By Mark Karlin
Truthout | Interview - Tuesday, 02 June 2015
The
reach of the US military has expanded into nearly every corner of the
world, but it is Africa that US officers describe behind closed doors as
"the battlefield of tomorrow, today." In his essential new book, Nick
Turse tenaciously details the growth of the Pentagon's secretive mission
in Africa and the resulting harmful impact on the continent, its
countries and its people. Order your copy of Tomorrow's Battlefield now by making a donation to Truthout!
Since before the heinous ravaging of Africa as a source of human
beings denied their humanity, lives and freedom as chattel in the slave
trade, the continent has been brutally exploited by European colonial
(and later US) powers. Now, the continent is targeted by developing
nations as a rich source of natural resources and for its coveted
geopolitical military positioning. Researcher and author Nick Turse,
managing editor of TomDispatch.com, offers a sobering, thorough account of the extension of the US military mission in Africa, known as Africom.
Mark Karlin: What is Africom and how does it fit in with the structure of the US military presence around the world?
Nick Turse: In 2008, US Africa Command or Africom
became the newest of the Department of Defense's six geographic
combatant commands with a responsibility for all military missions in
Africa (aside from those in Egypt, which fall under the purview of
Central Command or Centcom). After 9/11, the US military began to focus
increased attention on Africa, ramping up counterterrorism operations,
proxy interventions and the training of local allies while constructing
an increasing number of outposts from which to launch missions.
READ MORE.....
No comments:
Post a Comment