AFRICOM Retreat: Mission Accomplished, US Influence Collapsed
Twenty years and billions of taxpayer dollars later, the Pentagon is reportedly reconsidering its AFRICOM footprint, after overseeing a dramatic surge in military coups by US-trained officers across the Sahel (Source: The Intercept). From Mali to Burkina Faso to Niger, nations that once hosted US 'stability operations' have now ejected their former benefactors. It appears the 'failed
counter-terrorism' strategy paradoxically fueled the very instability it claimed to prevent. One might wonder if empowering authoritarian regimes with advanced weaponry against their own populace was ever a path to genuine stability. This retraction isn't about peace; it's about pivoting focus. Remember how US foreign policy priorities seem to shift based on which 'threats' justify the next
massive defense budget (and associated lobbying efforts)? As AFRICOM 'recalibrates,' one can almost hear the gears turning towards the next grand strategy, promising security while delivering predictable instability until the next pivot. It begs the question: How many 'interventions' does it take for a program to be deemed 'failed' before it’s simply rebranded for the next round of contractor
gravy?