepitomeofhypocrisy.FormerCIADirectorJamesWoolseytoldCongress:"OneanalogueforWahhabism'spoliticalinfluencetodaymightbetheextremelyangryformtakenbymuchofGermannationalismintheperiodafterWorldWarI….JustasangryandextremeGermannationalismofthatperiodwasthesoilinwhichNazism grew,Wahhabi Islamist extremism today is the soil in which al Qaeda and its sister terroristorganizationsaregrowing."68Inaleakedcable,formerSecretaryofState,HillaryClinton,said,“DonorsinSaudiArabiaconstitutethemost significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide,” and that it is “an ongoingchallenge to persuade Saudi officials totreat terrorist financing emanating from Saudi Arabia as astrategicpriority.”69Whyhas itbecomean impregnablechallenge to stop thisalliancewitha countrythatiswagingwaronhumanity,andparticularlyonpeoplethathaverecentlyemergedfromcenturiesofcolonialism?It seems that this foreign policy is partly driven by the powerful Saudi lobby. Saudi ‘donations’ tohundreds of universities, think tanks and academic institutions in the US are used to influence andappropriateacademicdiscourse70,while seniorgovernmentofficialsaspire towork inSaudi-ownedorinfluencedbusinessorganizationswhentheyleavepublicservice.Recentresearchindicatesthat50%of

66http://guidetravel.biz/saudi-arabia/are-obama-and-39;s-record-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia-yemen-egypt-and-iraq-fueling-unrest-in-middle-east-70203.html67TheGuardian,23June201468SusanKatzKeating,“TheWahhabiFifthColumn,”FrontPageMagaccessedOctober4,2013.(http://archive.frontpagemag.com/Printable.aspx?ArtId=20523)69https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09STATE131801_a.html70http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2008/march/saudis-multi-million-dollar-pr-agenda-/?mobile=false

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Senators and 46% of Congressmen become lobbyists when they retire71. Indeed, the Saudi ability tooffer financial gains translates into an environment wheremany have a vested interest in the Saudistatus quo, and are either reluctant to take principled positions, or are outright defenders of Saudiinterest.”OverallinthelastdecadeSaudiArabiahasrecruitedtwodozenUSfirmsasforeignagentsandspent nearly 100million dollars on American lobbyists, consultants and public relations firms. ThesehiredgunshaveattemptedtorebrandtheSaudisasallies inthewaronterrorismthanasthe leadingpurveyorsofradicalIslamicviewsthroughschoolsintheUSandaroundtheworld“.72

Fifteenoutofthe199/11hijackerswereSaudis.BinLadenwasaSaudiandsoweremostoftheindividualswhofundedthisproject.TheUSCongress’9/11reportswhencompletelydeclassifiedare

expectedtorevealmoreabouttheinvolvementofSaudiArabia.73AccordingtoIraqijournalist

AbdulkhaliqHussein,inhisArabic-languagebookTheWesternImpasse–TheAwarenessDeficit,Saudi

ArabiahasspentUS$87billiononspreadingWahhabismaroundtheworld74.MitchellBardwrites“The

Saudibudgetmorethan$4billionannuallyforIslamicactivitiesatotalgreaterthantheSovietUnion

spentonsubversionduringthecoldwar“.75

InthemonthofJanuaryofthisyeartheTelegraphreportedthattheGermanvice-chancellorhaspubliclyaccusedSaudiArabiaoffinancingIslamicextremismintheWestandwarnedthatitmuststop.It

isreportedthathesaidthattheSaudiregimeisfundingextremistmosquesandcommunitiesthatpose

adangertopublicsecurity.

“WehavetomakecleartotheSaudisthatthetimeoflookingawayisover.Wahhabimosquesallover

theworldarefinancedbySaudiArabia.ManyIslamistswhoareathreattopublicsafetycomefrom

thesecommunitiesinGermany.”TheseareencouragingsignsthattheWestisslowlyunderstandingthat

itsownsecurityisatstakebecauseofthepolicesofSaudiArabia.Therecenthistoricdecisiontolift

sanctionsandnormalizerelationshipswithIranandthestepsthatthetwocountries(USandIran)havetakentoeasethetensions,togetherwithotherconsiderations,mightintroduceanewerawhenthe

West,primarilydictatedbyitsownsecurityandeconomicinterest,mightpulltherugfromunderthe

feetoftheSaudiautocrats.Ifthishappensanditistranslatedintoactionitwouldmeancondemnation

ofSaudiArabia’spolicyofsponsoringviolentextremismandtheUSspearheadingamultilateral(UN,EU,

