January 20, 2013 (excerpt from Nile Bowie's
Congo’s M23 conflict: Rebellion or Resource War?) -
It
must be recognized that Kagame controls a vastly wealthy and
mineral-rich area of eastern Congo – an area that has long been
integrated into Rwanda’s economy – with total complicity from the United
States. As Washington prepares to escalate its military presence
throughout the African continent with AFRICOM, the United States Africa
Command, what long-term objectives does Uncle Sam have in the Congo,
considered the world’s most resource-rich nation? Washington
is crusading against China's export restrictions on minerals that are
crucial components in the production of consumer electronics such as
flat-screen televisions, smart phones, laptop batteries, and a host of
other products. The US sees these Chinese export policies as a means of
Beijing attempting to monopolize the mineral and rare earth market.
