General African Defense discussion

[Eeshaan]

Australian SASR are operating in Africa.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-forces-gathering-intelligence-in-Africa.html

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/03/australian-commandos-operating-in-kenya/

Interesting to see that Australia has involved itself against the fight against extremists in Africa. Hopefully it will help bring some measure of stability to this troubled region.


In other news, most of us are aware of this Kony 2012 campaign going on ( started by an NGO that supports a corrupt government against a warlord who is no longer in power or holds any influence in Uganda ), it seems like the government will be taking action :

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57396592-503544/joseph-kony-resolution-introduced-in-house/

I don't want to offend anyone by giving my political views on this NGO and the whole Kony movement, but it seems like US military presence and influence are set to increase in Africa in the near future. How it militarily benefits operations against Al-Quaeda cells and extremism/tyranny in the region is yet to be seen.

 

[Eeshaan]

Foreign Office advises Britons to leave Mali as rebels capture main northern town of Gao - Telegraph

Things are heating up in Mali. Rebels are attacking and capturing key cities, including Timbuktu, while the new leaders after the coup have re-established the constitution.

 

[Dodger67]

Meanwhile in the background, the Pentagon's Africa Command (AFRICOM) is gaining acceptance through involvement in joint training and capacity building activities with a wide variety of countries - http://www.defenceweb.co.za/?search...view=search&Itemid=99999999&option=com_search

This is a reversal of the "epic fail" of their initial launch, when they were basically condemned by most African countries as an instrument of American "neo-colonialism" - The People of Africa Reject AFRICOM - A U.S. Bid for Military Dominance (Updated) | Africa |Axisoflogic.com

 

[My2Cents]

You need to evaluate the bias of your sources.

• Axis of Logic is extremely, almost violently, anti US and NATO, heavily into conspiracy theories, and can be relied upon to put the worst possible spin on the subject.
• Defense Web is virtually a military mouthpiece.

 

[Dodger67]

The articles on DefenceWeb are reports of excercises and operations involving Africom that actually have happened - are you alleging that they make stuff up?
The events they reported on were also reported by other news sources. I cited it as a source merely for convenience - all the reports on one page - few other sources exist that cover African defence news so comprehensively.

I did not know that about Axis of Logic - however the rejection of Africom at their launch is well known and was widely reported in a range of mainstream reliable media. Many African governments and the AU made official statements about it at the time.

IMHO what the African countries initially rejected was the "style" of Africom's launch, rather than its "substance". Many cultures regard the loud, in your face "USA! USA! USA! Urrah!" American style of doing things to be arrogant and offensive.

The point of my post is that in spite of the initial rejection, Africom is making friends all over Africa.

 

[Eeshaan]

IMHO BBC and Al-Jazeera are good, non-biased news sources on Africa, in addition to the usual newspapers like New York Times, Daily Telegraph etc.

 

[Dodger67]

IMHO BBC and Al-Jazeera are good, non-biased news sources on Africa, in addition to the usual newspapers like New York Times, Daily Telegraph etc.

I'd definitely agree that those are reliable sources, but unfortunately the "general" media do not usually report on defence matters in the depth and detail that specialist publications do.
The general press are also notorious for making glaring errors when reporting on military technicalities - such as not knowing the differences between various types of warships (I'm sure we've all seen reports in general newspapers where they referred to frigates as "battleships") or they call any armoured vehicle a "tank".
This is where specialist sources such as Jane's and Defenceweb are much better.

Global heavyweights such as BBC, AlJazeera, CNN, etc also tend to not cover Africa as well as other regions. Local African media sources often do a better job.

 

[My2Cents]

The articles on DefenceWeb are reports of excercises and operations involving Africom that actually have happened - are you alleging that they make stuff up?
The events they reported on were also reported by other news sources. I cited it as a source merely for convenience - all the reports on one page - few other sources exist that cover African defence news so comprehensively.

Correct, but the reports are nearly verbatim copies of the handouts from various public affairs officers. This does not mean there is anything inherently false in any of the reports, just the normal tendency of any of any organization to play up their successes and downplay their less than successful results.

OK let’s compare reports from 2008:
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.p...&id=431&catid=49:National Security&Itemid=115
About 5 paragraphs from the bottom is the only reference to the rejection that I found in 2008.

Whalen says Liberia has publicly offered to host some part of the command. But in congressional testimony, she has said there are no plans to establish large, permanent military bases in Africa. Several other countries, including SA, have publicly rejected hosting Africom.

Ho, hum … Nothing to see here, move along.

Now let’s contrast it with Axis of Logic article at The People of Africa Reject AFRICOM - A U.S. Bid for Military Dominance (Updated) | Africa |Axisoflogic.com, about half way through the article/diatribe. (red items are my emphasis)

Behind AFRICOM

AFRICOM's spokesman, Ryan Henry, is the leader of the U.S. delegation to Africa to sell AFRICOM to Africa. He is the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy. Of AFRICOM's mission he stated that "the main mission for the command would be to stabilize weak or poor countries by training local security forces and doling out humanitarian aid." After meeting with Morroccan officials, Henry stated, "It's mostly a headquarters and planning focus. AFRICOM doesn't mean that there would be additional U.S. forces put on the continent." The Washington Post adds, "Defense officials acknowledge that one reason they are paying more attention to Africa is because the continent provides an increasingly large share of the United States' supply of imported oil and natural gas."

