For decades nations have battle over resources such as oil in
order to protect their national interests. Last June, this site
wrote a column on the approaching Water Wars. Now war is
festering in Africa between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. This
could lead to the first full fledge modern war over water but
certainly not the last. Egypt and the Sudan receives over 90% of
their water from the Nile which flows from the Ethiopian
highlands (see map). That nation is currently planning on
building dams on the Blue Nile both for low cost energy and
agriculture. That river supplies about 85% of the water that
flows to Egypt. The nations are still operating under ancient
water agreements established while under colonial rule and the
nations at the end of the Nile are refusing to review those
agreements. Egypt has reached agreement with North Sudan to
build a small air field and base for commandos to destroy the
dams. Ethiopia has the support of Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and
Kenya who also received the short end of the sti