U.S. Marines in Somalia

In response to “The Heart of the Matter,” by Michael Clough, Opinion, Dec. 6:

It is amazing that someone who is considered an authority on Africa can be so oblivious to the economic and cultural history of the region. The statement: “It was decades of dependency that led to the breakdown of Somalia,” and others like it create the impression that the Somalis are at fault for accepting too much foreign aid and not developing their own economy. We should be leery of involvement.

Is it possible that the dependence is not so much on foreign aid as it is on the European-imposed cash system itself? If the Somalis and the other African countries mentioned had not been forced into inappropriate cash economies for the sake of exploitation in both the colonial and post-colonial periods, perhaps the picture would be different.

Since we “superpowers” imposed the political and economic structures that are now failing (and which we profited greatly from), why is there any question about taking responsibility for desperation that we are largely responsible for?

The graphic that accompanied the article is also presumptive. A white hand throws a lifesaver to a drowning, fetus-like black form. Where are the images of the white hand destroying black culture, infantilizing by domination, exploiting in every thinkable way, and then shoving the victim into this white-created torrent?

ALAN BARKER

Santa Monica