Phil said:

"Like every other US president, let the slaughters in Africa continue unabated"

It's hard to remain idle in the presence of genocide. However Africa is a very tough place for rational foreign policy. IMHO, the political problems of Africa are much harder to solve than those of the Middle East. The big redeeming feature about Africa, is the place is such a total mess that it doesn't represent a significant risk to the rest of the world in terms of ideology, terrorists and WMDs. If you study the history of foreign aid to Africa, you can almost dismiss the whole exercise as a total loss. I've been to Africa many times (I'm married to a South African). I've been told that the nation of Lesthoto has received more foreign aid per capita than any other country on the planet. I've been to Lesthoto and seen with my own eyes that the effects of this foreign aid are invisible (the country is a mess). I think the best thing we can do for Africa is the following:

1) Keep out new AK-47s and RPGs. Try to get rid of existing ex-Soviet munitions in Africa.
2) Don't give political recognition to tin pot tyrants and gangsters posing as legitimate political leaders.
3) Zero out funding for all financial aid programs. The money almost always gets siphoned off by tyrants.
4) Forgive existing debt but also zero out the debtor's credit rating (no more loans).
5) Be very focused on controlling disease in Africa, e.g. HIV, malaria, dystentary, ebola, etc. Control disease through the direct application of medicine to the suffering (sending medicine in bulk to Africa means it will reappear in an Asian blackmarket at 25% retail value).

In essence, draw a circle around Africa, stay outside that circle and let the Africans sort themselves out (it might take a couple centuries).

Gary