Yes To A US Military Base In Ghana

The United States of America is the greatest nation on planet Earth today. You can agree or dishonestly disagree. It is seen as the dominant power in the world and as such, so much responsibility rests upon its shoulders. So much.

The US is seen as the police force of the world; self-appointed, some might say. However, happenings in the world and the expectations of the people of the world, have left the US with little or no choice in becoming the global police chief. The US cannot act in this capacity without having 'police stations' around the world to protect its interests and the good of the world.

Even though the Minister of Defense denies that a U.S. military base will be set up, all indications point to the agreement allowing for that.

It is necessary to understand that military cooperation with the US at a higher level would be very advantageous for Ghana. Most of the perceived risks and dangers associated with the U.S. having a military base in Ghana are far-fetched.

The most important benefit of a US military base in Ghana would be the strengthened friendship between the two countries, which can only be a good thing for Ghana. I mean, who wouldn't want to be a good friend of the king? We're always happy and proud when U.S. presidents visit our nation. Why? Because it is prestigious and has so many advantages attached.

The United States of America will help our military greatly. They will train our military and pump so much money in. Much needed money I must say. They have the best military in the world and there is so much we can learn from them, now and into the future.

Contrary to the fear that a U.S. military base, or even deeper military relations with them, will make Ghana insecure and a target for terrorists, I believe our nation would rather be secure and we will feel more protected. A U.S. military base in a country provides extra national defense. It shows that you're militarily allied with the greatest military force on earth, and it is a good thing to have the biggest superpower on your side. Dr. Obed Asamoah, a former Attorney-General, opined this week that, it is good for Ghana to stay neutral since there are about four power blocs in the world today, and we shouldn't send a clear message about who we are with. We cannot remain neutral in a world of increasing evil. We support whoever is doing their upmost to keep world peace. I remarked a few years ago that, we would never know how well America has played its role as the foremost global superpower, until a different dominant force is in charge.

Some time ago, when Ghana accepted to host the 'GITMO 2,' so many concerns where raised about its implications for our security. Today, we can all see that such concerns were out of paranoia. It is a smart move to strengthen our relationship with the US. Besides, they are not coming in for a bad reason, are they? So, why the hullabaloo?

The U.S. has hundreds of military bases in over 62 countries, including Germany and Japan. Do we think Germany and Japan did not weigh the pros and cons before agreeing to host the U.S. military? Of course I'm not saying if Germany and Japan accept something, we have to as well.

A nation as great as the United States has so many interests around the world, and legitimately so. Some of these interests are for the future. It is not wise to focus so much on their interests. That is up to them. We must focus on ours. We must see a deal for what it's worth and not what it means. We must think of what would benefit us, strengthen us and protect us. A good deal is a good deal.

The writer is an English Language teacher at Kusanaba Senior High School.

Salifu Muammar Al-Qathafi