United States Africa Command
S.U.
The United States Africa Command ( AFRICOM; German African Command of the United States) is the sixth and youngest Regional Command of the U.S. Armed Forces, which was set up in October 2007. Since then, the full operational capability was made in October 2008, AFRICOM is the command of U.S. military operations on the African continent with the exception of Egypt.
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History
On the establishment of a U.S. regional command for the African continent has been speculated from 2003. Africa became more and more attention in the spectrum of the Government of the United States, took place in 2005 an anti-terrorism exercise of the U.S. armed forces in the Sahara. In addition, U.S. forces are involved in the Horn of Africa in Operation Enduring Freedom in front of Djibouti. Since, according to estimates by 2015 about 25 % of U.S. oil will come from Africa, working lobbyists since 2002 because the government of the United States to move a military presence in Africa, especially here in the Gulf of Guinea to set up in order to economy counterparties - led by China - to gain or to secure new oil production areas for the U.S. oil industry an advantage.
The debate about the establishment of the Africa Command therefore turned in advance about whether the estimated 5 billion U.S. dollars that are spent annually for this command means are justified. The think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies attested to the Ministry of Defence poor public relations, since it is the Ministry not been able to put the actually existing U.S. interest in the solution of various African problems to the fore. President G.W. Bush appointed on 6 February 2007 the Secretary of Defense (then Robert Michael Gates ) with the formation and establishment of the ' U.S. Africa Command ' to the end of fiscal year 2008.
As the African Union and its members according to Foreign Policy distrusted the objectives of AFRICOM, the United States allegedly found no host country for the Authority, after which they settled this in Europe ( Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart). U.S. President George W. Bush said on 21 February 2008 ahead of a state visit that the United States planned no new U.S. military bases in Africa; Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had given a commitment ' to set up the headquarters of U.S. Africa Military Command in Liberia.
From 19 March 2011, the Regional Command held the chief command of the U.S. attacks on Libya in the context of the multiphase military operation in Libya ( Operation Odyssey Dawn ) on which the U.S. and the UK participated in by a targeted use of Tomahawk cruise missiles. The operation aims to facilitate the establishment of a no-fly zone.
Mission and responsibility
The command should be primarily responsible for humanitarian relief operations, disaster management and crisis response operations.
The AFRICOM to coordinate the activities of the U.S. Department of Defense and other U.S. government departments and agencies in Africa and space combine to stabilize the political stability and economic growth in the 56 countries in the command area and intensify. The decoupling of this territorial area of responsibility from the EUCOM and transfer into an independent regional command for the African continent is to enable a more effective concentration on the specific political, economic and social problems. Another reason for the spin-off was the enormously grown EUCOM area of responsibility, which includes the area almost all former Soviet states and extending up to the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The focus shall be atypical lie less in the willingness of warfare, as in war prevention. It is intended, by means of military and security consultancy to establish independent national military and law enforcement agencies, in order to create an effective crisis response capacity that supports the promotion of democratic systems and secure.
Here are development programs of the State Department, whose support and implementation currently still from three different regional commands, the EUCOM, the U.S. Central Command ( CENTCOM ) and U.S. Pacific Command ( PACOM ) is worn, be focused in Africa Command, thus overlap and duplication of effort avoid.
From the perspective of the U.S. government, the region is becoming increasingly because of their resources and often unstable power relations in importance. The establishment of a separate regional commands abreast of these changes.
Task:
" United States Africa Command, in concert with other U.S. government agencies and international partners, conducts sustained security engagement through military -to -military programs, military- sponsored activities, and other military operations as directed to promote a stable and secure African environment in support of U.S. foreign policy. "
" United States Africa Command, in cooperation with the organs of the government of the United States and their international partners, practicing sustainable security engagement through inter- military programs, military support and military operations in order to create a stable and improved African security architecture; The same on the basis of the foreign policy of the United States. "
After researching the Süddeutsche Zeitung and the NDR be commanded from drone attacks in Africa from the Africom headquarters in Stuttgart.
Organization
Headquarters
A transition command group for the establishment was under the command of Rear Admiral Robert T. Moeller. Currently the headquarters in the Kelley Barracks is stationed in Stuttgart. The future headquarters of the command could, according to the U.S. Department of Defense to be stationed in Africa, as a candidate to Liberia competed in 2008. Reasons of cost, a transfer to the United States was examined. Early 2013, President Obama decided to remain in Stuttgart. The decisive factors were operational benefits by the same time zone, political stability and the high quality of life for staff. There are numerous airlines flying between Europe and Africa ( see also List of airports in Africa).
Subordinate commands and units
- U.S. Army Africa ( USARAF ), Vicenza
- U.S. Naval Forces, Africa ( NAVAF ), Naples
- U.S. Air Forces Africa ( AFAFRICA ), Ramstein Air Base
- U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Africa ( MARFORAF ), Stuttgart
- Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa ( CJTF - HOA ), Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti
- Special Operations Command Africa ( SOCAFRICA ), Stuttgart
On 1 October 2008, the 17th U.S. Air Force was reactivated to serve as an air component of AFRICOM.
As of March 31, 2009, the U.S. Special Operations Command Africa ( SOCAFRICA ) should be operational, that then as a composite command all special forces of AFRICOM will result.
Leadership
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On 1 October 2007 took over General William E. Ward the post of commander of U.S. Africa Command; He is subordinate to two deputies. Firstly, a vice admiral in the U.S. Navy, responsible for military operations, and on the other an ambassador, responsible for civil-military activities. Since April 5, 2013, General David M. Rodriguez is commander of U.S. Africa Command.