PF Oppose the Establishment of a US Military Base in Zambia

1. A Base? No such thing was announced by either the Zambian nor US Embassy officials. The US Embassy twitted about this so called “Base” it is still on their timeline. It just talked about the establishment of an office in their Lusaka embassy to enhance military cooperation between the US and Zambia. They will help in training and force modernization. It is surprising that the PF govt entered into an agreement with the same US to train the Zambian Peace keepers to the Central African Republic but forgot to tell us about it. The PF also started getting military planes from China instead of Russia without telling Zambians about this new arrangement. The late KK never revealed anything about the military cooperation agreements he had first with the British and later with the Russians. I…

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2. …..suspect these agreements are never publicized because they border on matters of State security. In other countries they call it: Classified Information and only people with clearance are supposed to see it. It will be World’s first if Zambia were to make public her military cooperation agreement with another country. It has never happened under any administration in Zambia nor any other country. Mr Chilangwa and his PF should grow up.

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3. If this indeed true, we are in serious trouble and attracting conflicts with the Uncle Sam’s enemies. The US has too many enemies around the world and we should not be entertaining them into creating a military base on our soil otherwise we are a target of their supposed many enemies. While I do not agree with the former regime on many several issues, this one I do agree and if it true, we need to protest this move. As Zambians have no enemies to warrant this and we thrive well with peace generally. Abash US military base in Zambia and Africa!

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4. No base was announced. The US embassy is being upgraded with the arrival of the new ambassador. Remember that the previous ambassador had to leave because of the insults received from Edgar China Lungu? Remember, Zambia received MILLIONS of Covid-19 vaccines from the USA as a result of the failed Covid campaign from the former incompetent president

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5. Apart from isis attacking the US embassy in Tanzania…………

   Which other country has been attacked for hosting US bases ??

   And there are many US bases around the world………..

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6. These engagements come with hundreds of millions of dollars for the local economy……….

   Some countries that host US bases rely on this money as an important component of their local economy

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7. I am quite sure our boys and girls in uniform are salivating at this cooperation agreement. Instead of flying those PF acquired Chinese crop sprayers they will be training on and flying some variant of a Falcon jet somewhere in Texas or Nevada. The ZAF guys have flown British, Russian and Chinese jets; why should they be denied the opportunity to fly some American jets?

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8. Once bitten, twice shy.

   PF scare tactics used to
   remove then Vice President Guy Scott from power, we haven’t forgotten.

   Scare tactics:”ways of achieving a particular result by frightening people so much that they do what you want them to do:”

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9. Awe naimwe be vigilant do not swallow anything placed before you. Remember there will never be anything for nothing as far as basic economics is concerned.

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10. 1] Decision like Military Bases are always political, and no Opposition will ever agree to such a decision. UPND would have been against, had such intention been done in PF era. Therefore, I am not surprised by PF cries
    2] America has always been at war since the 2nd world war, besides countries that were feeding grounds for AIKada and ISIS, tell us which one has been attacked?
    3] Germany has the largest number of bases, but has remained neutral until now with the Russia-Ukraine war, when it is providing military ware.
    4] FYI: 119 base sites in Germany; 119 in Japan; 73 in South Korea; 44 in Italy. Others in Aruba, Bahrain, Cuba, Djibouti, Estonia, Greece, Honduras, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Spain, Tunisia, UK, US Virgins,…

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11. The only US permanent military base in Africa is in Djibouti and is strategicaly positiined owing to the proximity to the dangerous spots.
    Africom is under the MILITARY Secretary of Defence, while ambadsadors fall under CIVILIAN Secretary of State so we see intertwining of duties. True, the primary goal of Africa Command was to deter Chinese and Russian influence in Africa, the logical way is to defer or ignore this innitiative until other thorny geopolitical issues are addressed.
    Nigeria long rejected Africom even when it is fiercThe only US permanent military base in Africa is in Djibouti and is strategicaly positiined owing to the proximity to the dangerous spots.
    Africom is under the MILITARY Secretary of Defence, while ambadsadors fall under CIVILIAN Secretary of State. So we…

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12. So we see intertwining of duties. True, the primary goal of Africa Command was to deter Chinese and Russian influence in Africa, therefore, it is logical to defer or ignore this innitiative until other thorny geopolitical issues are addressed.
    Nigeria long rejected Africom even when that country is fiercely battling Boko Haram. South Africa, another power house hasnt yet fallen for Africom. What’s the rush?
    NATO is no different from Africom. Let the sleeping pooch lie. Mwi kala pa talala, mwine apatatalika. Peace is not war.

