Page 15 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 9

CUMMUNITY

a high population density leads to in order to have better access to the
poverty. So they think that they natural resources of these countries.
can improve the standard of liv- So they think that they can
ing of the people in less-developed improve the standard of liv- This five-step process is closely
countries by reducing their popula- ing of the people in less-de- modeled after military mission plan-
tion growth rates. But NSSM-200 veloped countries by re- ning protocols:
shows that the true motivation be- ducing their population
hind population control activities is growth rates. But NSSM- 1. Identify the threat and its loca-
the preservation of our high stan- 200 shows that the true tion;
dard of living by maintaining access 2. Identify the tools to be used to
to the mineral resources of LDCs. motivation behind pop- neutralize the threat;
ulation control activities 3. Identify the people who will
NSSM-200 says: is the preservation of our use these tools to neutralize the
high standard of living by threat;
The U.S. economy will require large maintaining access to the 4. Fine-tune the plan and secure
and increasing amounts of minerals mineral resources of LDCs. durable funding sources; and
from abroad, especially from less 5. Establish and amplify a copre-
developed countries.…Wherever a nent with the most mineral resourc- hensive propaganda program in
lessening of population pressures es. This is a huge amount of money, support of the strategy.
through reduced birth rates can in- but the rich nations see it as an excel-
crease the prospects for such stability, lent investment. The resulting flow
population policy becomes relevant of resources from the LDCs to the 1. Identifying the threat
to resource supplies and to the eco- rich nations, especially minerals and NSSM-200 begins by identifying
nomic interests of the United States. strategic metals from Africa, means the “threat.” The smooth flow of

a very high rate of return indeed. resources to the United States could
In order to protect U.S. commercial be jeopardized by LDC government
interests, NSSM-200 cited a number This colossal sum has not improved action, labor conflicts, sabotage, or
of factors that could interrupt the the standard of living of the peo- civil disturbances, which are much
smooth flow of materials from LDCs ple, which should be the aim of all more likely if population pressure
to the United States, including a large international aid. This $102 billion is a factor. NSSM-200 says, “These
population of anti-imperialist youth has done nothing more than make types of frustrations are much less
whose numbers must be limited by large poor families into small poor likely under conditions of slow or
population control. The document families. If all of this money had zero population growth.” Addition-
identified thirteen nations by name instead been poured into authentic ally, young people are much more
that would be the primary targets economic development better roads, likely to challenge imperialism and
of U.S.-funded population control basic health care clinics and schools, the world’s power structures, so
efforts: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, rural electrification and mechanical their numbers should be kept down
Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, farming equipment it could have sig- as much as possible. The document
the Philippines, Thailand, Egypt, nificantly improved the living con- says, “These young people can more
Turkey, Ethiopia and Colombia. ditions of more than a quarter of a readily be persuaded to attack the
billion of the world’s poorest people. legal institutions of the government
In 1996, the developed nations of or real property of the ‘establish-
the world donated $2.2 billion to- Instead, they are all still poor. ment,’ ‘imperialists,’ multinational
wards population control activi- corporations, or other often foreign
ties (in 2013 dollars). That number The Population Con- influences blamed for their trou-
more than quadrupled to $10.1 bil- trol Strategy in NSSM-200 bles.”
lion in 2013, for a total of $102.2 NSSM-200 is a very thorough and
billion during the time period 1996- logical document. It explicitly lays Where is this “threat” located, so
2013. Nearly half of that total, or out the detailed five-step strategy that the “weapon” of population
$50 billion, has been donated by the by which the United States govern- control may be brought to bear?
United States. Most of this money ment aggressively promotes popu- In the fastest-growing develop-
fully 63% of it goes to hold down lation control in developing nations ing countries, of course, with an
the population of Africa, the conti- emphasis on those which possess

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