In 2001, the U.S. created the "perfect war" for military domination anywhere in the world - the war that knows no temporal or geographic boundaries - the "war on terrorism". It assumes the right to attack with bombs, missiles, troops, economic sanctions or covert operations - anywhere it can dig up a "terrorist". In the last few weeks it uncovered a spurious "terrorist cell" to justify putting U.S. military in the nation of Guyana. The corporate media ramped up fear of a terrorist plan to blow up Kennedy Airport - providing support for this insertion of U.S. military in this sovereign nation on Venezuela's northeast border. In the case of AFRICOM, according to the Washington Post, the U.S. government has "touted the new command as a key part of their strategy for countering terrorism threats on the continent". The Post continues, "Al-Qaida-affiliated groups have experienced a resurgence in North and East Africa in recent years."

The People's Resistance

As in Latin America, the resistance to U.S. agression in Africa is first and foremost coming from "the people" - and not the regimes under which they live. Rachid Tlemcani is a professor of political science at the University of Algiers and also a scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (a Washington-based organization that also supports the wealthy, minority opposition in Venezuela). He indicated that the rejection of AFRICOM "was a reflection of public opposition to U.S. policies in the predominantly Muslim region". Tlemcani stated,

"People on the street assume their governments have already had too many dealings with the U.S. in the war on terror at the expense of the rule of law ... The regimes realize the whole idea is very unpopular."​

The peoples of North Africa are students of history and their parents didn't rear fools, regardless of the racial stereotypes cultivated by western propaganda. They have learned from other U.S. occupations and regional dominations of the world including Latin America and the Middle East. The beast's smile has turned to a grin and baring its fangs in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine, it is bleeding itself dry, both economically and militarily. Revealing its true nature, it has underestimated the intelligence of "the people" and opened the door for formidable world-wide rejection and even military resistance. One of the U.S. government's mouthpieces, the Washington Post, opens it's news report of Northern Africa's rejection of AFRICOM with the following line: "Nations in mostly Muslim region are reluctant to host military command". So according to the Post, the U.S. plan is rejected by Algerian and Lybian "Muslims" - not the peoples of North Africa. But the WP article also laments,

"Morocco, which has been mentioned as a possible site for the new command and is one of the strongest U.S. allies in the region, didn't roll out the welcome mat, either."​

You bet the 4th World War is being played out, fought out in these post 9/11 years. It is a war between those in control of governments and the people who are realizing their own power. As responsible citizens of the United States we must do everything in our power to stop our government's international aggressions, not only for the sake of those being exploited and dominated in foreign lands, but also for the survival of our own civil rights, our economy and ironically for the survival of our own national sovereignty.

[sarc]Slightly[/sarc] slanted the other way, wouldn’t you say?

Then there is this little sidebar in the middle of it.

It is also interesting to note that Israel also has a "Southern Command" which it imposes on the Negev (6,700 sq miles, 13,000 sq kilometers), Arabah (103 square miles, 166 sq km) and Eilat, rich in marine resources and favored tourist site on the Red Sea - all in the name of "security" in ravaged Palestine.

I cannot see any relevance to the article, unless it is supposed to link ARICOM to the Vast Jewish Conspiracy somehow.

I did not know that about Axis of Logic - however the rejection of Africom at their launch is well known and was widely reported in a range of mainstream reliable media. Many African governments and the AU made official statements about it at the time.

Sure, but the only news source they reference directly is the Washington Post, and that … well see above.

IMHO what the African countries initially rejected was the "style" of Africom's launch, rather than its "substance". Many cultures regard the loud, in your face "USA! USA! USA! Urrah!" American style of doing things arrogant and offensive.

The point of my post is that in spite of the initial rejection, Africom is making friends all over Africa.

The thing is by selecting these 2 sources you make it look like some vast change has taken place. But from the tone of DefenseWeb articles it is no big thing, just being neighborly. While AxisOfLogic refuses to recognize the good deeds and changes in attitude at all, because AxisOfLogic is sure that they are just a cover for the US (and the Jew’s) evil plans.

p.s. If you want a real change in attitude, look at Indonesia since the last tidal wave.

 

[Dodger67]

I have already conceded that Axis of Logic was a poorly chosen cite to illustrate the point I was making. Yes they are rabidly anti-American. However it is a well established fact that the general response from most African governments to the initial launch of Africom was basically of the "Yankee go home!" variety.

That you see the reports on DefenceWeb about Africom's positive constructive engagement with many African countries as "...no big thing, just being neighborly" is exactly the point I tried to make - The initial noisy launch of Africom and its rejection by Africa has calmed down to a fairly comfortable "business as usual" co-operative relationship.
That is why I commented that perhaps it was the style of the launch of Africom that offended African governments, rather than the substance.

