U.S. Begins Military Training in Africa

ASSOCIATED PRESS via NY Times ^ | June 8, 2005 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[68skylark]

DAKAR, Senegal -- A weekend raid into Mauritania by Algerian Islamic militants illustrates why north Africa needs the U.S.-led joint counterterror exercises launched this week, a U.S. military spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The training exercise began Monday in Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Niger and, for the first time, Algeria, from where Islamic insurgents linked to the al-Qaida network began a raid into Mauritania that left two dozen dead. Five other countries will take part by the time the program finishes in two weeks.

The Mauritania raid is an example of why nations in the region ''have to work together now,'' said Maj. Holly Silkman, a spokeswoman for the Germany-based U.S. European Command, or EUCOM, which is responsible for operations in most of Africa.

''They're a threat to stability and security in this region,'' Silkman said of Algeria's Salafist Group for Call and Combat, which is listed by the Washington as a terrorist organization. ''And the Africans are well aware of that.''

On Tuesday, the Algerian group purportedly claimed responsibility for Saturday's surprise attack on a remote Mauritanian army outpost that left 15 Mauritanian troops and nine insurgents dead. The claim, posted on a Web site in Arabic, said the assault was a ''hit against the Flintlock plan put in place by the enemy of God, America, and its agents in the region.''

Flintlock is the name of U.S.-led, joint military exercises conducted by EUCOM every two years -- this time in northern Africa with about 1,000 U.S. troops, mostly special operations forces, training about 3,000 African soldiers.

''Wherever there's an area we need to pay attention to, that's where Flintlock evolves and in this case, Africa is of growing strategic importance,'' Silkman said.

U.S. commanders are concerned terrorists could take advantage of Africa's little-policed deserts and jungles to set up shop....

[68skylark]

I think we're now seeing how the war on terrorism is going to evolve. While Iraq makes the headlines, the future involves a lot more small-scale work, mainly with Special Forces, in a lot of very out-of-the-way places.

[Calpernia]

A weekend raid into Mauritania by Algerian Islamic militants illustrates why north Africa needs the U.S.-led joint counterterror exercises launched this week, a U.S. military spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The training exercise began Monday in Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Niger and, for the first time, Algeria, from where Islamic insurgents linked to the al-Qaida network began a raid into Mauritania that left two dozen dead. Five other countries will take part by the time the program finishes in two weeks.

[kaktuskid]

More and more, I am realizing that Islam needs a "Hiroshima/Nagasaki moment" just like Imperial Japan did.

[facedown]

...the future involves a lot more small-scale work, mainly with Special Forces, in a lot of very out-of-the-way places.

Much of which we will, rightly, never hear about. Hooah, SF.

[refermech]

I believe you are correct.

[DTogo]

A training exercise began Monday in Chad...

Training. Sure...

[prairiebreeze]

thanks for the ping. Just a matter of time IMO.

[DownInFlames]

I truely believe that this will bust the USA. With our current military at $1 trillion and the recruiting numbers are in a free fall along with the economy, the voters will revolt in 2006.

The news that GM is laying of 25,000 workers is just the tip of the iceberg and our Government officials at all levels are clueless.

[68skylark]

I truely believe that this will bust the USA. With our current military at $1 trillion and the recruiting numbers are in a free fall along with the economy, the voters will revolt in 2006.

Thanks for sharing your doom and gloom!

[68skylark]

(By the way, it's world military spending that's estimated to be $1 trillion -- not U.S. military spending. But I know what point you're trying to make anyway.)

[blackie]

Taking the fight to the bad guys ~ Bump!