Africa, a continent of nearly 800 million people, has a population of 50 percent Muslims.  And Islam is growing in Africa at a phenomenal rate. 

The next target in the war against terrorism may be a country or countries in Africa that are predominately Islamic. War strategy and logic demand that after the destruction of the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda network, the war efforts will need a second quick and easy victory.  Iraq may be more difficult than anticipated.  By all indications of the press, on the short list are Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. 

A wild card could be Zimbabwe in the fight against so-called terrorism.  The U.S. could say that Black people who are trying to reclaim their land stolen by Whites are terrorizing White farmers and President Robert Mugabe is at the head of this.

Mr. Walter Kansteiner, assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, was recently in Africa to visit four countries. The press reports said Mr. Kansteiner was in Africa in connection with America�s fight against terrorism. 

The Wall Street Journal stated that America does not want this war to appear like a war against Islam.  It stands to reason that this may be why countries like North Korea and Colombia are being mentioned as possible targets; and for good measure the Philippines has been thrown in as well. 

Even though the government of Somalia is not stable, it is in one of the strategic positions in Africa.  Somalia does not have oil or other mineral riches, which are considerations in geopolitics.  However, Somalia is located on the "horn" of Africa.  America also has not forgotten the 19 U.S. soldiers that were lost there before they pulled out.  It is described now as a country where Osama bin Laden had many contacts and some supporters.   

During the years of the Cold War, the question for the United States and Russia was always, who was going to control Somalia?  Whoever controlled her would control the Gulf of Aden and entry into the Indian Ocean, which facilitates the movement of cargo ships and oil tankers through the Red Sea and in and out of the Suez Canal.  This is why Yemen has also been discussed as a country that may be targeted. 

The Sudan is a country with the largest land area in all of Africa.  It is strategic because it borders nine African countries and now has a tremendous oil reserve. America, being the number one oil junkie in the world, wants to get a hit on the fine oil now found in the Sudan. 

The recent attempted coup in the Central African Republic revolves around the fact that it borders The Sudan and the coup makers were said to be financed by outside entities.  More than likely, President Ange-Felix Patesse�s relationship with Libya and Chad is at the root of the problems he is now facing.  We can also take into account that Osama bin Laden lived in the Sudan and helped them to build many of their roads and major construction projects.  He helped some of the members of the Muslim brotherhood in Sudan to expand their business enterprises.

On a longer list of "terrorist states," is Libya, Liberia and the Revolutionary United Forces (RUF) in Sierra Leone.  The Washington Post has reported that Osama bin Laden was financing his organization with diamonds from the RUF in Sierra Leone.  It was reported that the RUF was supported by Liberian President Charles Taylor.  The implication is that Liberia and Sierra Leone were helping to finance Osama bin Laden and the Al-Qaeda network. 

Sanctions were placed on Liberia long before the attack on America.  These sanctions made it difficult for government officials to travel and ordinary Liberians to get a visa for countries outside of Africa. When you take government officials and limit their movement, it is designed to create dissatisfaction among them and the people, especially when it comes to getting visas to western nations.

If the west is really concerned with funds coming from bin Laden, they would have targeted Saudi Arabia. That is where the real money is coming from.

On the longer list of African nations that may be under attack is Egypt. Not the government of Hosni Mubarak, but the strong Islamic groups that see Mubarak bowing down to America.  They feel that his relationship to America is un-Islamic and unprincipled and he is only taking this position to keep the U.S. aide flowing to Egypt, for without it, the economy of Egypt would be in shambles.

As long as the Muslims (half of the population) across Africa continue to see during the month of Ramadan a bombing campaign where innocent people are killed, it continues to bolster this dislike for America.  African people have shown a love for the American people, but no love for Washington�s foreign policy.  The tourism dollars that many African nations have become dependant on are drying up because of this war.  This does not generate additional love for America.

This summer will be the test period to determine whether the same numbers of Black Americans and Africans from the Diaspora will bring their tourist dollars to African nations.