http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/10/19/330213/us-military-operations-africa-growing/
US increases military operations in Africa
[image: Members of the Army’s First Infantry Division have been called on
to conduct more than 100 missions in Africa over the next year.]
Members of the Army’s First Infantry Division have been called on to
conduct more than 100 missions in Africa over the
The United States has stepped up its military activity in Africa in recent
months, with more training of regional militaries in the continent,
increased air strikes and a steady stream of drone surveillance.
Thousands of US soldiers are now gearing up for missions in Africa as part
of a new Pentagon strategy to train and advise indigenous forces, the New
York Times reports.
The first-of-its-kind program is drawing on troops from a 3,500-member
brigade from the Army’s First Infantry Division to conduct more than 100
missions in Africa over the next year, the newspaper said.
In addition to training African militaries, the US has been launching a
massive build-up of troops into Italy, putting 13,000 troops in the nation
to be able to launch raids into Africa, particularly northern Africa, at a
moment’s notice.
There is also a growing constellation of small US drone outposts in
countries like Niger, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, strategically placed on the
Gulf of Aden.
“I don’t see a pivot (towards Africa),” said John Campbell, a former
ambassador to Nigeria and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign
Relations. “I think what it does represent is a militarization of policy
towards Africa. And it’s just sort of happening willy-nilly.”
“The focus is very narrow,” Campbell said. “Part of the problem is a
remarkable lack of sophistication about what is going on in Africa and that
in turn affects things like the reduction in diplomatic staff and the
closure of consulates over the years.”
With the launch of Africa Command or AFRICOM in October of 2008, US foreign
policy toward the continent has been militarized with policy makers
increasingly viewing Africa through a military lens, Campbell said.
The US’s recent commando raids in Africa, including an October 5 operation
when US Special Forces kidnapped Abu Anas al-Libi on the streets of the
Libyan capital, Tripoli in broad daylight, have some analysts floating the
idea that the US could be developing a strategic swing toward Africa.
Received on Thu Oct 31 2013 - 14:37:46 EDT