US General Says No Plans for Africa Command HQ in Africa

While US voters remain focused on the Middle East, the US military quietly works on security matters elsewhere in the world. As part of this effort, the US military devotes more attention to Africa. Several key African nations are wary of any new form of colonialism. In an effort to allay those fears, the US military’s new Africa Command insists that its goals are diplomatic and humanitarian. Likewise, the command denies rumors that it intends to establish permanent military bases on the continent. Nevertheless, many Africans suspect that this new US interest in Africa is tied to another issue of growing American concern – the rise of China, already working to establish its own influence on the African continent. While the Middle East may dominate the foreign-policy debates of 2008, regions like Africa and China seem poised to figure prominently in future US elections. – YaleGlobal