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13. As of 2021, the leading country for the best intellectual property environment was the United States with an overall score of 95.31 points.May 6, 2021

    By allowing United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) We are defending the way of life.

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14. Cont`d
    5] There are economical advantages too for having such bases, it depends on how the contracts are formulated. Take an example of German, Italy or Qatar, they have greatly benefited.
    6] I would urge the opposition, they should not use cheap arguments that instils fear, such as , Zambia being attacked, because America will never allow that. Instead, the emphasis should be on WHAT economic benefit that this will bring to Zambia? Which laws will prevail in case of criminal cases by theUS soldiers, etc. The opposition and Ruling party need to work together. Stop running to the media and issuing stu.pid statements.

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15. Fear of cups makes for strange bedfellows. Unfortunately they end up taking more advantage of you than what you feared because you end up as their puppets. Nothing against Americans but they are the only country whose military foreign policy has attacked others, interfered in their domestic politics and dropped two nuclear bombs on another country. God will deliver Zambia whether the devil likes it or not.

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16. My simple pieces of advice: 1. Do not vote for or against any antagonist in European tribal wars. 2. Never, ever, ever host anyone’s military on your soil in any form or shape.
    Stay true. Stay independent. Stay in leadership.

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17. Hh is a sellout. This shouldn’t come as a surprise because this chola boy hh sold our parastatals to the same imperialist for nothing in order to get kickbacks. Hh gets excited around whlte people. He has always wanted to be whlte. The greats like mugabe are turning in their graves watching this.

    I am still hangover from the party of the year for Eng ngandu. I have not drunk excessively as that in many years.

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18. @General Kanene…don’t be naive. What economic advantages are there in this? Read John Perkins book, “Confessions of an economic Hitman.” The West ALWAYS looks out for their own interests, not yours. What do we need a foreign military base in Zambia for? If you think the US will be setting up a base primarily for your benefit, then you’re very naive. Many African countries, including Ghana, have rejected this. If HH goes ahead to allow this, it’ll be a huge betrayal of our sovereign country. Zambia cannot be allowed to set up a base in any Western country. Why should Western countries be setting up their bases on our continent? Wake up!

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19. Having a US military base is almost always an advantage to a country.
    A very welcome development.

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20. There’s no such a thing as a military base as being suggested here. Next door in Botswana, the Americans helped build a base at Maparangwana and sold some jets to the BDF but it was not turned into an American base but for Botswana defense needs and organization and It ended there, so what and how would training or even equipping the Zambia Defense Forces be translated into establishing a military base for America?

21. China literary controls Zambia. Because of the huge debt under the PF , strategic assets like ZESCO and ZNBC are co-owned with the Chinese.
    So whats wrong with countering that by allowing the US set up a command centre in Zambia.
    After all the US provide $500 million to the Zambian health sector every year(ARV’s, TB drugs)

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22. @independent you slow f00L, the word is literally not literary.

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23. @THE PATRIOT …….I have just ordered that book from Amazon, and I will interpret what read based on common sense and not on someone’s ideas who wants to sell a book. REMEMBER, I said both UPND and Opposition should be involved. Are you assuming that we have a bunch of Idi.ots in politics that can not negotiate economic benefits for Zambians? Russia wanted to build a nuclear plant in Zambia, did you rise against that Idea? I have given you example like Germany, Italy, Quatar, even ka Djibouti.
    BTW: all the EHM and jackal tools—false economics, false promises, threats, bribes, extortion, debt, deception, coups, assassinations, unbridled military power—are used around the world today and this is NOT new. The African dictators use the same or similar tools, therefore, there is nothing…

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24. PF halucinating, “we demand, we demand”. Did PF disclosed huge loans it was getting from China, (PF couldnt even know how much they borrowed)
    What reckless and irresponsible regime PF has subjected Zambians today with huge debts. PF can not lecture to UPND government that is restoring and healing the nation. Besides, HH is 5th best president in Africa. Respect that world rating that signif progress in Zambia.

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25. Zambia shouldnotmakesuch a mistake. Americans ? No way!

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26. Under international law the US Embassy is not on Zambian Soil its American soil, so if they are based in the US Embassy then no laws are broken by HH. Don’t try to tell me the Chinese Embassy is not doing the same thing, walk by and see all the staff housing and sat dish’s and communications antennas on their embassy roof .

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27. #17  THE PATRIOT 
    May 1, 2022 At 12:17

    “Zambia cannot be allowed to set up a base in any Western country. Why should Western countries be setting up their bases on our continent? Wake up!..”

    Of course there are huge economic benefits of have US stationed in a country……..to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars…..

    In Bahrain , the American naval base contributes an estimated $150 million to the local economy….

