From east to west across Africa, 1,700 Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, and other military personnel are carrying out 78 distinct “mission sets” in more than 20 nations, according to documents obtained by The Intercept via the Freedom of Information Act.
“The SOCAFRICA operational environment is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous,” says Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, using the acronym of the secretive organization he presides over, Special Operations Command Africa. “It’s a wickedly complex environment tailor-made for the type of nuanced and professional cooperation SOF [special operations forces] is able to provide.”
Equally complex is figuring out just what America’s most elite troops on the continent are actually doing, and who they are targeting.
In documents from a closed-door presentation delivered by Bolduc late last year and a recent, little-noticed question and answer with a military publication, the SOCAFRICA commander offered new clues about the shadow war currently being waged by American troops all across the continent.
“We operate in the Gray Zone, between traditional war and peace,” he informed a room of U.S., African, and European military personnel at the Special Operations Command Africa Commander’s Conference held in Garmisch, Germany, last November.
According to Bolduc’s 2015 presentation, SOCAFRICA is taking part in seven distinct operations, although he failed to elaborate further. Among the goals of these missions: to “enable friendly networks; disable enemy networks.”
The identities of most of those “enemy networks,” are, however, a well-kept secret.
Last fall, The Intercept revealed that Bolduc had publicly disclosed that there are nearly 50 terrorist organizations and “illicit groups” operating on the African continent. He identified only the Islamic State, al Shabaab, Boko Haram, al Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb, and the Lord’s Resistance Army by name or acronym, while mentioning the existence of another 43 groups. Despite repeated inquiries by The Intercept, however, neither the Department of Defense, U.S. Africa Command, nor SOCAFRICA would provide further information on the identities of any of the other organizations.
Map of Africa’s active Islamic militant groups.
Source Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Recently, however, the Defense Department’s Africa Center for Strategic Studies — a research institution dedicated to the analysis of security issues in Africa — published a map listing “Africa’s Active Militant Islamist Groups.” In addition to usual suspects, it named 18 other terror organizations.
The Africa Center says that “group listings are intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered official designations.” It is, however, the most comprehensive list available from an agency or element within the Department of Defense and may shed light on Bolduc’s enemies list.
SOCAFRICA failed to respond to questions about that list or the names of its operations. U.S. Special Operations Command also declined to provide additional information. “We have no idea what BG Bolduc’s remarks were to a group of commanders who are subordinate to him,” spokesperson Ken McGraw told The Intercept.
Senegalese soldiers approach a room to be cleared during training near Thies, Senegal, Feb. 10, 2016.
The only thing that is required to initiate the lying and hatred and murder and war; weapons, guns and the vast profits of war. Begin taking weapons away, instead of adding to the deadly mix.
Instead of 18 other terror organizations, it is time to say: 18 other anti-colonist organizations. The invaders and the fight against invaders include killing of innocent people and spreading terror. If it is definition of terrorism (killing civilians and spreading terror and fear), both sides in war make terrorist actions, Americans and Al Kaeda.
Even the Intercept refuses to put finger on western colonial politics that produce death and racism, it looks you just want “the war with respect for human rights”. And this newest attack in Nice, France, was the result of such colonial racist politics.
You don’t open question for motives and reasons for attacks, you must condemn terrorism to get readers to like you. You are in the position like leftist party that want to win more voters, more readers, politicians speak what voters like to hear. Communist in Europe are in theory anti-imperialists, but all of them refuse to condemn western colonialism and its consequences: terrorism. Mostly because their parties are infiltrated by the secret service.
As an Army War College classmate of this fine Special Forces officer, I get the whole VUCA discussion. But, sometimes, we create “VUCA” by refusing to clearly identify The West’s enemy: Islamists. Everywhere they go, they bring violence, pestilence and sub-standard living for all but the entitled. They have been at was with Christendom and Israel (Jewry) since Mohammad’s first Jihads. Why do US political and military leaders continue to confuse this simple truth by talking VUCA?
If the idiots are dumb enough to go to Africa with the USA military into another illegal invasion, lets just shut off the money and leave the sons of beaches over there.
If they want to live by the gun, keep them out of this country and let them die over there. Tired of the USA military sending us back their deranged murderers that they are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for training and supplying the weapons. All should be held on terrorist charges. We have no business being in Africa, when we can’t even afford to educate our own country against falling into the government, military, corporate trap of becoming terrorist for PAY!
