Military training in Senegal - more pictures, and more from the ECOWAS CDS
DAKAR, Senegal (Nov. 8, 2007) - Electrician's Mate 1st Class James Lamberson congratulates Senegalese Sailors, aboard the Amphibious Dock Landing Ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), after their completion of training from Expeditionary Training Command and Africa Partnership Station (APS). APS aims to bring international training teams to Senegal, Liberia, Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, and Sao Tome and Principe, and will support more than 20 humanitarian assistance projects in addition to hosting information exchanges and training with partner nations during its seven-month deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class RJ Stratchko ( 071108-N-8933S-060 RELEASED)
DAKAR, Senegal (Nov. 7, 2007) - Senegalese sailors receive hands-on training from Electrician's Mate 1st Class James Lamberson while Lt. Cmdr Fru Fon Clement, a Cameroon naval officer embarked with the Africa Partnership Station (APS) international staff, translates during basic approach drills. APS aims to bring international training teams to Senegal, Liberia, Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, and Sao Tome and Principe, and will support more than 20 humanitarian assistance projects in addition to hosting information exchanges and training with partner nations aboard amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class R.J. Stratchko (071107-N-8933S-125 RELEASED)Both pictures are from the US Navy story on training the Senegalese Navy. From the story:
"In three days you learn a lot, but it isn't very much time. The next time I hope to train for one week, two weeks, or a month. It's good for my Army," said Senegalese Marine Staff Sergeant, Fode Camara.For more news from USS Fort McHenry, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/lsd43/.
The Senegalese Sailors and Marines learned about preventative maintenance, combat lifesaving, self defense and small boat maintenance and handling.
"I'm very happy to train with United States Navy. I am very happy to do it, and I want to do more," said Camara. "Everything we learn is new. Now, when I return to my Army, I want to teach a young boy these new techniques."
Juliana Taiwo, who has done some excellent reporting on AFRICOM for ThisDay in Nigeria, reports that:
Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi, has said despite Liberian government's clamour to host AFRICOM, ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) would have the final say.
The President and Vice President of Liberia both reiterated their support of AFRICOM.
Azazi said though Liberia is a sovereign country, AFRICOM was a bit more technical to be treated as politics.
"The President addressed it when she met with us and the Vice President said ECOWAS should support Liberia, but what we feel is that nobody at the political level in African Union or ECOWAS knows enough about AFRICOM to make categorical statements. We are advocating that is not an issue for Chiefs of Defence Staff solely, we are advocating that at the political level, there should be either bilateral or multilateral interactions to create awareness to convince African leaders that AFRICOM will be good for Africa. What it means is that Africa must be willing to accept AFRICOM before it is sited. So if Liberia already is thinking of hosting AFRICOM, maybe they have a better understanding than the rest of them, but like the President told us, there are two things, we (the ECOWAS CDS) are going to discuss AFRICOM if our advise is that it is not good for the continent it will be rejected and if it is good, it will be accepted. Otherwise, the general understanding is that AFRICOM is suppose to be good for capacity building, but what we are saying is that we should have a better understanding of all that is going to come about, let's create awareness, let's be a partnership that will help both sides," he said.
Defence sources in Nigeria had in September, disclosed that the Nigerian government was already making serious diplomatic inquiries into the US government's establishment of a military base for Africa in Stuttgart.
This sounds like the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defense Staff are trying to act together and in accord, and that they are not interested in letting one country break ranks. As I understand this, if West Africa were to host AFRICOM, there has to be more information forthcoming from the US, and agreement between West African governments that it works to their advantage. I wonder if this solidarity will hold. And I wonder how this advantage, or lack of it, will be measured. I wish the CDS success in this endeavor. I don't see how the US can provide information that will genuinely answer the CDS questions. The US has been telling Africans that AFRICOM is not all the things the US media tells the US public that it is.
