Ghana And The America Military Base: Let Us Be Warned!

Many Ghanaians have in the past and present expressed concern about the above subject matter. I was reminded of this issue again when Mr. Victor Gbeho, a diplomat and adviser to the President, tried to arrest the fear of concerned Ghanaians by explaining some aspects of the issue on a local FM Radio station not long ago.

My question is what is the primary objective for any country in the world of maintaining a military as an institution? I believe strongly that apart from non-traditional duties of the military, the fundamental objective of any military organisation anywhere in the world is to defend that country or geographical location against any external aggression. Ghana Army exists in the territory of Ghana for the purpose and performance of this fundamental role, to protect the interest of Ghana, from Ghana soil, not from any other country.

At this point, scepticism prompted me to ask: Why would America want to protect its interest from the territory of another country? Why has America chosen a Military-Base establishment in another country to protect its interest? Politically, socially and economically what do we stand to gain as Ghanaians by permitting America or any other country to put military structures and personnel on our Home Land? Are there not other less frightening and less suspicious means by which America can safeguard its interest abroad? Modern civilization has offered numerous options by which we can all protect our interests.

America’s desire to establish a Military Base in Ghana to protect its interest in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. We all have interests to protect all over the world. What would the scene be like if we have all chosen to build Military Bases on our various interest posts? If this kind of adventure is strategically advantageous and can benefit many countries of similar interest then, I will encourage America to invite countries like Russia, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Iraq to put Military Bases in that continent so that they can also protect and safeguard their interest in and around that continent. Even if we have decided, under the worse case scenario, to allow the Americans to put the so called Military Base in Ghana, what is the guarantee that one day they will not ignore or abuse any form of agreement reached and use such “dragon-anase structure” against us? Do we have the military power and the technology to match America if it decides one day to label Ghanaians and their government as terrorist and hence starts its military adventurism on our land and on our people?

Hypocrisy is said to be the practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or moral values that one does not hold or possess. This has been the practice and philosophy of America governments. As we go about our businesses as a nation we must permit History, Experiences and Observations to be our guiding principles. On 24th February 1966 the first President of our motherland, Ghana, was overthrown in a coup d’etat that was said to be masterminded by the American Central Intelligent Agency (the CIA). Over the years America is known to have used its Security Council Veto many times to prevent any resolutions that sought to condemn Israel for its abusive and hostile actions or that were inimical to Israeli interest from passing. It also voted against many other issues overwhelmingly supported by the rest of the world in the UN General Assembly. By its actions and with about 6% of the world’s population, America has thus ignored the will of nearly all the other 94% to support its client state even when Israel had committed crime against humanity. In September 2004 America and France cosponsored UN Resolution 1559 that called on Syria to withdraw its military forces from Lebanon and stop intervening in Lebanese political process. This was a deliberate tactics to give Israeli Army the upper hand to attack Lebanon in the name of fighting terrorist. We all saw what happened as result, massive loss of human lives, destruction of infrastructure and setbacks to Lebanese political process. Even if President Barack Obama succeeded in transforming American foreign policies and America has become global angel, Ghana can still not afford to allow America or any other country to build Military Base in our territory. We should not allow huge financial assistance and other forms of aids to lure us as a nation into any dangerous position which might be impossible to reverse later. With its political, economical, technological and military powers has the US created more conflicts or resolved more?

As a country let us resist the temptation of accepting these kinds of proposals from these well-to-do countries. Our sovereignty and security are paramount and nothing should be allowed to stand against it. God Bless Ghana.

Credit: Alexander S K Bediako

Email: captainjay1970@yahoo.co.uk