On Earth as it is in Heaven, so shalt ye go forth and Covet Covet Covet all that thine blue eyes behold within all thy neighbors countries that ye may send in thy almighty God blessed thugs to drone, bomb, rape, and steal, for God, Empire, military glory, and vaster Wall Street profits
Wow. US SOF is 1)chasing jihadis in Africa; 2) training locals in Africa to chase jihadis; 3) training locals in Africa, or 4)training with locals in Africa. Is there a surprise here?
Correction: Headline should read …. “On Earth, the US Military sees enemies everywhere”
It’s all illegal.
They know it, so what do we do? They have already decided the USA military can be used inside the country, so who is going to protect us from all the jack booted thugs between corrupt cops and military? It is truly us against them.
Timetables seem to be accelerating, perhaps because of greater Chinese presence. Don’t you wish someone with super clout in media would use these statistics to press the president for answers about America’s long-term goals in Africa? Because of you, I do.
Thank you, Mr. Nick, I always appreciate you getting for us whatever answers you can.
Is it now time to stir it up with China over artificial drilling islands in international waters? The Hague seems to think so.
http://www.businessinsider.com/no-nine-dash-line-in-the-south-china-sea-2016-7
Of course, I doubt this’ll change Israel’s plans much – to try and build one of those things 5km off the coast of Gaza, in the middle of Gaza’s natural gas reserves.
The numbers alone make it clear: Fewer than 2,000 troops in 20 countries, with 78 “mission sets” (gag me with a $30K DoD spoon) are only (barely) enough to do one thing: poke sticks in wasp nests and stir up trouble.
Textbook definition of paranoia, no? Interestingly, localized nation by nation, resource to resource… Dovetails nicely with the concept of a nation (or nations, and, if they can help it, the globe) run by a criminal class. In many respects,planet earth gettin’ to be not so much fun with all the trigger-happy, finger on the trigger meets paranoiac mindset … lately…
So in other words, “The Grey Zone; between Peace & War” is akin to picking a fight on the playground after school. During break and recess, you bully and provoke enough to get attention, but not enough to get sent to the principles office . After school, the bird-chesting continues off campus, eventually leading to an alliance or a battle.
So SOCAFRICA’s criteria for categorizing “Islamic” groups as active and militant, is how these groups react to being pushed around?
Well, I guess that’s one way to justify the War on Terrir.,Create your own enemies
The distinction between war and peace was the second seal of the apocalypse; once it seemed overwhelming and obvious and any consideration to the contrary was Orwellian, yet now, it is incomprehensible, and nothing mankind can do can ever make it make sense again. It is only a question of how often the attacks are and from what quarter; but even in countries at war, many of them are safe, and even in those at peace, many are at constant risk. The front line is always five minutes away – in five minutes you can join a DDOS, doxx a participant, spread terrorist propaganda or report one of these things; in five minutes a person can do with casual speech what wigged heads say can only be expiated with years of misery, or even take up a knife and strike a blow for a lunatic’s jihad. A declaration of war is superfluous and a declaration of peace risible, because of the first seal to be broken, which was the end of the distinction between crime and law. But these are by no means that maddest facts we will need to accept.
the world is coming together. war will end when that process is complete. life will be good for the survivors who aren’t enslaved
To see enemies everywhere is the nature of the military business. Is it not this why we have civilian lawmaking controls– including financial controls and restraints back home? The problem is not with the military but the Exceptionlism attitude many embrace– from PresObama, to most americans, white folks egged on by GovPalin’s always setting a lower and more vulgar bar, the getting out of the UN routine, etc. US citizens should be informed as to why we really are there for openers!
Shouldn’t the United States lead by example? In the name of freedom, Americans here at home have lost the constitutional “rule of law”. We’ve lost our Independent Judiciary providing checks & balances over the other branches of government. We’ve lost the Geneva Conventions and even throw people in prison without charge, trial or guilty verdict – even those captured outside a real battlefield.
As Edward R. Murrow once said, you can’t preserve freedom by destroying freedom here at home (not verbatim). We are fighting for some motive but freedom is not it!
