|
Africa becomes vital front in
war on terror
David Blair
London
Telegraph
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
America recognised Africa as a vital front in the "war on
terrorism" yesterday when President George W Bush's administration
pledged to create a new military command to cover the continent.
Africa Command, known as AFRICOM, will handle all US operations
across 53 countries. Until now, responsibility for Africa has been
shared by three of America's global military commands.
Robert Gates, the defence secretary, announced the change at a
Congressional hearing on the new federal budget.
"The president has decided to stand up a new unified combatant
command, Africa Command," he said.
AFRICOM would oversee "security cooperation" and "military
operations on the African continent".
Mr Gates added: "This command will enable us to have a more
effective and integrated approach than the current arrangement of
dividing Africa between Central Command and European Command, an
outdated arrangement left over from the Cold War."
America has two vital national interests at stake. West Africa
provides some 20 per cent of US oil imports, a figure that is set
to grow.
Meanwhile, a belt of countries in the Horn of Africa and on the
southern fringe of the Sahara could, say US officials, become new
breeding grounds for Islamist terrorism.
Muslim extremists – with possible but unproven links to international
terrorists – held control of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu,
and much of the surrounding territory until last month, when they
were defeated by Ethiopian forces.
America's only permanent military presence south of the Sahara
is found in the tiny country of Djibouti, the base of the Combined
Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa.
Until now, these 2,300 military and civilian personnel fell under
US Central Command, based in the Gulf state of Qatar. They will
soon be part of AFRICOM.
For the moment, AFRICOM will share the headquarters in Stuttgart
used by America's European Command.
INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
|
Email
