Imperialism isn't a "Tie Breaker"

In 2002 the US made a goal to somehow take control and own the West African Ivory Coast. Now in 2010 the US and the European Union are stepping up their game to see who will govern the coast. Many people blame Laurent Gbagbo, a running president who was defeated by Alassane Ouattara for the undecided decision. Gbagbo couldn't seem to accept his defeat and finally rose above and became president. Once he became president he implemented harsh pro-market polices. He started to make rude comments about the US and how they didn't deserve to govern the coast, which I personally disagree with. Gbagbo's government is in no economic state or condition to govern it and the US (with the help of the European Union) can. How much more simple can it get? The US responded to these rude comments with some questioning which cannot be shared with the public and Gbagbo could say was that it was a source of Imperialism and he would not let it happen. He claims that the country’s problems flow from France, the former imperial power, which seems make a lot of sense to many Ivorians.

The only thing Gbagbo seems to fail at noticing is that the French maintained their empire through divide and rule in the past and that this whole situation really has nothing to do with them. “Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisition and/or maintenance of empires, either through direct territorial conquest or through indirect methods of exerting control on the politics and/or economy of other countries.” Is this what the US is trying to do? Indirectly yes, but we're not trying to conquer the Ivory Coast, we simple just want to take care of it, as well as letting the people living in the area continue living their lives. What they think is that we are going to produce sources of raw materials and cheap labor, shaping their economies to suit its own interests and keeping their people in poverty. When really, the U.S just wants it so we could just own more land a few more natural resources.

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=23485

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_imperialism