Commentary
By Scott A. Morgan
The sending of the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) which is a platform for Amphibious operations is indeed a crucial step in US foreign policy. The ship is being sent to the Gulf of Guniea region.
The region is a concern for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is the lifeblood of the Western Industrialized Powers, Oil. The other reason is the recent rise in instability in the region. Recent events in the Gambia are an example of the concerns that the US has in the region.
The planned deployment which will involve other agencies of the US government including the State Department and Homeland Security and even the Agency for International Development will show how the US reacts in a future crisis situation. Several European countries, among them Spain, Britian and Germany will also embark passengers as well in this deployment. During the seven month long planned deployment stops are planned in Senegal, Liberia, Cameroon, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe and Ghana.
The United States has not had Africa as a priority since the Days of the Cold War. Africa was a key battleground back then and the US shifted priorties after the fall of the Soviet Union. The failed humanitarian mission in Somalia in 1993 was an embarrasment to Washington and may have been a factor in the Rwanda Genocide. That led to a Presidential Directive (PDD-25) that demanded that any US support for a UN Peacekeeping Mission should have a clear mandate and strategy. Not until after the 9/11 attacks and the rise of radicalized islamic elements has the US strategists paid any focus at all to the situation in Africa.
The US has underway a large Counter-terrorism Program known as Operation Flintlock. This Program is assisting and underwriting counter terrorism efforts in financially struggling countries such as Niger and Mali.
Both Countries have had problems with Tuareg rebels who reportedly follow the leadership of Al-Qaida. Another location of insurgency is the Casamance Region. This region which encompasses Senegal, Gambia and Guniea-Bissau was the scene of fighting earlier this year. Recently some rebels from the region were charged with terrorism by a Gambian court.
reason for the USA making this effort does show a couple of things. First it shows that two driving forces of our foreign policy are access to sources of energy and the eradication of islamic extremism whereever it can be found.
Secondly this can be seen as an attempt to dissuade influence by China as both countries seek to show that they can be more of a benefit to Africa than the UN which has had several problems in Africa over the last decade. This is also a step in the process to assist African states in their own security needs as well.
In the past, the United States only dealt with Africa when it thought that its interests were in jeopardy. This included when it needed to offset the influence of the Soviet Union and/or other parties or ideologies as well.
After the events in 2001 the need for a proactive US Foreign Policy was echoed by many people. Several parties are looking at the AFRICOM structure as an example of the US peddling influence. Some have worked against the command ever coming online. So i wonder how this command will work out?
Photo; The USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43.
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