Labels: Africa command, Africom, ECOWAS, US military base
posted by Crossed Crocodiles at
11/13/2007 09:22:00 PM
4 Comments:
it'd be interesting to track how much money is exchanging hands for liberia's promotional front for AFRICOM. sirleaf, and now members of her administration, have been performing some astounding feats of mental gymnastics for team usa.
originally there was sirleaf's editorial piece (probably ghostwritten by the lobby firm hired to promote liberia as the candidate for the HQ slot) back in june which espoused the idea that "There is no greater engine for development than a secure nation, and no better way build a secure nation than through building professional militaries and security forces", trying to convince people that a little imperial militarization could be beneficial in the long run - as if she or anyone could set limits on u.s. interests.
and now this pressure on ECOWAS & such.
sirleaf's even been running around telling reporters that "For Liberia, it means added value in that it would be an advantage for us if AFRICOM comes, they will build that infrastructure and that infrastructure would serve the means far beyond the needs of the Liberian people."
"serve" was not a good choice of words, one would think, given liberia's historical roots, but serving needs far beyond is definitely part of the pentagon's master plan. hopefully the people are able to see through the rhetoric of these so-called leaders.
well-made point in this column running in black star news today, reinforcing what Crossed Crocodiles has been saying all along
When the facts are examined, the planned establishment of AFRICOM is not simply myopic but also counterproductive in advancing mutual U.S. and African long-term interests. For the great majority of Africans who in the last three decades of the twentieth century suffered indelibly under military dictatorships of various shades, it is tantamount to advocating their permanent servitude in today’s knowledge driven interdependent world, where conditions of democratic pluralism and freedom not fear imposed by military might, are prerequisites for progressive sustainable development.
A rudimentary understanding of history and politics should counsel the Bush Administration that no country has ever become a healthy democracy by embracing militarism. On the contrary, every country that has enjoyed democratic governance first discarded militarism or reliance on the military as mainstay of society. Africa cannot be an exception to this iron law of democratic development. In fact, historical realities and analysis show it was principally due to the militarization coupled with personalization of politics since the 1970s that dealt devastating blows to democratic governance and the rule of law, which in turn contributed to the growth of a multitude searing crises that bedeviled the continent.
The establishment of AFRICOM would inject a dangerous toxin in the body politics of the continent already disabled by the cancer of militarism and will further help gnaw at the sinews and fabric of African societies. In fact, if AFRICOM is established in Africa, it will sanction militarism as well as ensure the demise of the rule of law, democratic governance and human rights, as the military will take the commanding heights of African states.
By
Anonymous, at 11:26 PM, November 14, 2007
I've been wondering what promises and inducements President Sirleaf and Liberia have received. They must be significant. I've also wondered if Sirleaf established Republican party credentials when she was living in the US, and has some enhanced comfort level with the Bushies. She must see AFRICOM as the only way to fund the things she wants to accomplish. If so, I think she is mistaken. Not that other money will be easy to find. Money from AFRICOM has too many potential toxic consequences, and certainly promises far more desirable results than it will deliver. That quote about "would serve the means far beyond the needs of the Liberian people" is not reassuring. She has to be sophisticated enough to know what it signifies, even if some of the people around her may not.
The article in Black Star News is right on the money. I hadn't seen it. I'm going to try and quote it some more over the weekend. The more people raising their voices and saying these things, the better.
By
Crossed Crocodiles, at 9:03 PM, November 16, 2007
the first commentator on this story poses a thought worth considering, coming on the heels of yar'adua reiterating nigeria's rejection of AFRICOM and recommendation for the same to all other west african nations.
Nigeria Offers $13m Dollars Debt Relief To Liberia
One wonders if the offer of $13m debt forgiveness by Nigeria is a sort of bribe, inducement or at the extreme, mugging money. Taking into account that Liberia seems bent on inviting US to set up a Military base in the Gulf of Guinea against Nigeria’s wishes; it is now playing one country against the other.
there have been a lot of stories recently on aid/grants/money flowing into liberia.
certainly seems plausible that sirleaf knows she can make bank from her neighbors too, even if that wasn't her initial objective in courting uncle sam.
By
Anonymous, at 11:11 PM, November 20, 2007
Very interesting speculation about Sirleaf, Liberia and financial assistance. I'll be watching as this continues. Liberia is still promoting AFRICOM enthusiastically in the reports I've read so far.
I'm also wondering about contacts between the APS and Nigeria. In the Photo Gallery - African Partnership Station there were a couple of pictures of training Nigerians on the USS Fort McHenry out in the Atlantic.
By
Crossed Crocodiles, at 10:33 AM, November 26, 2007
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