"Why Is the US Military Averaging More Than a Mission... " Topic

… a Day in Africa?.

"The numbers tell the story: ten exercises, fifty-five operations, 481 security cooperation activities.

For years, the US military has publicly insisted that its efforts in Africa are small scale. Its public affairs personnel and commanders have repeatedly claimed no more than a "light footprint" on that continent, including a remarkably modest presence when it comes to military personnel. They have, however, balked at specifying just what that light footprint actually consists of. During an interview, for instance, a US Africa Command (AFRICOM) spokesman once expressed worry that tabulating the command's deployments would offer a "skewed image" of US efforts there.

It turns out that the numbers do just the opposite.

Last year, according AFRICOM commander General David Rodriguez, the US military carried out a total of 546 "activities" on the continent—a catch-all term for everything the military does in Africa. In other words, it averages about one and a half missions a day. This represents a 217 percent increase in operations, programs and exercises since the command was established in 2008…"
Full article here.
link

Amicalement
Armand

Shhhhhhh, the American public is not supposed to know…….

JSOC is there… so nails will be hammered… a lot. Now, whether those nails actually need a hammerin' is an entirely different question. Meanwhile, America eats the bread and watches the circus, oblivious to what our government does.

What Mako said…..

ditto …

Well, at least most Americans could find Africa on a map.

I think.

Of course … and if you ask your average American what they think about Red China, they will tell you it looks good on a yellow table cloth …

"Why Is the US Military Averaging More Than a Mission… "

Yes why?
Not yet tired of turning tens of thousands of citizens into amputees?

Harsh but again why?

And the US is the only one planting mines ? Is that what you mean ? Unlikely …

Another political posting that is probably more suitable for the Blue Fez.

Africans are more than capable of turning fellow Africans into amputees. They do not need US, EU, UN, or Chinese help in that regard. They have proven that capability time and time again.
JSOC activities would not be rolled into the numbers above even if that command was doing anything on the continent.

Every ship visit counts as an activity for each day that ship is in port, add another activity if the crew goes out to help with a civil affairs project. A team of civilians, either DOD or academics sponsored by a Service or Command, giving a lecture or teaching a class or supporting some maintenance program counts as an activity.

Finally, the vast majority of US activities revolve around capabilities improvement for civil affairs, medical, maintenance, policing, basic soldier skills, and helping African units prepare for UN, African Union, and other such missions.

sure they need the US, EU, UN, Russians or Chinese because if we all stopped selling them weapons and autos they would have to go back to using spears and swords.

And only using spears and swords isn't nearly as dangerous? Try talking to the Tutsis about that assumption (okay, so there it was a lot of machete use, but that's basically like a sword, right).

Rob

And I totally agree with my brother Rakkasan – "Finally, the vast majority of US activities revolve around capabilities improvement for civil affairs, medical, maintenance, policing, basic soldier skills, and helping African units prepare for UN, African Union, and other such missions." Don't see a lot of mine laying there … And regardless of where the locals get their weapons, just like in Syria, if need be, they'd take to sticks and stones to kill each other …

No Legion 4, you misinterpreted, I'm talking about the IED scourge in Afghanistan. This will follow these missions and before you know it more casualties for very little gain. Its Africa and I can promise you the bananas have already gone past their sell by date- let the Chinese have it- they'll give it all back within a decade or two,look at DRC for one example and there are many many more.

I see … well if they plant the IED, they should remove it … but it appears that isn't happening … Can't really blame the US for that …

A brigade from Ft Riley is deployed to Africa