I hope we are now done with this part of the topic as I don't see any significant disagreement about substance between us.

 

[Dodger67]

Resource wars in Africa

I found an article that I hope some here might find interesting.

In hot pursuit: Resource wars in Africa

 

[Adam Neira]

The whole continent needs development. Africa has enormous potential. The USA and other nations can assist with the process.

 

[Eeshaan]

The situation in Mali is getting even more unstable. And unstable environments such as this are the perfect safe haven for rogue elements like terrorist organizations etc.

BBC News - Swiss woman abducted by gunmen in northern Mali

A Swiss woman has been abducted in the rebel-held northern Malian city of Timbuktu, officials and residents said.

The woman, a Christian in her 40s called Beatrice, was kidnapped from her house by armed men, residents said.

Most foreigners fled Timbuktu after Tuareg and Islamist rebels seized the town early this month in the aftermath of a military coup.

The kidnap comes amid concern the area could offer a safe haven to an al-Qaeda branch which operates in the country.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the network's North African wing, has links to the Islamist rebels. The group is already holding 13 Westerners.

"Beatrice, a Swiss national, was abducted this Sunday at Timbuktu by armed men," local official Mohamed Ould Hassen told AFP.

One resident of the town told the news agency that they saw six armed men take the woman.

"They shouted 'Allah Akbar' [God is great]," the resident added.

 

[Eeshaan]

BBC News - Nigeria's Bayero university in Kano hit by blast

Nigerian university in Kano has been hit by a major attack. Gunfire and explosions have been reported. Casualties unknown as of now.

 

[Dodger67]

First draft of South African Defence Review 2012 released

For interested folks here is a downloadable PDF - http://www.sadefencereview2012.org/publications/Defence Review~Draft 005A~Print Version.pdf

 

[Dodger67]

US reports progress against LRA

Military advisers deployed by the United States in several African countries to help counter Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have "established a good foundation and made initial progress", according to Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Amanda Dory. President Barack Obama announced in October 2011 that around 100 special forces personnel would be deployed to help track down the LRA, which was originally a Ugandan rebel group but has spent recent years preying on remote communities in the Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan

[first posted to Jane's Defence Weekly - Your first line of defence - 27 April 2012]

 

[Dodger67]

ECOWAS announces military intervention in Mali and Guinea Bissau

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced it would deploy military forces to both Mali and Guinea Bissau after the leaders of the 15-member regional bloc met on 26 April. In a statement, ECOWAS said its Standby Force would deploy "with immediate effect" to "assist Mali in regaining its unity and territorial integrity," a reference to the Tuareg separatists who have declared independence in the north of the country

[first posted to Jane's Defence Weekly - Your first line of defence - 27 April 2012]

 

[Eeshaan]

Military advisers deployed by the United States in several African countries to help counter Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have "established a good foundation and made initial progress", according to Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Amanda Dory. President Barack Obama announced in October 2011 that around 100 special forces personnel would be deployed to help track down the LRA, which was originally a Ugandan rebel group but has spent recent years preying on remote communities in the Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan

[first posted to Jane's Defence Weekly - Your first line of defence - 27 April 2012]

Wasn't the whole Kony movement just a big scam generated via a viral video by an NGO who is actually supporting the equally corrupt and brutal regime in Sudan ?

This whole thing smells very fishy. The NGO itself is one with a very shady track record, and hasn't Kony himself been completely out of the picture ( one could say that he's retired ) for quite some time now ?

 

[Dodger67]

Wasn't the whole Kony movement just a big scam generated via a viral video by an NGO who is actually supporting the equally corrupt and brutal regime in Sudan ?

This whole thing smells very fishy. The NGO itself is one with a very shady track record, and hasn't Kony himself been completely out of the picture ( one could say that he's retired ) for quite some time now ?

The LRA is not a hoax or a scam, they are terrorists with a seriously evil track record - much like that of the late and unlamented "West Side Boys" of Sierra Leone.
I have no idea what NGO or video you are referring to.

 

[My2Cents]

I have no idea what NGO or video you are referring to.

The NGO is called “Invisible Children”. They created a film called ‘Kony 2012’ which has been criticized for exaggerating facts about the scale of the murders and child abductions. Invisible Children claims they are using the same numbers as Human Rights Watch and the UN which, based on past results, could probably constitutes proof that the numbers are exaggerated, but not that it is Invisible Children’s fault.

It is also claimed that the co-founder appears to have suffered a mental breakdown related to the criticism of the film, and was subsequently detained and hospitalized by the San Diego police.

 

[swerve]

For interested folks here is a downloadable PDF - http://www.sadefencereview2012.org/publications/Defence Review~Draft 005A~Print Version.pdf

Looks like a thorough analysis of South Africa's situation & the current weaknesses of its military forces. The organisational changes proposed seem sensible. Reinstatement of the traditional unit structure is a good idea.

The main issue is whether the forces will get enough money to meet the demands politicians place upon them. I presume the minister of defence backs this review - but how much clout does she have in the government?