Uranium Makes Self-Determination Questionable at Best

The London Times reported that in October of 2005 Iran attempted to import Uranium 238 from the Congo. Tanzanian port inspectors found the uranium among coltan that was being shipped to Iran. Iran rejected the report and called it "utterly untrue" and part of a psychological warfare by the West.

In spite of whether the reports are true or not, the whole affair re-affirms Congo's geo-strategic importance to the West. This does not bode well for the Congolese because if they can count on nothing else, they can count on the West attempting to determine who will rule the Congo just as they did for almost four decades when they assassinated Patrice Lumumba and installed the brutal dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. The pre-text of course will be to keep strategic minerals such as uranium from terrorists and terrorist states. When the security interests of the West are at stake, it usually means the wellbeing of non-western people are subordinated to these interests and the resultant effect is more suffering for a beleaguered people.

The challenge of the Congo is particularly acute today. Congolese leaders must organize themselves to defend the interests of their people and people of goodwill throughout the globe must work with Congolese to stave off foreign intervention in the Congo.