The Foreign Service Journal, May 2008

F O C U S O N A f r i c a A M IXED R ECORD : 50 Y EARS OF U.S.-A FRICA R ELATIONS / 17 Through the first half-century of African independence, with all its disappointments and successes, U.S. engagement has been a constant. By Herman J. Cohen I MPLEMENTING AFRICOM: T READ C AREFULLY / 25 The Africa Command represents a reorientation of American bureaucratic responsibilities that will probably work well for us, but confuse local governments. By Robert E. Gribbin R EFLECTING ON N AIROBI : T HE A FRICA B OMBINGS AND THE A GE OF T ERROR / 32 A survivor recalls the 1998 bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and ponders what we have learned. By Joanne Grady Huskey T HE A FRICA B UREAU ’ S I NTELLECTUAL G ODFATHERS / 36 Though they represented very different perspectives, Ralph Bunche and Richard Nixon helped make AF a reality 50 years ago. By Gregory L. Garland T HREE D AYS IN N’D JAMENA / 41 An eyewitness account of the recent civil war in Chad and attendant evacuation of embassy personnel. By Rajiv Malik A FRAID OF O UR S HADOW : C ORRUPTION D EVOURS A FRICA ’ S M IDDLE C LASS / 44 The United States needs to move more aggressively against entrenched corruption in African societies for the sake of the continent’s future. By Daniel Whitman C ONTENTS May 2008 Volume 85, No. 5 Cover and inside illustrations by Clemente Botelho P RESIDENT ’ S V IEWS / 5 The 10-Percent Solution By John K. Naland S PEAKING O UT / 14 Heading Off More Clashes in the Strait of Hormuz By Benjamin Tua R EFLECTIONS / 80 “Wow — You Must Really Like Winter!” By Joan B. Odean L ETTERS / 6 C YBERNOTES / 10 M ARKETPLACE / 13 B OOKS / 62 I N M EMORY / 66 I NDEX TO A DVERTISERS / 78 M A Y 2 0 0 8 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 3 J O U R N A L OREIGN ERVICE S F