I realize the Zone's right-wing Realpolitik pundits have been busy worrying about other things lately, but the Chinese have been making a vigorous attempt to expand their political and economic influence in Africa for years.

After all, that's what big, aggressive capitalist countries with a sense of their own exceptionalism do, isn't it? Economic imperialism. Don't take my word for it, just Google "Chinese influence in Aftica": over 4 million hits. While you guys have been worrying about gay marriage, abortion and gun control with your redneck Jesus freak allies, the grownups have been playing hardball in the back lot.

After a decade of neglect by a short sighted Republican administration obsessed with its pathetic and inept obsession with stealing Iraqi crude and engineering tax cuts for its PACS, perhaps it is a refreshing and long overdue action that Mr Obama is taking. My only question, after a few seconds of profoud reflection is, is he doing enough?

Of course, in a few years, we can count on our same winger chattering class to complain "What took Obama so long to do something about this, why didn't he see this coming? Who lost Africa?" And oh yes, they will be talking about Obama a few years forom now. None of those inept goombahs campaigning for the GOP nomination is going to be able to touch him.

For those who have refused to accept the role of previous administrations in our current domestic problems, their attempt to blame them all on the current one serves the additional purpose of obscuring the successes of Mr Obama in national defense and foreign policy.

I know nothing about the situation in Uganda in particular, or Africa in general. But I think Obama has competent people working on it. And he seems to feel there is some reason to get involved. He may be right or he may be wrong, it may even be a case of too little too late, (only time can tell about that), but at least he is doing something.