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US scaling up military presence in Africa
2004-02-28
The United States is scaling up its military presence in Africa as concern mounts over terrorist threats - both immediate and future - on the continent, the deputy head of American forces in Europe said Friday.
Sounds like they've been reading Rantburg ...

"The threat is not weakening, it is growing," Air Force Gen. Charles Wald said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from Luanda, Angola. "We can't just sit back and let it grow."
That's because failed states are al-Qaeda's playpen and Africa is chalk full of them. We know that they've got bases in the Sahara as well as deals or former deals with the Sudanese, Liberian, and Burkina Faso governments to operate freely. We aren't going to sit back and let them create another Afghanistan in Africa to train a new cadre of recruits, now or ever.

The focus on Africa is part of major restructuring as U.S. forces in Europe reposition for the war against terror.

The European Command oversees U.S. military activities in Africa excluding the Horn, site of a U.S. counterterrorism effort for northeast Africa and Yemen.

Africa is a growing strategic interest to the United States because of its terror links and its oil, which is seen as a possible alternative to Middle East fuel.
Please tell me they aren't talking about Nigerian oil here. That nation could easily go the Sudan root and end up in a civil war. Sao Tome's one possibility, barring the occasional coup ...

European Command is not looking to station large concentrations of troops on the continent, Wald said. But it intends to make its presence felt through joint exercises, training initiatives and other exchanges.

U.S. forces have also negotiated access to a number of sites, including air strips in Angola and Gabon, that can be used for stopovers, refueling, or to position troops and equipment.

Wald said this will allow U.S. forces to respond with light, mobile troops - whether for peacekeeping, crisis response or a specific terrorist threat.

"We're actually going to get more capability with less force because of our ability to move around fast," he said.

Key to the effort is supporting the development of regional security groups, improving the capabilities of African police and soldiers, and building relationships with governments and militaries, Wald said.

Wald is one of at least three top U.S. commanders to touch down in Africa in the past two weeks, following the U.S. commander in Europe, Marine Gen. James L. Jones. And Wald said he expects to be back about every three months.
Posted by:Dan Darling

#3  Wald said this will allow U.S. forces to respond with light, mobile troops - whether for peacekeeping, crisis response or a specific terrorist threat.

Wonder how those'll do against the PRC in Zim-land?
Posted by: Pappy   2004-2-28 11:46:41 PM  

#2  Cheese it! It's the GSP! (grammer & spelling police)
Posted by: PBMcL   2004-2-28 7:00:01 PM  

#1  "chalk full" of them?

chock full.
Posted by: gromky   2004-2-28 3:16:53 PM  

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