    If zambia has the money and power of course, they can negotiate to have bases overseas………why not ?

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28. @Mulongoti Machayi, Nigeria never rejected AFRICOM. Infact Ngeria and Ghana were competing with each other to host the Headquarters of AFRICOM. It was the opposition led by then South African President Thabo Mbeki ( who galvanized the African Union to reject an Africom HQ in Africa) that made the Americans to base Africom HQ in Germany.. Nigeria has always leaned towards the western countries in military matters.

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29. You have a serious inferiorite complex baba. Could it be your inadequate education, upbringing?
    HH and his team of young elites, does not get bothered by your low self esteem.
    You and your ECL could never sit at conference tables with the educated, so you surrounded yourselves with the uneducated riff raffs such as Davis Mwila, Sikazwe, Chitotela, Kampyongo, Bowman, Kamba, Jean Kapata, Chilangwa, mumbi Phiri. You hounded out the educated until njala yebanyokola and thev had to come back to survive.

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30. How to look at the United States Of America.

    “Arguably the most easily recognizable Toyota model of all time, the Land Cruiser was born in the fifties, but its origins can be traced back to the Second World War when the Japanese military ordered the carmaker to build a four-wheel-drive light utility vehicle capable of rivaling the legendary U.S.-made Jeep.”-Vlad Radu.

31. Ba praise team ubupuba tatulefwaya stop supporting ifyabula uku londoloka this is not your country alone. You’re putting our lives in danger.

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32. @Didi na Toyo:You always speak like you are a congolese. If really you are Zambian as you claim – where in zambia do you come from pls? Cos bro, there is a difference if you set up Africom in Congo and Africom in Zambia. Very different. Infact the results of this will be opposite. They wont achieve the same results at all. So, the way you Didi Na Toyo is worried is like you worried about it from the Congole point of view. Look, even if you are not Zambian bro,jst pretend that you were Zambian and start looking at things the way a Zambian wud. Join in bru!

33. I commend the US for fulfilling their foreign policy which is to advance US interests all over the world. What i would like to know are what are Zambians policies and how is this deal if true advancing Zambian interests. And dont mention AID and IMF because that’s rubbish.

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34. ONLY THIEVES ARE WORRIED AND CANT SEE ANY SENSE. TIME FOR STEALING IS GONE OTHERWISE WE SHALL USE AMEICAN MADE MILITARY VEHICLES TO CAGE YOU THE THIEVES

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35. PF is like the turd that just wont flush. Your scare tactics are no longer potent you pathetic illiterate thieves. Never again. It is over. Go back to playing nsolo or whatever it is you do in the komboni.

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36. The problem with us zambians is that we over support our political parties, if you are a pf die hard whatever pf does its okay, you defend, the same goes with upnd supporters,

    Zambians let us learn to put our country above any political party if not for yourselves atleast for the future generations.

    A military base in zambia does not just come with economic benefits but also political control we all know the game these guys play to protect their interests. This country better remains nuetral…the benefits of a military base in zambia is not worth the future consequences this country may face…

    lets learn to be loyal and patrotic to our country and not a party zambians.

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37. The US has nothing to offer zambia than push for their global hegemony over every nation of the world. Which african state has partnered with the USA and has tremendous development?? None zero. Their only intrest is to force others to accept sodomy of the same sex.

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38. PF bemoans own lack of understanding, own lack of information, own confusion in a public statement. Kaya

39. Hichilema reminds me of Judas Iscariot…

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40. HH government lucks common sense, any government that allows a foreign government to establish a military base or office on its soil is a sell out n stupid, that office will b used to spy on the countrys security therefore making us vulnerable to US should we find ourselves in any disagreement with them,, this is one of the stupid decisions HH n his government inten to make to please their so called America because to them America is everything right, what all you supporting americanisation is forgetting is that america is whats wrong with the world, america is the cause of all wars around the world,, we can not n should not allow them on our soild to bring us trouble

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41. I knew from the start that HH will never be present for zambians, this guy was always for the EU this, America that, never about Zambia or Africa, this is one of Afruca’s sell out president, if you are hopping for africanisim, forget with people like hh in office, he is a pro EU n America finish

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42. I knew from the start that HH will never be present for zambians, this guy was always for the EU this, America that, never about Zambia or Africa, this is one of Afruca’s sell out president, if you are hopping for africanisim, forget with people like hh in office, he is a pro EU n America finish

43. PF need to learn and work on how to present an argument or debate…not mumble jumbo, I would agree with them on their stance not to allow US to set up a Defence office but they have twisted everything to the point they are using terms like “military bases”. PF you need to get soberminded spindoctors do away with frustrated angry chaps like A. Mwanza and Emmanuel Mwamba.
    Let’s be serious if you look at the work that went into constructing the US Embassy in Ibex Hill years ago during PF regime you would be a foooool not to think PF already gave them a green light to set up a Defence office in Zambia…I mean most of the roads in the area were build with sand dug up from that site.

