US military in Africa defends anti-terrorism strategy despite criticism and African nations’ shift towards seeking security aid from Russia.
During the Africa Lion war simulation exercise in Morocco, Gen. Michael Langley reaffirmed the US military’s commitment to its strategy in Africa, despite recent criticism and African nations turning to Russia for security assistance. Langley attributed the anti-American sentiment in unstable regions to Russian disinformation campaigns and emphasized the importance of reaffirming the US military’s role in promoting stability in the Sahel region.
Despite facing setbacks, with Chad and Niger welcoming Russian forces and pressuring US military personnel to vacate critical posts, Langley stressed the need for the US to make its views known and to redouble efforts in engaging with African countries. He highlighted the importance of non-combatant actions, such as addressing climate change, crop failure, tribal conflicts, and population displacement, in promoting stability.
Langley underscored the US’s commitment to a whole-of-government approach, focusing on good governance and institution-building, and emphasized the importance of supporting African countries in ways they see fit. He expressed skepticism towards military juntas’ ability to combat terrorism or ensure long-term stability, contrasting with other great powers like Russia and China, which impose fewer conditions on security assistance.
Regarding the withdrawal of US forces from Niger and Chad, Langley emphasized the importance of ensuring a safe and orderly transition and stated that future security partnerships would be determined based on the security threats identified by West African countries. While the US remains flexible in its strategy, its focus remains on meeting the security needs expressed by African countries.