US Increases Military Operations in Africa for ‘Strategic Interests’
AFRICA, 21 Oct 2013
PressTV – TRANSCEND Media Service
The United States is increasing military activities in Africa for its own “strategic interests” and not to wage war on terrorism.
“The United States is in Africa to supposedly wage the war on terrorism, but we know based upon history that the US did not go anywhere unless it is in support of its own strategic interest,” said Abayomi Azikiwe, an editor of the Pan-African Newswire.
The US military is stepping up its military activity “in Africa to seize control of natural resources and strategic waterways and also to block the People’s Republic of China from enhancing its relationship with various African states,” Azikiwe said.
“This is a problem for the African people because of repeated violations of the national sovereignty of the continent,” he added.
Thousands of US soldiers are now gearing up for missions in Africa as part of a new Pentagon strategy to train and advise indigenous forces, the New York Times reports.
The first-of-its-kind program is drawing on troops from a 3,500-member brigade from the Army’s First Infantry Division to conduct more than 100 missions in Africa over the next year, the newspaper said.
In addition to training African militaries, the US has been launching a massive build-up of troops into Italy, putting 13,000 troops in the nation to be able to launch raids into Africa, particularly northern Africa, at a moment’s notice.
“The US is positioning itself to engage in more disruptive and more police operations, destabilization efforts on the African continent and this is something that people in the United States and indeed people throughout the world should be aware of and oppose because there’s no positive development out of these relationships,” Azikiwe said.
“There’s only going to be more death, more destruction and more animosity circulated between Africa and the United States.”
AHT/HJ
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