Africom

Africom is the relatively new United States Africa Command.

You might ask what is this? Recall that the US military is ultra-global. I suspect that most Americans don't know this. On the other hand, if they did, would it matter.

The forces of the United States military are located in nearly 130 countries around the world performing a variety of duties from combat operations, to peacekeeping, to training with foreign militaries. Some of these deployments have existed for nearly 50 years, as in Japan, Germany, and South Korea, while other deployments have more recent origins such as the current occupation of Iraq.

130 nations. I thought it was more.

BBC: US drops Africa military HQ plan

The US military has decided to keep the headquarters of its new Africa Command in Germany, after only one African nation, Liberia, offered to host it.

There has been concern that Africom is really an attempt to protect US oil and mineral interests in Africa, amid growing competition for resources from Asian economies

More on Africom from the military home website: AFRICOM FAQs

On February 6, 2007, President Bush directed the creation of U.S. Africa Command. The decision was the culmination of a 10-year thought process within the Department of Defense (DOD) acknowledging the emerging strategic importance of Africa, and recognizing that peace and stability on the continent impacts not only Africans, but the interests of the U.S. and international community as well.

Criticism of Africom from the Nation: Say No to Africom by Danny Glover & Nicole C. Lee

In truth Africom is a dangerous continuation of US military expansion around the globe. Such foreign-policy priorities, as well as the use of weapons of war to combat terrorist threats on the African continent, will not achieve national security. Africom will only inflame threats against the United States, make Africa even more dependent on external powers and delay responsible African solutions to continental security issues.

Also: Rumble in the Jungle: The AFRICOM Boondoggle by Werther

AFRICOM also represents a God-sent opportunity for both our major political parties to find new worlds to conquer. The GOP, being a subsidiary of Big Oil, is fairly licking its chops at West African oil...

We live in an empire nation. Its important to keep track of the empire's boundaries.