The Trump administration's military reorganization plan, aimed at shifting US power projection towards the Western Hemisphere, has sparked concerns about its implications for Africa. Under the new plan, several overseas combatant commands would be downsized or merged, with some experts warning that this move would only exacerbate existing problems in the region.
Critics argue that the US military's failed counterterrorism efforts in Africa are a case study of how the "war on terror" approach leads to blowback and fails to address root causes. The number of fatalities linked to militant Islamist violence in Africa has skyrocketed, with some reports suggesting a 97,000% increase over the past two decades.
The US military's dismal record in Africa is well-documented, from failed secret wars to humanitarian disasters and human rights abuses by partner forces. The Africa Center for Strategic Studies estimates that there have been over 155,000 militant Islamist group-linked deaths on the continent since 2010.
A recent report by the Africa Center found that the Sahel region has seen a surge in violent extremist groups, with security deteriorating under military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The report also notes that US support for these governments has inadvertently contributed to the rise of extremism.
Experts warn that Trump's new war in Nigeria, aimed at targeting "ISIS Terrorist Scum," will likely repeat the same mistakes made 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."
The Trump administration's reorganization plan has also sparked concerns about the potential impact on Africa Command (AFRICOM). With several combatant commands being downsized or merged, AFRICOM's funding and resources could be severely reduced.
As the US shifts its focus towards the Western Hemisphere, experts caution that policymakers must learn to engage with other nations as equals, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all military approach. The Intercept has warned that Trump's authoritarian takeover of the government poses a significant threat to democracy, and journalists like Ben Messig are fighting back to ensure the free press remains independent.
In light of these developments, it is essential for policymakers and citizens to recognize the warning signs of failed US counterterrorism efforts in Africa and to advocate for a more nuanced approach that prioritizes diplomacy over militarism.
Critics argue that the US military's failed counterterrorism efforts in Africa are a case study of how the "war on terror" approach leads to blowback and fails to address root causes. The number of fatalities linked to militant Islamist violence in Africa has skyrocketed, with some reports suggesting a 97,000% increase over the past two decades.
The US military's dismal record in Africa is well-documented, from failed secret wars to humanitarian disasters and human rights abuses by partner forces. The Africa Center for Strategic Studies estimates that there have been over 155,000 militant Islamist group-linked deaths on the continent since 2010.
A recent report by the Africa Center found that the Sahel region has seen a surge in violent extremist groups, with security deteriorating under military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The report also notes that US support for these governments has inadvertently contributed to the rise of extremism.
Experts warn that Trump's new war in Nigeria, aimed at targeting "ISIS Terrorist Scum," will likely repeat the same mistakes made 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."
The Trump administration's reorganization plan has also sparked concerns about the potential impact on Africa Command (AFRICOM). With several combatant commands being downsized or merged, AFRICOM's funding and resources could be severely reduced.
As the US shifts its focus towards the Western Hemisphere, experts caution that policymakers must learn to engage with other nations as equals, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all military approach. The Intercept has warned that Trump's authoritarian takeover of the government poses a significant threat to democracy, and journalists like Ben Messig are fighting back to ensure the free press remains independent.
In light of these developments, it is essential for policymakers and citizens to recognize the warning signs of failed US counterterrorism efforts in Africa and to advocate for a more nuanced approach that prioritizes diplomacy over militarism.
Newsflash: the US has been trying to tackle militant extremism in Africa for years and it's only gotten worse! 
The numbers are insane - 97,000% increase in fatalities over the past two decades. It's like they're throwing good money after bad. 
We need a more strategic approach that involves diplomacy, not just guns and bombs. I mean, what even is the point of downplaying AFRICOM? They'll just be handing over more power to those military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. 
It's like we're repeating the same mistakes all over again. We gotta think about the long game here, not just the next election cycle. Can't Trump just learn from their own failures? 
if trump's plan goes thru africa is gonna be like the war on terror all over again lol what's good with a 97k% increase in militant violence tho? idk but like let's not forget nigerians and burkinis aren't just collateral damage in some imperialist game 
we need a more holistic approach here, like stephanie savell said, wars don't work 
it's all about understanding the root causes of terrorism...not just blowing stuff up 
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. We need a more nuanced approach, not just more of the same old militarism 
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. We need to engage with them as equals, not just use our military might to try and bully them into compliance 
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i was watching tv last night and they said there's gonna be more fighting in africa and stuff... but like what does it even mean? 
is it true that the us military failed in africa? like, why did they fail? 
i don't get how wars work anyway... is it like a big video game where you just shoot people until they stop shooting back? 
lol sorry but seriously though, i feel bad for the people who are getting hurt... 
Maybe instead of sending more troops, we should be talking to these countries like equals and finding out what's really going on 
. The US military's failed counterterrorism efforts in Africa are a major problem, and I don't think downscaling AFRICOM is gonna solve it 
. We need to get real about what works and what doesn't, instead of just throwing more money at the problem 
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. We all know how the "war on terror" has been going, right? 
It's like the old saying goes - "you can't kill what you don't understand" 
. Maybe we should be talking about how to better understand and address the root causes of extremism instead of just fighting it with more troops 
. But we can't give up hope! We need to keep pushing for diplomacy and finding solutions that work for everyone 
. Let's focus on building bridges instead of just throwing more bombs 
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and now trump wants to send more troops to nigeria? are we kidding ourselves?? 
what's the point of all this militarism when it's just gonna lead to blowback and more extremism?!?! 
. It's like they think a stronger military will magically solve the problem, but we all know that doesn't work 
Africa's already dealing with some major security issues and now they're threatening to cut back on AFRICOM? That just seems like more of the same problems they've been having in the region 
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. 155,000+ militant deaths since 2010 and you'd think that'd at least slow down some of these extremist groups, but apparently not 
... maybe it's time for the US to learn how to engage with other nations as equals rather than relying on brute force 
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. It's like, they're already failing in Africa and now they want to try again? The number of fatalities linked to militant violence is insane, like 97,000% increase over two decades! 
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They failed miserably, with a 97,000% increase in militant Islamist violence over the past two decades 
. And now they're gonna try this new "war" in Nigeria? 
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. With all these combatant commands being downsized or merged, that thing is gonna be in trouble 
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️. This reorganization plan is a recipe for disaster 
. Let's advocate for a more diplomatic approach and not just rely on military might 
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It's like, just let your immune system do its thing, right? And with the Trump admin's new plan, it's like they're trying to treat the symptoms instead of the root cause. 97,000% increase in militant violence? That's like a virus that just won't quit! 
Maybe we should try some diplomacy and see if we can get those extremist groups to take their meds... or at least sit down for a calm conversation. 