The New Colonists
The Guardian carries an article on the "new scramble for Africa"; efforts made by multinationals, often with tacit Western government support, to enter agreements with corrupt fiefdoms for their mineral wealth. Conservatives would call it simple capitalism, but when there's millions of starving people ruled by corrupt leadership, a little more care is required.

Simon Taylor, director of Global Witness, which has been prominent in urging reform, said: "Western companies and banks have colluded in stripping Africa's resources. We need to track revenues from oil, mining and logging into national budgets to make sure that the money isn't siphoned off by corrupt officials."

Indeed.