44. PF cadres: Tekanyeni, you guys did the same with Chinese military bases – ZAF air bases were Chinses built & controlled,including ZP,all its new posts were Chinese built/controlled. To an extent where even police officers started to be Chinese. You cant equate AFRICOM to your nonsense you sale-outs.

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45. ……oh what …you want to tell a story again.Oh how?Too many stories.You steal my time telling me stories.Once upon time,there was a place that people came to and scrambled for the valuables that they found in there.ln the end they used the people of that place to exploit their resources.Surprisingly,in the course of time the owners of that place felt grieved.The owners became rebellious.This resulted in continuous squabbles. As a result, some of these rebellious people left their place to live in a foreign place. These rebellious who came to live in a foreign place for safety continued fighting the people who were scrambling for the valuables of their place. The scrambling people in a bid to protect themselves they followed fought and destroyed the rebellious who were hiding on a foreign…

46. Who is PF anyway? The majority Zambians voted you out last yr for looting the national treasury, anyone who worked in PF has bloody money, you are all thieves so just STFU…HH is the President & he will make the decision

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47. A whole lot of fire storm in the comments over nothing.

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48. Zambians will probably only appreciate the voices of reason being raised against setting up a US military office or base in Zambia when Islamic militants begin to attack Zambia. Mozambique that has experienced attacks by islamic militants is Zambia’s neighbour and it may just be a matter of time before Zambia experiences this with a naive President and UPND government in power. The whole project of regional integration being driven by SADC is under threat when you have a member state being a source of insecurity to the whole region. AU and SADC, just like the EU, have common security architecture that govern common responses to security threats, and there is just no way Zambia can enter into a military arrangement with the US without consulting the regional and continental bodies. During…

49. … the Cold War, we saw how the US used Zaire under Mobutu Sese Seko as a launch pad for attacks on Cubans in Angola in order to ward off communist influence in that country and the region. The US paid a blind eye to Mobutu’s human right’s abuses in Zaire because it was more interested in reducing communist influence in the region. Consequently, Angola became a pawn in the East-West cold war. MPLA’s Eduardo Dos Santos was supported by the East whilst UNITA’s Jonas Savimbi was supported by the Americans. The civil war in Angola was protracted because of the involvement of big foreign powers in it. If Hakainde understood the geo-politics of Southern Africa, he would have resisted doing what he is currently doing. It is disingenuous of him to do what he is doing.

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50. HH and Americans are correct, because both parties are not planning to attack any country, Therefore, PF should stop twisting issues for which it lacks knowledge and correct understanding. On this particular matter, PF is simply informing us about its misunderstood fears and impossible expectations. Most Zambians are not stupid and, they understand the country’s most important interests and worries. Hence, in my thesis, I reveal that PF should stop lecturing HH and UPND on irrelevant issues which are dead on arrival. Add substance to any thesis and weigh your contributions before uttering anything. PF must realise that each time its officials say something, the image of the party is dented by uncoordinated thoughts and lack of critical reasoning.

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51. BA PF are BUNCH of liars and you can NOT trust them. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A MILITARY BASE,ACCORDING TO AFRICOM:
    “On April 25, the U.S. government announced U.S. Africa Command will open an Office of Security Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Zambia.
    Brig. Gen. Peter Bailey, deputy director for Strategy, Engagement, and Programs, made the announcement in Zambia during a meeting with His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema.Building on the foundation of U.S.-Zambia shared security interests, the new Office of Security Cooperation will enhance military-to-military relations and expand areas of cooperation in force management, modernization and professional military education for the Zambian security forces.”

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52. LET THEM SET UP A BASE AND PAY ALL OUR DEBTS. AFTER ALL THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH.
    OR WE CAN ASK OUR FELLOW AFRICAN BROTHER ELON MUSK TO PAY THE DEBT WHICH IS SMALL CHANGE TO HIM!!

53. …..and then China or Russia will convince another of our neighbors to setup their own base with missiles and all. The US will then be upset and trigger an arms buildup in the region. This is a bad idea

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54. Educate me please!
    The US has a base in Philippines
    The US has a base in Japan
    The US has a base in Germany
    China has a base in Djibouti
    Britain has a base in Djibouti

    What has been the negative effects of these bases on those countries?

55. Kindly read up on Thebephatshwa, formerly Maparangwana] Air Base in Botswana.

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