Quote Originally Posted by Seabee View Post
I wonder what the French think about this... ;-)
Seabee,

I cannot properly comment on the French response to AFRICOM, although as the French have stepped back from an overt, national military role and now look inwards to the EU an African role may have slipped out of the political "limelight". The debacle in Ivory Coast I understand was a particular shock to the expatriate presence across Africa. Note in the Ivory Coast peacekeeping was shared with a UN force.

The UK too has a low profile in Africa, with really only one military base left in Kenya, for exercises. We have stood aside from most UN / AU peacekeeping, Sierra Leone being the exception; although have contributed to security sector reform in a variety of places.

If the USA wants to play an active role with AFRICOM I suspect London is only too happy to see you learn, we might give advice but little of substance.

The crucial indicator for AFRICOM is the reaction of the African states and what recourse they make to its capabilities. Will AFRICOM participate, beyond logistics, in AU / UN peacekeeping? There are several key diplomatic players, not just Nigeria and South Africa; have any of them invited AFRICOM to overtly visit?