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Volume IV, No. 1/November 2001
James Woodard, Former Moakley Aide, Addresses Luncheon
Addressing a group of veterans at a luncheon to mark Vietnam Veterans Day, James Woodard, a former aide to Congressman Joseph Moakley, reviewed the current foreign policy of the Bush administration with a call for a wider focus and attention to Africa as the new century begins.
"Our foreign policy should promote what we espouse," Woodard urged, citing democratic societies and human rights as examples of American principles. Instead, he fears the United States is beginning the 21st Century with "a new imperialism", a policy outgrowth of Cold War mentalities in the new administration.
As an African-American Vietnam veteran, Woodard respects the achievements of Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell. Such high-placed African-Americans, whose voices as a group were traditionally ignored despite the political affiliations of those in the White House, could finally focus foreign policy on the problems of Africa in a humane way.
Woodard, however, doubts the likelihood of this happening. The cancellation of talks with the leaders of North Korea led Woodard to observe, "Diplomacy is all about talking to foreign leaders you do not trust."
Before talking of the problems and concerns of African countries and their need to nation build, the former congressional aide said, "The problem is that the West has ruled the world in an East-West prism, with Europe at the center of the world and then the United States."
Emphasizing the necessity of nation building, Woodard called for a Marshall Plan for Africa, similar to the one for Europe after World War II and questioned why the United States had policies for countries in Europe and Asia but not for Africa.
He spoke of the abundance of human and mineral resources in Africa and sees the future demanding a multi-polar world in contrast with the unipolar world of American influence at present and the bipolar dominance of the Soviet Union and the United States in the last half century.
