The US military's failed efforts in Africa are now being reorganized to focus on power projection in the Western Hemisphere. The new National Security Strategy, released last month, emphasizes the need for a more assertive American presence in the region. However, experts warn that this shift in strategy is likely to lead to more of the same failures and setbacks that have plagued US military interventions in Africa.
The Trump administration's plan to reorganize the US military includes downgrading several overseas combatant commands and curtailing the power of their commanders. The revised Unified Command Plan would merge Northern and Southern Commands into a single American Command, or AMERICOM, and combine European, Central, and African Commands into a single International Command.
The US has a dismal record in Africa, with numerous failed counterterrorism efforts and humanitarian disasters. The number of troops, programs, operations, exercises, bases, and low-profile Special Operations missions in Africa have increased exponentially since 9/11, but terrorism has taken firmer root and spread across the continent. In fact, the Pentagon estimates that over 155,000 militant Islamist group-linked deaths occurred in Africa over the past decade.
The US military's efforts in Africa have been plagued by blowback, destabilizing blowback, and humanitarian disasters. The number of fatalities from attacks by militant Islamists has increased exponentially, with Somalia experiencing more than 49,000 militant Islamist-related fatalities over the past decade.
Experts warn that reconfiguring America's military posture and swapping interventions in Africa for those in the Western Hemisphere is likely to result in the same types of setbacks, stalemates, and failures. Erik Sperling, executive director of Just Foreign Policy, said that US policy on both continents will continue to fail unless policymakers learn to engage with other nations with genuine respect and as equals, rather than as problems to be managed by force.
The US military's record in Africa is a warning sign for its efforts in the Western Hemisphere. The Trump administration's plan to reorganize the military into a more assertive presence may lead to more of the same failures and setbacks that have plagued US military interventions in Africa. As Stephanie Savell, director of Brown University's Costs of War Project, noted, "A war paradigm does not provide an effective solution to the problem of terror attacks. It leads to blowback and fails to address any of the root causes, including poverty."
The Trump administration's plan to reorganize the US military includes downgrading several overseas combatant commands and curtailing the power of their commanders. The revised Unified Command Plan would merge Northern and Southern Commands into a single American Command, or AMERICOM, and combine European, Central, and African Commands into a single International Command.
The US has a dismal record in Africa, with numerous failed counterterrorism efforts and humanitarian disasters. The number of troops, programs, operations, exercises, bases, and low-profile Special Operations missions in Africa have increased exponentially since 9/11, but terrorism has taken firmer root and spread across the continent. In fact, the Pentagon estimates that over 155,000 militant Islamist group-linked deaths occurred in Africa over the past decade.
The US military's efforts in Africa have been plagued by blowback, destabilizing blowback, and humanitarian disasters. The number of fatalities from attacks by militant Islamists has increased exponentially, with Somalia experiencing more than 49,000 militant Islamist-related fatalities over the past decade.
Experts warn that reconfiguring America's military posture and swapping interventions in Africa for those in the Western Hemisphere is likely to result in the same types of setbacks, stalemates, and failures. Erik Sperling, executive director of Just Foreign Policy, said that US policy on both continents will continue to fail unless policymakers learn to engage with other nations with genuine respect and as equals, rather than as problems to be managed by force.
The US military's record in Africa is a warning sign for its efforts in the Western Hemisphere. The Trump administration's plan to reorganize the military into a more assertive presence may lead to more of the same failures and setbacks that have plagued US military interventions in Africa. As Stephanie Savell, director of Brown University's Costs of War Project, noted, "A war paradigm does not provide an effective solution to the problem of terror attacks. It leads to blowback and fails to address any of the root causes, including poverty."
US military in Africa needs a reboot 
. Trump admin's plan seems like more of same 
. Blowback & humanitarian disasters 
is what happens when you go in blindfolded 
. Expert says respect & equals 
, not problem-solving with force 
. US record in Africa = warning sign for Western Hemisphere 
. Need to rethink approach 
.
. They've had some major setbacks over there, like in Somalia, where they're facing way too many militant deaths 
. I get it, counterterrorism is hard, but do we really need to just swap one mess for another? 
The Trump admin's plan seems to be more about assertive presence than actually listening to other nations and trying to solve problems through diplomacy 
. We've been in Africa since 9/11 and what have we got to show for it? More terror, more dead civilians... does the US military really think they can just "reorganize" their way out of this mess? 
. And now, they're shifting their focus to the Western Hemisphere? I'm not convinced this is going to be a game-changer. We need to think about what's really causing these problems, not just throw more troops and resources at it 
. It sounds like Erik Sperling is spot on when he says we need to engage with other nations as equals, rather than trying to manage them through force 
. Let's hope policymakers listen to this warning before things go south again 
I mean, their record in Africa is already pretty sketchy 
And now they wanna do more of the same in the Americas? 
Not convinced this new strategy will yield better results... 
. This whole "winning hearts and minds" thing has been overhyped, if you ask me 
... we need to take a more nuanced approach that actually tackles poverty and inequality. The stats on blowback are terrifying – it's time for the US to own up to its mistakes and try something new 
The Western Hemisphere is no different, we'll just see more of the same issues arise 
I'm not buying the "genuine respect" and "equals" talk from experts like Erik Sperling... it sounds like just another excuse for imperialism. 
. The fact that experts are saying the same problems will repeat themselves is just, well, predictable 
I'm all for a stronger US presence in Africa but let's get some real solutions for once 
. Like, we all remember how poorly they handled things in Africa... what makes them think they'll do better this time around? 
I'm not buying it when they say the new strategy is gonna be more assertive and effective. It just seems like another example of US imperialism gone wrong 
.
. Maybe they should be focusing on finding solutions to poverty and stuff instead of just waging wars 
. We need policymakers to learn from Africa's mistakes and engage with other nations as equals, not just use force to manage problems 
The arms industry, I guess. But seriously, can't we do better than just throwing more resources at the problem without thinking about the consequences?
. Now they're just gonna shift the focus to the Western Hemisphere and hope for the best? 
It's like they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" 
... it's like they're playing a game of military whack-a-mole 
. I'm all for trying to make America great again, but this plan just seems like a bunch of hooey 
.
️. I think experts are right, if policymakers don't start engaging with other nations as equals, not just trying to force their will on them, things are gonna keep going downhill