But like all of his Republican and Democratic predecessors, he failed even to suggest the one thing thatwould make all the difference. Despite all of America's rhetoric about the glories of free trade and all itspressure on countries like China and Japan to open up their markets, American leaders never suggest cuttingsubsidies for US agribusiness. Consider that, in West Africa, farmers using oxen and hand ploughs can producea pound of cotton for 23 cents while in the Mississippi Delta it costs growers using air conditioned tractorsand satellite-guided fertilizer systems 80 cents a pound. Logically, the US farmers ought to be switching tosoybeans or something else they can grow more competitively. Instead, they are expanding their planting andtaking sales away from the African growers in export markets. How can they do this? Via subsidies to the tuneof $5 billion. Not surprisingly, Muslim West Africa does not see America as a friend and force for good and isincreasingly listening to the mullahs who call America the "Great Satan."