ARTICLE: 'U.S. Africa Command Brings New Concerns: Fears of Militarization on Continent Cited,' By Walter Pincus, Washington Post, May 28, 2007; Page A13
My druthers?
I would franchise Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, replicating it north, south, west and central. I would not locate any HQ in Africa, but set it down in northern VA to attract both the necessary talent and to encourage super interagency development.
I would mandate a retired 4-star with joint combatant command experience as commander and pick a USAIDer as deputy. I would give the commander the same status as the U.S. ambassador to the UN, meaning cabinet-level status.
I would force DoD policy-making for Africa to be centered in Africom. Same for State and USAID.
It would serve as the embryonic Department of Everything Else.
The CJTFs would be shaped like HOA: no pointy end. I would put SOCOM in charge of necessary Leviathan activities as required, but I would keep those functions entirely separate, as they are today in CJTF-HOA.
| Permalink |
