A century later, a new group of nations are competing for a different valuable, viscous material, with Sub-Saharan Africa closing in on the Persian Gulf as the prime overseas supplier of oil to the last remaining superpower.
As China and India increasingly prospect for resources here, terrorism concerns rise and the U.S. military seeks a permanent military presence in Africa, the continent has its greatest international influence in decades. Whether Africa can use its newfound might to end its longtime blight is a separate issue.
This new scramble for Africa isn't about grabbing colonies as it was a century ago, but to secure natural resources including oil, prevent jihadi terrorists from establishing havens there, and an opportunity for Africa to either advance economically and politically or just to enrich local thug rulers even more while the population suffers as it always has. And with China involved, the potential for making things worse is greater, I think.
