Topic: U.S. Africa Command

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3 questions US forces must answer before declaring victory in Libya

Even as fighting in Libya continues, Pentagon officials and US commanders overseeing operations on the ground are wrestling with tough questions about the future of the campaign – and what military forces still need to do before they can consider it a victory.
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 03/22
In Pictures: F-15 fighter jet

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US mulls Nigeria's Boko Haram for terror watch list

The Nigerian militant group Boko Haram has killed more than 1,000 in a three-year insurgency, and may have ties with Al Qaeda. Will putting the group on a terror watch list help?
Keep Calm
West African group mulls intervention in Mali

ECOWAS, a West African regional group, reimposes sanctions and considers military intervention after Mali's coup leaders renege on promise to cede power to civilian rulers. 
Keep Calm
West African bloc prepares to send troops into Mali and Guinea-Bissau

Two separate military coups in Mali and Guinea-Bissau threaten the stability of the region. But will an intervention by ECOWAS actually resolve these conflicts or just complicate them?
Keep Calm
Mali coup leaders pledge to hand over power as Tuareg rebels take Timbuktu

Disarray following a March 21 coup has allowed Tuareg rebels to take over much of Mali's north. West African neighbors worry about spillover. 
Next pirate hot spot: the Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of West Africa, is a significant source of US oil. Rising piracy here could mean rising prices at the pump.
Islamist attacks draw Nigeria and US military closer

Dealing with Islamist groups such as Nigeria's Boko Haram will require more than a purely military approach, although Nigeria welcomes training from the US military's Africa Command.
Why Obama is sending troops to Africa – a closer look

The 100 US Special Operations troops sent to central Africa will act as 'military advisers' in the hunt for Joseph Kony, the murderous rebel leader of the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group.
Can Libya really be a 'model' for future US military action?

NATO's Libya campaign has been hailed as a model because it spread the financial and military burden and had limited aims. But some aspects of the Libya operation may be unique.
3 questions US forces must answer before declaring victory in Libya

Even as fighting in Libya continues, Pentagon officials and US commanders overseeing operations on the ground are wrestling with tough questions about the future of the campaign – and what military forces still need to do before they can consider it a victory.
Africa Monitor
US struggles to exert leverage on Sudan

US efforts to both persuade and strong-arm Sudan's northern government into cooperation have been unsuccessful, illustrating a lack of leverage that is a result of inconsistent policies.
Africans debate impact of Osama bin Laden killing

Kenya greeted Osama bin Laden's death as "justice." Other countries worry that America's battle against terrorism masks an attempt to expand military influence in Africa.
Terrorism & Security
NATO blames 'fluid' ground situation for airstrikes hitting Libyan rebels

NATO airstrikes in Libya may have killed rebel forces, but commanders have refused to apologize despite increasingly strained relations between the rebels and the military alliance.
Obama's dilemma: Is Libya mission a success if Qaddafi stays?

President Obama wants Qaddafi out, but doesn't want to use military operations to do it. How that tension plays out could determine the success of the mission.
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 03/22
In Pictures: F-15 fighter jet
Allied strikes halt Qaddafi forces. But what is success in Libya?

The initial coalition air attacks have halted the pro-Qaddafi forces' march on Benghazi, a US general says, but the goals and parameters of the Libya intervention are still unclear.
With no-fly zone in Libya now, US-led coalition freer to attack

Missile attacks on Libyan air defenses have freed US jets to attack ground targets. But questions remain, including the use of human shields and the chance that Qaddafi might remain in power.
Africa Monitor
WikiLeaks cables reveal US-Algeria partnership for battling Al Qaeda

The US is increasingly concerned about North Africa's Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). WikiLeaks cables indicate it is strengthening ties with Algeria to better combat AQIM's rise.
Kenya: Iraq, Afghan, Pakistan fighters in Somalia

Veteran insurgents from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have relocated to the chaotic country of Somalia in large enough numbers to spark worry inside the international community.
Obama commits US to helping hunt for LRA leader Joseph Kony

President Obama signed a new law to help four African nations hunt down LRA leader Joseph Kony, who's followers have brutalized thousands over the past 23 years. Kony has been indicted for war crimes by an international court.
Admiral Mullen: foreign policy is too dominated by the military

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says US foreign policy is too dependent on military generals and admirals and not enough on the State Department.
Pirates take new territory: West African Gulf of Guinea

Pirates are making headway off the West African coast – the Gulf of Guinea is second only to Somalia in terms of pirate attacks.
Air Al Qaeda: Are Latin America's drug cartels giving Al Qaeda a lift?

There is growing concerns that Al Qaeda in Africa and Latin American drug cartels are working together. Latin American cocaine flights go to Africa, en route to Europe. Are Al Qaeda members on the empty planes back to Latin America?
Al Qaeda rises in West Africa

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab – the terror suspect who allegedly tried to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day – hails from Nigeria in West Africa. The Monitor takes a look at how the fight against Al Qaeda is going in the region.
Hillary Clinton, in Liberia, targets good government

The country, led by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has made significant strides since its brutal civil war ended in 2003.