Pentagon launches Africa command

By Rob Watson
BBC News defence and security correspondent

The US has launched a new command centre for military operations in Africa, in a sign of a clear increase in American interest in Africa.

Known as Africom, the initiative was first announced in February and will be based initially in Stuttgart, Germany.

Until now responsibility for Africa has been divided among the US military's European, Central and Pacific commands.

The Pentagon says Africom will allow the US to have a more integrated and effective approach to the continent.

This is a significant re-ordering of the US military, and an increased interest that can be explained in three words - oil, terrorism and instability.

The US now gets over 10% of its oil from Africa and is concerned about competition from China.

It is also worried about the potential threat from Islamic extremists in failed or failing states.

Mixed reviews

But Africa is not about to see an explosion in US bases and airstrips.

The Pentagon is being careful to stress the aim of the new command is to help struggling states through training and aid, and not to launch new wars.

It points out that over one-third of approximately 400 or so staff will be diplomats and aid specialists rather than uniformed military.

The initiative has received mixed reviews in the US.

Though many analysts welcome it as an opportunity for a more intense and unified approach to Africa, others warn of what they see as the danger of the militarisation of US policy towards the continent.

In Africa itself the response has been guarded.

Although the US has been strengthening its security ties with a number of African nations over the last few years many are cautious about being seen to embrace the Americans too warmly - at least in public.

That is one reason, perhaps, why the Pentagon has yet to find an African country willing to host the headquarters for Africom, despite a considerable amount of shopping around.

Trying to Appeal to Africa. They are trying to Command Africa. No worries. The Somalians are always there to handle them.

You refering to the Somalians wey plenty for here as refugees?? LOL

US informs Nigeria of plan to set up military command in Africa

ABUJA (AFP) — US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte Tuesday outlined his country's plan to set up AFRICOM, a military command in Africa, saying it was in line with America's defence policy.
"It's not unusual for the US to have regional military commands. We have regional military commands in various parts of the world," Negroponte told reporters at the end of his visit to Nigeria.


U.S. Army General William E. Ward
is President Bush's choice for first chief
of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The US government announced early in the year that the Defence Department was creating a US Africa Command headquarters to coordinate all American military and security interests throughout the continent.
The US military involvement in Africa has been shared among the US European Command, the US Central Command and the US Pacific Command, and AFRICOM is, for the moment, based in Germany, while a continental location is evisaged in the longer term.
"We will like to eventually situate offices of AFRICOM in an African country. The process of selecting that country is ongoing and we certainly will not do it anywhere that does not welcome the presence of the US military command," the top envoy said.
Negroponte said his country would help Nigeria stamp out criminality in the oil-rich but volatile Niger Delta where more than 200 foreigners have been taken hostage since January 2006.
The US envoy also held talks with Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua, top government officials, including Foreign Minister Ojo Madueke, chairman of anti-graft agency EFCC Nuhu Ribadu and representatives of the business community and civil society.
"We support Nigeria's efforts to stabilise and improve governance in the Niger Delta. I assure both the national security adviser and the defence minister that the US would do what it could to help Nigeria stamp out criminality in the Niger basin," he assured.
Negroponte said Nigeria has been an important friend and strategic partner of the United States and a leader on the African continent.
"The US is committed to sustaining a robust bilateral partnership with Nigeria which advances our mutual interests. We welcome Nigeria's leadership role in Africa," he stressed.
Negroponte also expressed the US government's support for Nigeria's ongoing reforms, increased transparency and principles of good governance.
"We applaud President Yar'Adua's commitment to strengthening the rule of law and to fighting corruption. We encourage his government to pursue vigorously electoral reform to correct the flaws revealed in last April polls," he said.
Negroponte, who is on a tour of four west African countries, has visited Ivory Coast and left Nigeria Tuesday for Burkina Faso where he will proceed to Mali

Source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jUByNHYBmMk5H0uREHN2WvxR2etg

Another Era of Colony Seeking Has Began. Why Does History Repeat Itself?