Africom Stands Up 2006-2017

[John T. Fishel]

Guys, the Africa Center for Security Studies (located on the NDU campus) has been in existence for several years. Its first Director was General Fullford USMC (ret.) and its Dean is African by birth with a PhD. The French participate in a way that is somewhat similar to the Marshall Center for the Germans. ACSS is one of the 5 DOD Regional Centers. Although most of its students are military, there are alos a number of civilians. ACSS, like the other centers, specializes in 2 - 3 week executive courses. Unlike the other centers, most of its work has been done in region (Africa). NESA and CHDS - also located at NDU - hold more of their courses on campus but also run programs in region.

to the best of my knowledge, ACSS has been well-received by the Africans.

Cheers

JohnT

[Tom Odom]

Guys, the Africa Center for Security Studies (located on the NDU campus) has been in existence for several years. Its first Director was General Fullford USMC (ret.) and its Dean is African by birth with a PhD. The French participate in a way that is somewhat similar to the Marshall Center for the Germans. ACSS is one of the 5 DOD Regional Centers. Although most of its students are military, there are alos a number of civilians. ACSS, like the other centers, specializes in 2 - 3 week executive courses. Unlike the other centers, most of its work has been done in region (Africa). NESA and CHDS - also located at NDU - hold more of their courses on campus but also run programs in region.

to the best of my knowledge, ACSS has been well-received by the Africans.

Cheers

JohnT

John,

I am aware of the school but I differentiate between it and say CGSC/ILE or a career course where the foreign student goes to become one of a larger international body--or a hard skill warfighting course at Benning. I am guessing that COL Killibrew had the same in mind when he wrote the article we are discussing.

In that regard, I still favor the immersion of the exchange student versus the regionalization of education. In the case of the African branch so far from what I have garnered its objectives and its agenda have been limited and to my mind very much colored by its evolution as an extension of the Marshall Center--to wit the first thing we need to do for African militaries to build their capabilities for peacekeeping is to teach them MDMP.

Tom

[Tom Odom]

Chicago Tribune reporting on AFRICOM and HOA. Not a bad piece but if you won a Pultizer for reporting on the Congo in 2000, I would hope for a better grasp of US efforts on the continent since the 1950s. Then again this is entertainment.

War on terror's hidden front
U.S. military quietly trying to wage peace in Africa
By Paul Salopek | Tribune correspondent

IN THE AFAR TRIANGLE, Djibouti - The desert is a war.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Cynthia Ramirez roared through it in an unmarked Land Cruiser, projecting the awesome might of the U.S. military into a wasteland little seen, much less penetrated, by outsiders. The landscape was like a slap—an eye-stinging waste of salt pans and glass-blue mountains that was still inhabited by Muslim warrior-nomads, the Afar, tough customers who long ago had swapped their traditional spears for Kalashnikovs.

Behind Ramirez, in an expanding cone of dust, bucked three more Toyotas, an Army truck loaded with corrugated metal sheeting, and 14 armed, sweating American soldiers and sailors. Their improbable objective: reroof a school at a fly-speck nomad camp called Lahossa.

...Vast, unstable, beautiful and poor, Africa was never supposed to present a threat to the United States. The last time the U.S. military paid any serious attention to the continent was two decades ago, during the Cold War, when American weaponry and advisers stoked proxy battles there against the Soviet Union.

[Stan]

Not a bad article although I certainly expected more. I do however like the continued use of Ramirez.

Sorry, a relatively naive view on Africa and just how much we have done on the dark continent. Salopek has established just how much cash we need to prop up Africa, once and for all. Now all we need to do is figure out where that cash is. Congrats, you are light years ahead of the world's top thinkers

... Her men, meanwhile, stewed in their vehicles, debating the differences between Kmart and Wal-Mart.

A 15-year Army veteran, Ramirez was the closest thing the U.S. had to a hardened campaigner in the mold of the colonial troops that Europe once fielded across the world a century ago.

[davidbfpo]

An article that comments on many aspects of US policy in Africa, especially AFRICOM's support for Ugandab action against the Lord's Resistance Army (so will copy in that thread too): http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/stevecoll/

davidbfpo

[Stan]

Digital Congo commentary on AFRICOM's real agenda

The author puts a brief positive spin on AFRICOM training the FARDC, but concludes their real mission concentrates on the protection of American miners against "possible predators". Citing instability in the east and discipline of certain FARDC units and their leadership.

More at the link...

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to Randy Borum (SWC) member, a SSI paper 'Security and Stability in Africa: A Development Approach' and in summary:

The security and stability of Africa has recently become an important national issue readily seen in the increased time, effort, and resources now devoted to the continent by such new organizations as the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM). This paper seeks to overcome centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding about the conditions and people of Africa by discussing the fundamental issues of economic development and political governance through which enduring stability and security might be obtained. Written as a primer for military and government staff members who may be unfamiliar with Africa but are assigned duties that involve participation in African affairs, this paper explains the historic and modern importance of Africa to American national interests. This report offers solutions in terms of improving African stability and security and a framework of several key issues which should give policymakers the knowledge they need to work in a constantly changing and very challenging environment.

Web link: http://globalcrim.blogspot.com/2010/...ecure-and.html