He must have attended Trump University!!

[transporter]

Possibly the saddest/funniest story you will read all day.

Pompeo blasts corruption, promotes U.S. business in Africa trip

Pompeo is aiming to promote U.S. investment as an alternative to Chinese loans while assuaging concerns over a planned U.S military withdrawal and the expansion of visa restrictions targeting four African countries.

Ok...so we have the goal...promote US investment. Here's the pitch!!

“Here in Angola, damage from corruption is pretty clear,” he told a group of businessmen following that meeting. “This reform agenda that the president put in place has to stick.”

...

We’ve got a group of energy companies that have put more than $2 billion in a natural gas project. That will rebound to the benefit of the American businesses for sure, but to the Angolan people for sure as well,” Pompeo said.

Whewie...that is one slicky boy salesman!! First he insults the buyer....THEN he tells the buyer how much the seller will profit from the sale...and he closes with a limpwristed attempt to highlight how the sale will benefit the buyer!!!

I wonder how well that sale process works?!?!??!

Oh but it gets better...Pompeo is trying to make this sale against the backdrop of:

• planned US military withdrawals
• planned budget reductions in foreign aide
• and travel restrictions to the US for people from African nations

China is floating the same countries loans for infrastructure...and we are basically telling them to go F themselves and their "shithole" country but that they should still do business with us instead of the Chinese.

Yup...Pompeo went to Trump University alright!!!

 

[gemma_rae]

Possibly the saddest/funniest poster you will ignore all day.

Cheer up, there's a new pill for Prep.

 

[Yooper]

The OP and I must have read different articles. The OP obviously means to convey sarcasm about "Trump University" (etc.) while I came away from the article thinking the sarcasm is unwarranted: this is a pretty good pitch from Pompeo.

Here's what I read:
- Pompeo is offering support for Angolan President Lourenco in his bid to "decorrupt" the country while admitting there's work to do. That's hardly "insulting the buyer." Anyway, wrt corruption, to be blunt, reducing corruption to any meaningful degree is almost certainly several bridges too far, but a) we should constructively help if we can and if they want our help and b) the bigger issue is China (meaning, we'll certainly accept a level of corruption if as a result China's influence in the country and on the continent is reduced; this is called "realism").

- While there are no statements to document the extent that "governments are questioning U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to Africa," the Reuters author makes the more important point that Pompeo made a statement to alleviate/counter those fears.

- There is mention of "Prosper Africa"* which seeks to move countries such as Angola away from China and its influence in Africa. A good thing, to my mind.

*https://www.trade.gov/prosperafrica

I could go on and on, but time does not permit. In the end, this is an informative article about an excellent bit of diplomacy by the administration as it tries to do some amount of good in Africa while working to deal with the larger, more strategically concerning issue on the continent: countering China in "Great Game 3.0: China Flexes."

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[BOP]

Cheer up, there's a new pill for Prep.

New formula for Preparation-H?

I'm thinking Tranny needs the industrial strength formula in a 50-gallon drum.

 

[BOP]

The OP and I must have read different articles. The OP obviously means to convey sarcasm about "Trump University" (etc.) while I came away from the article thinking the sarcasm is unwarranted: this is a pretty good pitch from Pompeo.

Here's what I read:
- Pompeo is offering support for Angolan President Lourenco in his bid to "decorrupt" the country while admitting there's work to do. That's hardly "insulting the buyer." Anyway, wrt corruption, to be blunt, reducing corruption to any meaningful degree is almost certainly several bridges too far, but a) we should constructively help if we can and if they want our help and b) the bigger issue is China (meaning, we'll certainly accept a level of corruption if as a result China's influence in the country and on the continent is reduced; this is called "realism").

- While there are no statements to document the extent that "governments are questioning U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to Africa," the Reuters author makes the more important point that Pompeo made a statement to alleviate/counter those fears.

- There is mention of "Prosper Africa"* which seeks to move countries such as Angola away from China and its influence in Africa. A good thing, to my mind.

*https://www.trade.gov/prosperafrica

I could go on and on, but time does not permit. In the end, this is an informative article about an excellent bit of diplomacy by the administration as it tries to do some amount of good in Africa while working to deal with the larger, more strategically concerning issue on the continent: countering China in "Great Game 3.0: China Flexes."

--- End of line (MCP)

Most nations in Africa are, at best, kleptocracies, and no amount of wishin', hopin', and a-prayin' is going to change that anytime soon.

 

[Yooper]

Most nations in Africa are, at best, kleptocracies, and no amount of wishin', hopin', and a-prayin' is going to change that anytime soon.

No argument from me. Hence, my point that the primary purpose of Pompeo's efforts is countering China. But if we can do some good along the way I'm all for it.

--- End of line (MCP)