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Sunday, July 29th, 2018

U.S. Secret Wars in Africa Rage On, Despite Talk of Downsizing

Author:     Nick Turse
Source:     The Interecept
Publication Date:     July 26 2018, 10:15 a.m.
 Link: U.S. Secret Wars in Africa Rage On, Despite Talk of Downsizing
Stephan:   Did you know that the United States is involved in at least eight wars on the Africa continent and that, as this article lays out, "more U.S. commandos are deployed to Africa than to any other region of the world except the Middle East." What! You didn't know that? Don't be surprised almost no one in America does. The media rarely mentions them. I wouldn't even bet that Trump knows about them. But they affect the lives of millions of Africans and are very profitable for the military-intelligence-industrial complex.  Since the late 80s, one of America's principal international activities has been destroying developing world societies to try and shape them into what we want. Unfortunately, it rarely ends well. Look at Iraq, Libya,  and Afghanistan.

An American Special Forces soldier trains Nigerien troops during an exercise on the Air Base 201 compound, in Agadez, Niger, on April 14, 2018.
Credit: The Intercept

Last October four U.S. soldiers – including two commandos – were killed in an ambush in Niger. Since then, talk of U.S. special operations in Africa has centered on missions being curtailed and troop levels cut.

Press accounts have suggested that the number of special operators on the front lines has been reduced, with the head of U.S. Special Operations forces in Africa directing his troops to take fewer risks. At the same time, a “sweeping Pentagon review” of special ops missions on the continent may result in drastic cuts in the number of commandos operating there. U.S. Africa Command has apparently been asked to consider the impact on counterterrorism operations of cutting the number of Green Berets, Navy SEALs, and other commandos by 25 percent over 18 months and 50 percent over three years.

Analysts have already stepped forward to question or criticize the proposed cuts. “Anybody […]

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