DOD Has Been ‘At War’ in Africa on the Sly For Years

[Richard]

The more things change...

If you want to know what US forces are doing in Africa, it helps to be connected to a large engineering or construction firm looking for business.

http://www.thenation.com/article/179...rica-sly-years

And so it goes...

Richard

[Guy]

LINK....

[MtnGoat]

Sorry call the USA on being secretive, why do they report on Chinese expansion in Africa. Also French are everywhere in Africa, even when they have never left after "de-colonization." Look at how brutal the French were during their colonization periods and how brutal they are even currently.

Other thing, my experience, DoS and USAID do not like to go outside the Capitol and a controlled areas. So the US military are the only ones that will go out there and expand and they are the only ones doing it. Hate using this term, but SOF IS only type of people within the US military are able to go outside of the Capitols. We are better able to operate and be self-sufficient in the austere rural environments. This article is a joke and political push.

[mark46th]

"Look at how brutal the French were during their colonization periods and how brutal they are even currently." MtnGoat

Look who they are dealing with.

[MtnGoat]

Originally Posted by mark46th

"Look at how brutal the French were during their colonization periods and how brutal they are even currently." MtnGoat

Look who they are dealing with.

Why you think it's because they're black or African?

I look at France as having tended to rule directly and brutatlity was part of that. I get my thoughts more from Wretched of the Earth, nice criitique on that, the non-French French citizens never really fit in metrople France and the French french in the colonies remained in charge.

France has been and still is rutheless in its pursuit of its interests in post-colonial Francophone africa. Heck look how they helped arm the former genocidal Rwandan government; provided direct military supprt during the war; and got the old government out.

I also feel that the French did piss on their African colonies, just look at the differences between Africa and Polynesian islands and everything that way. Big difference in the African to their Eastern colonies. Also the closeness of Africa to the mainland, which also drove the way they conducted activities of colonization in Africa. The most of the Army was within arms reach. Where in the Eastern colonies, the Polynesian and Asian ones. They did not have their military right there, so they have to be more willing to as we "Say Win hearts and minds."

This is why I said that, look at the differences between French and the British countries are now too.

[mark46th]

It is not because they are black. I think the people of Sub-Saharan Africa are still not able to cope with the modern world and a modern government. Tribal rivalries are still the first order of business. The Hutu and the Tutsi come to mind. The governments that are elected are corrupt, stealing the aid provided from the West and selling it or giving distributional preference to their own tribal areas. Of course, rivals see this, start a revolution which turns into tribal warfare which in-turn realeases savagery on the civilian populations with women and children suffering the worst.

[MtnGoat]

Yes the Africans need to step up and take control for themselves. Yet it is hard due to their up bringing and the facts you pointed out. Win or lose, Africa have to do it.

[18C4V]

That's old news. We've (NG and 19th) been doing JCET's and SPP for some time over there.

Some of the state NG have two countries. CA has one EUCOM and one AFRICOM country.

[Guy]

Originally Posted by MtnGoat

Yes the Africans need to step up and take control for themselves. Yet it is hard due to their up bringing and the facts you pointed out. Win or lose, Africa have to do it.

What "utopian" society are you referring to in Africa?

Hell! The USA thought that with backing Mandela and what do they have now?

[Pete]

I thought we were charting new ground in the 70's - until I found out "we" were there in the early 60's.

[Guy]

Originally Posted by Pete

I thought we were charting new ground in the 70's - until I found out "we" were there in the early 60's.

Technology did not exist back then however, human interaction plays an important part when dealing with XYZ....

[MtnGoat]

Originally Posted by Guy

What "utopian" society are you referring to in Africa?

Hell! The USA thought that with backing Mandela and what do they have now?

Well not like we can do it

[Guy]

Originally Posted by MtnGoat

Well not like we can do it

Think FID!

[MtnGoat]

Originally Posted by Guy

Think FID!

Yeah just like Pete said, we been on that continent since the 60's. I get what you're saying. But FID works so well for economical stability and development. Same can be said about FID in AFG, that's working out well.

I feel it's a lot more than beans and bullets. As with anything we need a Strategic plan, our COCOMs do that so well. TSCP are so well thought out by the COMCOMs and units. It's a lot more than just sending guys in to conduct FID IMHO.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Guy

Technology did not exist back then however, human interaction plays an important part when dealing with XYZ....

Dang, at that time I thought our gear was "SO HIGH SPEED".

Bad Bob made a commo shot from the Ewaso Nero River all the way back to the BOP at Ft Bragg - a couple of times one trip. I think that stands as a record for a man pack HF radio system used in the field. We called his antenna set up "The Elephant Trap". Did have a herd of Wildebeests run through it one day right before the scheduled contact - didn't make commo that day.

Year later and we had SatCom. Tooling through the desert of Sudan at night in the back of a Land Rover. Get handed an antenna and told "Keep it pointed at that star." Bad Bob keys the Mic and carries on a conversation with some dude in Florida who's POed we're talking on his channel. Dude wanted our CO - Short Davis to call him on a land line. Yeah, right, like that is going to happen anytime soon.