AFRICOM News
AFRICOM and US's hidden battle for Africa
Stressing that recent US military interventions represent nothing more than 'the expansion and consolidation of Western capital', Ba Karang takes a look at the emergence of the US AFRICOM (African Command) programme.(05/06/2010)
University of Sussex Students’ Union Resist US AFRICOM
University of Sussex Student Union recently passed a resolution to support efforts to Resist US AFRICOM. Experts Scrutinize US Role in African Security Voice of America reports on how concerns over the extent of U.S. military aid in war-torn Somalia as well as challenges for the U.S. military command structure in Africa are leading American experts to scrutinize the U.S. security role on the continent. (3/16/2010) Counterterrorism's blindness: Mali and the US With the US intent on continuing its funding for counterterrorism efforts against 'al-Qaeda' in Mali, Vijay Prashad outlines the risks involved with blindly channeling funds to the Malian military. (11/05/09) Chairmain Tierney Keynotes CADS Conference Read the address Rep. John Tierney delivered at a half-day conference on AFRICOM, in which he outlines several key questions and conflicting perspectives on AFRICOM (11/01/09)
Aljazeera's Rageh Omaar investigates the US military and political strategy for Africa in this mutli-part video series, outlining the formulation of AFRICOM and the current and historic track record of the U.S. military in Africa. (9/20/2009) Africom: Stop in the name of the law! In an open letter to US Attorney General Eric Holder, the National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL) sets out the organisation's concerns about AFRICOM and calls for it to be dismantled, outlining key, codified principles of international law that AFRICOM runs up against. (9/17/2009) Amid Africa's oil boom, U.S. binds ties Resist AFRICOM member Gerald LeMelle is quoted in this UPI article about the expanding AFRICOM presence in West Africa and its link to growing oil exploration and discovery. (9/17/2009) With Its Record of Rape; Don't Send the U.S. Military to the Congo Retired U.S. Army Colonel Anne Wright responds to Georgianne Nienaber's article advocating for the use of AFRICOM to support rape prevention efforts in the Congo. Citing the dismal record of rape and sexual abuse within the U.S. military itself, Wright makes a compelling argument as to why the U.S. military should not become involved. (08/21/2009) Africa: U.S. Military Holds War Games on Nigeria, Somalia As the U.S. military holds war games on Africa and AFRICOM's operations are expanded, Daniel Volman analyzes what this means for the future of U.S. military involvement in Africa and AFRICOM's priorities. (08/14/2009) Congo's Rape Epidemic Worsens During U.S.-Backed Military Operation Stephanie McCrummen highlights the role of the Congolese miitary, whose thousands of new soldiers were trained by the U.S. military, in doubling or tripling the number of rapes in the Congo since their deployment in January 2009. The worsening rape epidemic contrasts with Secretary Clinton's commitments to help curb sexual violence in the Congo. (08/10/2009) US: Clinton Pledges Military Aid to Somalia and Other African Countries (08/09/2009) The Somalia Crossroads: Piracy and an insurgency tempt Washington to get it wrong - again. (06/29/2009) Africa: Africom to Continue Under Obama With the Obama administration set to oversee significant increases in U.S. security assistance programmes for African countries, Daniel Volman examines the U.S. government's plans for its military operations on the Continent over the coming financial year. (06/11/2009) POLITICS: Clinton's Africa Tour to Stress U.S. Commitments (06/04/2009) AFRICOM and the Geopolitics of African Oil (06/02/2009) U.S. Aided a Failed Plan to Route Ugandan Rebels (02/06/2009) Making Peace or Fueling War in Africa Despite overtures by the Obama Administration about emphasizing diplomacy and rolling back the military, such efforts have yet to be seen in Africa. The authors detail the creation and implementation of AFRICOM and what President Obama must do to uphold his diplomatic vision. Speaking Out: AFRICOM and SOUTHCOM: Reliquaria From an Earlier Age Retired Ambassador David Passage makes a clear and compelling case for abolishing AFRICOM, based on both budgetary and strategic reasons. Passage spent much of his career in the field of politico-military affairs and served as the NSC Africa Director under President George H.W. Bush. Murtha: Fund Diplomacy, not AFRICOM At a recent dinner with military leaders in Europe, Representative John Murtha D-PA, expressed deep distaste for AFRICOM. Northcom, Africom, and Other Threats Africom now casts a shadow over the last continent for which the U.S. had no designated "command" structure, and Northcom, with responsibilities over the domestic U.S., is a nightmare for those who fear repressive "martial law" in America. The Weight of 'Change'? AFRICOM and the U.S. Presidential Election With both Barack Obama and John McCain content to fully endorse President Bush's AFRICOM, the author demonstrates how both the Democrat and Republican campaigns are sacrificing important dialogue on AFRICOM for the sake of remaining neutral, bipartisan, and uncontroversial. U.S.-Africa Relations to Militarize? Matthew Blake from the Washington Independent outlines the difficulties of putting the Pentagon in charge of U.S.-Africa relations. In a hearing on AFRICOM's progress, the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs of the House Oversight Committee finally began asking the right questions about the militarization of U.S.