AU.etc.)efforttosanctionandisolateSaudiArabiauntilitchangesitspolicesbothathomeand

sponsoringviolentextremismacrosstheglobe.71http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2013/07/29/half-of-retiring-senators-become-lobbyists-up-1500-in-40-years/72MitchellBard,TheArabLobby,BroadSideBooks,NewYork,201073http:www.groveatlantic.com/74http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3600/arab-ideologies75MitchellBard,TheArabLobby,BroadSideBooks,NewYork,2010,page157

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Conclusion.Africahasenormouspotentialinoil,gasandotherstrategicminerals,butisalsopotentiallylucrativeintheareasoftradeandinvestment.Thestrategic importanceofWestAfrica’sGulfofGuineaishardtooverstate:“thestretchofcoastlinespanningfromGabontoLiberiathat includes15stateswhichhavehuge economic importance to the United States and theWest – is hard to overstate….. Indeed, 70percent of Africa’s oil production comes from the Gulf of Guinea. And with the recent discovery ofoffshorehydrocarbondeposits,thesenumbersareonlygoingtorise….TheGulfofGuineaisnowakeyrouteforarmsanddrugsmugglingtoNorthernandWesternAfrica”.76Situated between Yemen and Somalia, the Gulf of Aden connects the Indian Ocean to theMediterranean Seawith21,000 ships crossing theGulf annually77.However theGulf ofAdenand theGulf of Guinea have become the most dangerous maritime routes in the world because of militantactivities,mainlyWahhabiinspired.TheMediterraneancoastandtheporousbordersofNorthAfricancountrieshavebecomeconvenientcorridors to drug and arms traffickers and a primary route for illegal immigrants pushed out of theircountriesforsecurityreasonsandeconomichardships.Europewillhavetoexpectalotmorethanithasalreadyunless itcooperateswithAfricancountries inaddressing theunderlyingreasonsfor thechaosthatisgatheringspeedinAfrica.Thefast-pacedchangesinthedemographyofthecontinentwillhaveadirecteffectonthesecurityandeconomicsustenanceoftheUSandtherestoftheWesternworld.TheMillenniumDevelopmentGoalprojects thatby2050,Africawillhaveanestimated2.5billionpeopleandcouldovertakeAsiaas themostpopulatedcontinentbytheendofthecentury.78Whenone takes into account these demographic figures in addition to the rampant poverty, Africa’sposition is tenuous. The proportion of people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is the world’shighest,andalmosthalfofallAfricansliveonlessthanadollaraday.Insimpleterms,howcantherestof the world expect to live in peace while extremists, terrorists and criminal gangs operateaggressivelyinaregionwhereonebillionpeopleliveinabjectpoverty?ThereisquietalonglistofwhatAfricangovernmentsneedtodotopreventpeoplefromtakingextremedecisions;fleeingfromtheircountriesandmakingthetorturousjourneytoEurope,becomingvictimsofviolentextremism,orjoiningthecriminalgangsandterrorists.Someoftheimportantreasonsforthesehavebeenindicatedabove.TheWest’s alliancewith its adversaries is dangerous, and thenext generationof terroristswill be itsproducts.WhileWahhabiactivistsarebusypreachingandtrainingJihadists,AmericaandEuroperefuseto see the problem that Saudi Arabia and its brand of religion is creating. Even as the US and thedevelopedworldcontinuetoseeforeignpolicyas‘amoralenterprise’,theremustbeadegreeofsanityinjected into thisprincipleof greedand short slightness to saveAfrica fromwaranddevastationandfromtheenormousimpactthiswouldhaveonthesecurityandeconomyofEuropeandAmerica.Butfornowthepowersthatcouldmakeadifferenceonlyseethefingersthatpointtotheskies.

76http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/05/why-we-should-be-watching-the-gulf-of-guinea/77http://www.studymode.com/essays/Strait-Of-Hormuz-And-Gulf-Of-1046560.html78http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/publications/files/key_findings_wpp_2015.pdf

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DawitWGiorgisFulltimeresearcherontransnationalcrimesandterrorisminAfrica,FounderoftheAfricaInstituteforStrategicandSecurityStudies(AISSS)andexecutivedirector.www.africaissss.orgPreviousarticlesonsamesubject:http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/05/why-we-should-be-watching-the-gulf-of-guinea/http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/boko-haram-bounces-back-8517http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/ethiopian-muslims-under-siege/http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/saudi-arabia-doubles-down-abuse-9448http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/14/nigerias-hezbollah-problem/