Since the 2007 establishment of the Africa Command, the U.S. has adopted a shoot-first approach to securing its interests on the continent — with disastrous effects.
The US military has been quietly expanding its presence in Africa in recent years, under the guise of the War on Terror. This military-first approach has had disastrous consequences, contributing to instability and violence on the continent.
The US established AFRICOM, its regional combatant command for Africa, in 2007. This was a time when US influence on the continent was declining, and Africa’s geostrategic significance was on the rise.
Africa is expected to become a major economic power in the coming decades, and it is home to a wealth of resources that the US is interested in securing.
AFRICOM has been involved in a number of conflicts in Africa, including the war against Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
The worst military fiasco under the Trump administration, in which four US soldiers were killed alongside four Nigeriens by Islamist militants, was the result of reckless behavior by US Special Forces. According to a Nigerien general, two senior military officials, and an official from the Nigerien government’s anti-terrorist unit with knowledge of the operation the deaths of Sgt. La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright could have been avoided.
Things have only gotten worse since that poorly-planned raid in 2018.
The United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) is gearing up for a withdrawal from Mali on December 31, 2023.
The MINUSMA force’s departure from Ber comes after the Malian army on Saturday said six soldiers died and 24 fighters from “armed terrorist groups” were killed in a skirmish in the area on Friday.
Former rebels from the Tuareg ethnic group also said the army and the Russian mercenary group Wagner had attacked their forces in Ber.
“MINUSMA has expedited its withdrawal from #Ber due to the deteriorating security situation in the area & the high risks posed to our #BlueHelmets,” the force said in a social media post. “It urges all concerned parties to refrain from any actions that could further complicate the operation.”The number of troops involved or details on the original departure date were not specified.
This war has been going on for years, and it has shown no signs of ending. In addition, AFRICOM has been accused of contributing to the rise of coups in Africa, as US-trained officers have taken power in a number of countries.
Critics of AFRICOM argue that the US military is not needed in Africa, and that its presence is only making the continent more unstable. They also point out that the US has a history of exploiting Africa’s resources, and that AFRICOM is simply a way for the US to maintain its control over the continent.
Africans are also suspicious of AFRICOM, and they have protested agreements that give the command more power. They argue that AFRICOM compromises the sovereignty of African states.
The US military’s presence in Africa is a complex issue with no easy answers. However, it is clear that the US government’s military-first approach to security in Africa is not working.
The US military’s involvement in Africa has been controversial, with some critics arguing that it is an unnecessary intervention in African affairs.
According to the Pentagon, there are currently about 6,000 US military personnel, Defense Department civilians, and contractors across Africa.
The largest concentration of US troops is in Djibouti, where Camp Lemonnier serves as the major hub for the US military on the continent.
The US military has been involved in a number of high-profile incidents in Africa, including the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” incident in Somalia, the 2018 ambush in Niger that killed four US soldiers, and the 2020 drone strike in Niger that killed 10 civilians.
It is time for the US to reconsider its strategy in Africa and to work with African countries to build a more peaceful and prosperous future for the continent.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken introduced the Biden administration’s much-awaited strategy for the continent during a visit to South Africa, during his second trip to the continent in less than a year, Blinken outlined the policy against a backdrop of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and a global economic slowdown.
Although somewhat comparable to recently launched initiatives for Latin America and the Indo-Pacific, the Africa strategy stands out as a singularly elaborate effort at a moment when the Biden administration is working to revamp U.S. relations across the globe.
Biden has said that his administration is reviewing the US military’s presence on the continent, and it is possible that some troop reductions could be made. However, it is also possible that the US military’s role in Africa will continue to grow, as the continent faces a number of challenges, including terrorism, instability, and climate change.