-Africa policy. Critics Target New U.S. Military Command Coalition partners are quoted in this recent article from Lawrence Delevingne at the Inter Press Service News. The article was also published on AllAfrica.com. U.S. Africa Command Trims It's Aspirations In an article from the Washington Post, author Karen DeYoung notes the change in plans by the Pentagon as a result of AFRICOM's unpopularity among African nations and NGO's in the U.S. "Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa," updated March 10, 2008 Often, the U.S. government has given two sides to the AFRICOM debate, claiming a publicly favorable position one day and a truthful position another. The next President will need to listen more closely to the will of the people in Africa and the U.S. to determine his or her foreign policy. Responses by African government officials, civil societies and citizens concerning AFRICOM. One of Donald Rumsfeld's final acts as secretary of defense will be to put the finishing touches on an Africa Command for the U.S. military. Read how the creation of a military command to handle Africa will have the opposite effect of creating more security. AFRICOM's Dilemma: The "Global War on Terrorism "Capacity Building," Humanitarianism, and the Future of U.S. Security Policy in Africa. In this report recently put out by the Strategic Studies Institute and written by Robert Berschinski of Yale University talks about the concerns of AFRICOM and its future. "In order to significantly benefit the African security landscape, AFRICOM must depart from the model of U.S. military operations on the continent since amalgamating threats, overemphasizing “hard” counterterrorism initiatives, and intertwining military operations with humanitarianism, AFRICOM’s predecessors have harmed U.S. strategic interest... AFRICOM Headquarters To Stay in Germany During a recent trip to Africa, President Bush announced that he would not move the AFRICOM headquarters to the continent. While we view this as a small victory and a testament to the strength of African voices, AFRICOM's programs will remain the same and the long-term impact on the continent will continue to be detrimental to the people of Africa. In an excellent article from the LA Times, Op-Ed columnist Rosa Brooks recognizes that "Promoting African peace, democracy and development are all good things, but the U.S. efforts might be more palatable if the velvet glove handing out foreign aid weren't stretched so obviously over the iron fist of the world's most lethal war-fighting machine." AFRICOM: Toward a New Concept of Security in Africa In the end, it is not the militarization of Africa that will guarantee security for the US but rather justice and equitable trade. The creation of AFRICOM signals the continuation of a U.S. foreign policy that emphasizes military contracts and operations over health, education, and development assistance. It is clear that the battle for African hearts and minds will not be won if it is being waged more for the sake of U.S. strategic interests than African needs. AFRICOM: Wrong for Liberia, Disastrous for Africa The U.S. inaccurately assumes that emphasizing security through a unilateral framework will somehow bring health, education, and development to Africa. What Africa really needs is its own mechanisms for responding to peacemaking issues and the time is right for rejecting U.S. military expansion and pushing for African responses to Africa’s needs. The creation of AFRICOM is yet another example of the Bush administration's policy of unilateralism and its obsession with displays of military power. AFRICOM’s emphasis on using the military and its interventionist framework will in all likelihood make it counterproductive for U.S. strategic interests in the region. The militarization of U.S. policy in Africa will continue during 2008 as will the relentless pursuit of African resources, which will both have demonstrable effects on U.S. military, diplomatic, and economic policy. Additionally, President Bush will attempt to salvage his legacy through rhetorical support for human rights in Sudan, promoting his unilateral HIV/AIDS initiative, and advocating economic policies that exacerbate inequalities in Africa. Last week's tribal violence in Kenya reminds us of the severe social and political problems facing Africa. But is greater involvement by the U.S. military the answer to these African challenges? More U.S. Soldiers Not Welcome in Africa, Says Lekota More armed US soldiers are not welcome in Africa, said Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota yesterday. Any country that allowed itself to be a base for the US strategic command in Africa (Africom) would have to live with the consequences, Lekota said Liberia Wants Africom Sited on Continent Government of Liberia has given its support to the location of the United States military base tagged AFRICOM, presently in Stuttgart, Germany, on the African soil. We're Misunderstood, Says U.S. United States of America has said its decision to situate an African Command in the West African region of the continent is not out of a desire to be close to the oil rich African states, but a desire to help Africa establish its own security and support its leadership efforts. Yesterday, the US Senate Committee on Armed Services opened confirmation hearings that would include the nomination of Army General William E. Ward as commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). Why U.S.'s Africom Will Hurt Africa Governments protect their interests in various ways, but the US has opted to increase its military presence in Africa through the creation of a military command post, known as Africom. U.S. Plans No New Bases on Continent, Says Official The United States' new African military command structure – Africom – will neither base nor deploy U.S. forces on the African continent, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Teresa Whelan said Thursday. Testimony of Dr. Wafula Okumu - U.S. House Africom Hearing Dr Wafula Okumu Head, African Security Analysis Programme, Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria, South Africa, testimony given to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, "Africa Command: Opportunity for Enhanced Engagement or the Militarization of U.S.-Africa Relations?" Testimony of Theresa Whelan - U.S. House Africom Hearing Testimony of Theresa Whelan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs (HCFA) Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health hearing 'Africa Command: Opportunity for Enhanced Engagement or the Militarization of U.S.-Africa Relations?'