Africom Stands Up 2006-2017

[davidbfpo]

Stan,

Thank you for your wise words as an experienced African "old hand".

It does appear from this latest "puff" NYT article on the Kansas-based brigade that little has been learnt - from Mali - and sadly it appears the USA's only helping hand for Africa comes in a uniform with a gun and just maybe a drone.

The same article appears on SWJ Blog and has one comment by hitman483 (who I don't think is a SWC contributor) :

This has to be a joke. The military, specifically, the US Army is coming up with a Foreign Internal Defense (FID) strategy for the African continent. So we are going to mentor, train, and advise different countries National Security Forces in Africa on how to defeat insurgencies and terrorists attacks. OK, we couldn't beat the insurgencies in Iraq or Afghanistan and the Army is putting plans together for FID in Africa. LOL, I can't wait to see this. US Army conventional forces conducting Irregular Warfare training. This is a lose, lose all day long.

Department of State (DOS) should handle this. Because, it's the police that will be out in front. Once again, insurgencies and terrorists are criminals, not combatants. Organized narcotics gangs, and organized crime have the same makeup of terrorist and insurgent cells. The behavior is the same. It's a shame the military doesn't understand this.

The author is a former Embedded Police Mentor and former Law Enforcement Professional. Assigned to Special Operations Task Force South (SOTF South)from 2010-2012.

[Stan]

David,
I have not a clue what advance preparations have been accomplished to adequately prepare the brigade for Africa.

My first thought would be nothing (which is not as bad as it sounds). If I pump you up with all my experience and you get there and discover I'm but an old Africa hand beyond his time, then we have accomplished nothing. If however, I give you little to nothing other than some language and cultural advanced training (that's all I received in 84), we stand the chance that you (the individual soldier burned out 5 times on some desert missions) will hopefully think outside the box and figure out what's best. Hence the need for a PDSS.

The uniform and a gun is typical of non-Africa corps personnel that have in fact had too many tours in a combat zone. The PDSS will cover that high hurdle and preclude yet another SNAFU in Africa. A firearm in Africa is a joke and Africans are less likely to comprehend our goal and intent.

Seems hitman does not understand nor has he worked with embassies abroad.

A shame, because that is exactly where most of the US Military reside (blind to what really happens at an embassy and/or DOS).

Break - off to comment on hitman's post at the blog !

Stan,

Thank you for your wise words as an experienced African "old hand".

It does appear from this latest "puff" NYT article on the Kansas-based brigade that little has been learnt - from Mali - and sadly it appears the USA's only helping hand for Africa comes in a uniform with a gun and just maybe a drone.

The same article appears on SWJ Blog and has one comment by hitman483 (who I don't think is a SWC contributor) :

[KingJaja]

Stan,

The US gets played because the CT is weak and lacks what most former colonial powers have learned over the decades. We also get played because the offered assistance is politically driven. Something neither you nor I can control. We just get to run with it and try and fix it along the way. See Bill’s excellent post !

So what can the US do to avoid getting played? I look at Mali and I doubt the French would have been played like the US was played.

I cannot emphasise how important it is not to get played - Africa is now quasi-democratic; what this means is that virtually every government in Sub-Saharan Africa represents some sectional/ethnic interest, while the opposition to government represents entirely different sectional/ethnic interests.

The British & French know who is bull####ting & who isn't, because they created the mess in the first place. They have deep, first hand knowledge of each African nation and they (especially the French) are unlikely to tell the US everything they know.

In an increasingly connected, better-educated Africa (for example: 48 million Nigerians have access to the Internet), the US cannot afford to engage Africa as she did during the Cold War. It is a lot different and a lot more complicated.

[KingJaja]

The US Military should be used very sparingly in Africa. Given our history, the terms "US Military" and "CIA" ring alarm bells.

If a combination of police/FBI can do the job, why not use them? Why are you telling us "you are preparing a brigade for operations in Africa"? You want all the "Pan-Africanist intellectuals & journalists" (and they are quite a few of them) to blow off steam?

[Stan]

Exactly !

The Country Team also has a Legal Attache (FBI). In fact, the CT should be reviewing whether the Department of Justice is not the better choice as a training provider. Considering the problems with counterinsurgency, the FBI would be the better trainer.

The US Military should be used very sparingly in Africa. Given our history, the terms "US Military" and "CIA" ring alarm bells.

If a combination of police/FBI can do the job, why not use them? Why are you telling us "you are preparing a brigade for operations in Africa"? You want all the "Pan-Africanist intellectuals & journalists" (and they are quite a few of them) to blow off steam?

[KingJaja]

Our current administration does little to make the French feel welcome. That makes for some bad cocktail parties in Africa Our diplomatic corps -- some or all of the CT really need a course in diplomacy when working in Africa. I work with the foot soldiers and meet with Generals only when required. The US gets played thinking they are smarter than the Africans.... Bad mistake

US isn't going to go very far in Francophone Africa (that's most of the Sahel) if it doesn't work well with the French or develop a very solid understanding of that region.

[Stan]

Kingjaja,
Seems with the latest news of spying on French Diplomats, we may have set relations and cultural differences back another decade

[Stan]

Hey Kingjaja !

We are working with the French in Mali, but that is mostly international and humanitarian organizations. The US got played due in part to the Country Team and the input provided by the Host Country. I had very good relations with the French in Zaire, but I also spoke French and Lingala, so that bridged the gap in understanding. I also realized just how much the Zairois hated the French. That combination made for some interesting times !

Our current administration does little to make the French feel welcome. That makes for some bad cocktail parties in Africa Our diplomatic corps -- some or all of the CT really need a course in diplomacy when working in Africa. I work with the foot soldiers and meet with Generals only when required. The US gets played thinking they are smarter than the Africans.... Bad mistake.

Regards, Stan

Stan,

So what can the US do to avoid getting played? I look at Mali and I doubt the French would have been played like the US was played.

I cannot emphasise how important it is not to get played - Africa is now quasi-democratic; what this means is that virtually every government in Sub-Saharan Africa represents some sectional/ethnic interest, while the opposition to government represents entirely different sectional/ethnic interests.

The British & French know who is bull####ting & who isn't, because they created the mess in the first place. They have deep, first hand knowledge of each African nation and they (especially the French) are unlikely to tell the US everything they know.

In an increasingly connected, better-educated Africa (for example: 48 million Nigerians have access to the Internet), the US cannot afford to engage Africa as she did during the Cold War. It is a lot different and a lot more complicated.