http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-military-intervention-in-africa-the-east-african-response-force-a-creation-of-the-pentagon/5368284
US Military Intervention in Africa: The East African Response Force, A
Creation of the Pentagon
By Abayomi Azikiwe <
http://www.globalresearch.ca/author/abayomi-azikiwe>
Global Research, February 11, 2014
Pan-African News Wire and Global Research
*Growing instability in East and Central Africa will be the focus of
Washington's intervention*
*Over the last two months developments in Central and East Africa has
dominated the news coverage of the continent. The split within the ruling
Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLA), a close ally of Washington,
and the deployment of French and African troops in the Central African
Republic, has brought the escalation of Pentagon troops in these states.*
Recently the Department of Defense announced the formation of an East
African Response Force. This new unit is part of the United States Africa
Command (AFRICOM) which has been strengthened and enhanced under the
administration of President Barack Obama.
A recent drone attack in southern Somalia is representative of the growing
aggression of Washington in Africa. The government of Djibouti, a former
French colony where the U.S. has a military base with over 4,000 soldiers
at Camp Lemonnier, released a statement saying that such strikes are
"vital" in the so-called war on terrorism.
The drone strike was launched from the Pentagon military installations in
Djibouti. Prior to the creation of the East African Response Force
Washington operated in the region under the framework of the Combined Joint
Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA).
U.S. Brigadier-General Wayne Grigsby, who is the commander of CJTF-HOA,
says that his forces are in East Africa only to assist governments in their
military campaigns to defeat the so-called terrorist threat posed by
Al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based guerrilla organization which has fought the
Washington-backed regime in Mogadishu for the last six years.
"Our mission here is to enable our East African partners to actually
neutralize violent extremists throughout eastern Africa," Grigsby said. Yet
if this was the case then why would it be necessary to have such a
formidable military force in the Horn of Africa region that conducts
periodic bombings and commando raids in Somalia. (Shabelle Media Network,
Feb. 7)
However, Brigadier-General Grigsby does say that "It also enables strategic
access and freedom of movement. The purpose is to protect the United States
and its interests abroad."
Consequently, even the military leaders themselves must acknowledge that
the underlying reasons for the build-up in Africa are clearly related to
the economic and class interests of Washington and Wall Street. East and
Central Africa is a vast repository of oil, natural gas and strategic
minerals.
*The U.S. Role in South Sudan and the Central African Republic*
The East Africa Response Force has been utilized in the current conflict in
the Republic of South Sudan. A contingent of the unit was deployed to the
country to evacuate U.S. embassy personnel and to guard their economic
interests.
One of the most significant factors in the present outcome of the conflict
inside South Sudan has been the intervention of the Ugandan People's
Defense Force (UPDF) which sided with the government of President Salva
Kiir. The Ugandan government is a very close ally of the U.S. and its
military has benefited for years from Pentagon training programs and direct
assistance in the purchase of weapons.
On January 23 with the signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement
between the SPLM/A and the SPLM/A in Opposition, the faction represented by
ousted Vice-President Riek Machar, this document called for the withdrawal
of Ugandan troops from South Sudan. However, according to the dissident
SPLM/A in Opposition, the UPDF is carrying out aerial bombings and ground
operations in contested areas in Unity, Jonglei and Lakes states.
A helicopter gunner was reportedly shot down by the opposition forces in
Lakes state on February 7. In an article published by the Sudan Tribune it
states that "The military spokesperson for the rebels, Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai
Koang, said on Friday (Feb. 7) that the gunner was shot dead and fell off
the helicopter after serious damage was inflicted on one of the three
helicopter gunships that carried out the bombings."
This same article continued noting that "'Our air defense artillery opened
fire on the three warplanes seriously wounding one and killing the gunner,'
Koang said. The collected passport and ID of the dead gunner identified him
as Jona Abuduku Alfred, a Ugandan national with military ID No. 21883,
passport No. 11180 and a Lance Corporal in military rank. His hometown is
Mbale in Uganda and joined the Ugandan Air Force in 1997, the documents
obtained show."
With respect to events in the Central African Republic (CAR), the U.S. has
been assisting with the transport of French and African troops into the
country where the recent forced resignation of interim President Michel
Djotodia and the Seleka Coalition and his replacement by Catherine
Samba-Panza has not stabilized the political and security situation. At
present anti-Muslim mobs both within the CAR military and among Christian
militias known as the Anti-Balaka, have engaged in attacks on Islamic
communities where numerous people have been seriously injured and killed.
A spokesman for U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel was quoted by a
military publication as saying "Minister Le Drian requested ... airlift
support to enable African forces to deploy promptly to prevent the further
spread of sectarian violence in the Central African Republic," Pentagon
Assistant Press Secretary Carl Woog announced Dec. 9.
"The United States is joining the international community in this effort
because of our belief that immediate action is required to avert a
humanitarian and human rights catastrophe in the Central African Republic,
and because of our interest in peace and security in the region." (Stars
and Stripes, Jan. 22)
Yet the intervention of both France and the U.S. has only worsened the
conditions for people in the CAR. With the dislocation of tens of thousands
of Muslims who are fleeing out of the country to neighboring Chad,
divisions are becoming more pronounced based upon religious differences and
perceptions of political power.
The only solution being advocated as a next step in the process is the
deployment of more troops from the European Union (EU). The United Nations
Security Council has authorized the deployment of EU troops but there is no
evidence to suggest that this will stabilize the situation.
*Military Build-up Designed to Secure Influence and Resources*
The growing French, U.S. and EU military involvement in Africa is designed
to secure western imperialist dominance over the oil, diamonds, gold and
uranium that exist in abundance in both the CAR and South Sudan. These
western states are creating the conditions for the deterioration of the
societies involved, and consequently through their false propaganda about
humanitarian assistance, will only provide a further rationale for an even
heavier military occupation.
By framing the discussion about their intervention as being "humanitarian",
the imperialists are attempting as well to remove these issues from public
debate and scrutiny. During the State of the Union address in January,
President Obama only spoke about the impact of military policy from the
standpoint of supposedly honoring the sacrifices made by seriously injured
and disabled veterans.
No discussion or analysis of the impact and effectiveness of U.S.
interventions in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia is conducted.
Nonetheless, these military invasions and occupations are not only
destroying the lives of people on the ground in these various geo-political
regions but are killing and maiming its own soldiers which the Veterans
Administration is incapable of adequately addressing.
Anti-War and anti-imperialist organizations in the U.S. must oppose these
so-called "humanitarian interventions" because they are acts of war and
military occupation. Resources utilized for these imperialist operations
would be better served in putting people in the U.S. back to work with jobs
that pay a decent wage and make significant contributions to the society.
Received on Wed Feb 19 2014 - 20:07:00 EST