Rome -
Rather than try to put boots on the ground in northern Africa the United States is setting up bases in Italy from which it can quickly deploy troops or use special forces for attacks in North African states such as Libya.
Washington -
Washington has openly talked about a pivot to Asia that involves shifting military assets and emphasis to Asia. However, there is also a definite pivot to Africa underway as well but this pivot is downplayed and carefully disguised.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized that her seven-country tour of Africa was intended to promote unity and democracy, fight corruption, and boost US investments in African trade and agriculture.
A little-known discovery of new oil fields in the Ugandan rift-valley region of Africa has brought clean water, health clinics, paved roads and schools to thousands of poor villagers in the Hoima district.
What are the US special forces -- the Green Berets -- doing in the Sahara desert? Since the end of World War Two, US soldiers have never set foot in Algeria, so why now?
A very interesting debate is being waged on the website of AFRICOM about the role of Task Force 150. This multinational anti-terrorism task force patrols the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and the Horn of Africa.
The Somalian government supports the American call circulated at the UN today to aggressively combat piracy on its landed territory - not just in territorial waters.