There is mutual animus between us and Africans, and it’s not restricted to just the continent of Africa. The reason is very obvious. We have been treating the whole continent with very scant regard for human dignity, that too for many centuries. They are understandably very disgusted with us, and more so with the Europeans who have indulged in wholesale loot for many centuries. We have corrupted their leaders, destroyed their environment and seized their resources for our own benefit. So how do you expect them to feel good about it? Obviously, their reluctance to listen to us gets on our fragile nerves, more so nowadays with so much protests.
I hope some day we will start respecting each other, but I don’t see much scope of it happening while any of the Demoncrats are in power.
General Hercules…you made a very good observation and point but you destroyed you beautiful piece at the end by stating that “I hope some day we will start respecting each other, but I don’t see much scope of it happening while any of the Demoncrats are in power.” Unfortunately, I am not sure if you are talking about ‘democrats’ or ‘demon-crats,’ however, before George Bush there were no significant so-call terrorist organizations in Africa or the Middle East, all came to be when he invaded Iraq, changed regimes and fostered hatred across the world…”either you’re with us or against us..” so said Bush. I pity Africa because their leaders feel that they don’t have a choice against European and American bullying but they do. My consolation is that “whatever has a beginning will always have an end.”
The trouble in Africa dates back many centuries.
True. Africa never fully recovered from the transatlantic slave trade.
The US has troops and/or military equipment and supplies in around 190 countries, including all of the African states. On the African continent the US has all nations under a spider web of bases and “Lille pads” (bases in a box) which covers all. No local uprising will get very far and the Imperial interests will reign supreme in Africa in spite of Chinese investment there.
It has simply become seriously remiss of journalists to ignore the existence of the empire or its policy of “Global full spectrum domination.”
How can there be any effective opposition when the public conversation is about detraction issues and attacks on this or that imperial apparatchik and never mention the empire itself?
Oligarchs such as Porsche, Larry Page and Surgay Brin and the rest are our rulers, they own government or government is simply subservient to them above all else. They are the enemies of civil society and seek to destroy it as an impediment to their power.
I call it The Empire of the Exceptionals. But, make no mistake, the US is just another country and is gleefully handing over sovereign to the oligarchs chosen method of institutionalizing their power that is corporate control (corporations are the tools of oligarchs it is they who run things – when the contractor screws up your kitchen you don’t go out and yell at his tool box).
We need to start naming and calling out those with the power – who has controlling interest in Apple? or Proctor & Gamble for that matter? Our enmities have been very successful in hiding who they are.
No good can come to the hoi polloi as long as the press – that is the non-corporate press begins to deal with their oppression by those oligarchs.
Militant Islamism is not a real thing. It is a convenient and very alarming cover. There is only one game in town – the Great Game – and there is no room for gung-ho militant loose cannons acting all independent-like. It is long overdue for this website to recognise this and start treating all such stories of its existence with contempt. And anyone who thinks Saudi Arabia is too insignificant to have such a major impact on the world needs only to remember that is where one of the world’s great languages – Arabic – comes from, and one of the world’s great religions – Islam. They are probably only third to America and England in the rippling out amount of trouble they have caused and continue to cause in the wider world. And now they are holding hands and auditions for the fourth Horseman – will it be Israel, or Turkey, or France, or outside bets Germany or Japan?
And I just thought Osama was a stupid madman that hated US (intentional capitalized) for our freedoms (such as to smoke pot or buy beer in Indiana on Sunday):
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/11/01/binladen.tape/
“Equally complex is figuring out just what America’s most elite troops on the continent are actually doing…”
Simple; they’re destabilizing the region in order to bless the natives with ‘democracy’. Or resource extraction. Same thing.
Viceland reported in Weediquette that: Congo contains untapped precious minerals worth 24 trillion dollars which is greater than America’s GDP; militia’s like the FDLR survive by illegally exporting these. The local folks there were very skeptical that a white man (Indian) was there to see their weed.
The Congo has average metal values 10 times greater than what would be considered bonanza grade anywhere else. Copper is recovered at a profit (the very definition of mining – extraction at profit) with grades of 0.2% copper, by weight. Typical copper deposit in Congo may be 5%. And it’s the whole mountain, not veins, plus there’s always silver and gold with copper.
The dollar value just for Au, Ag, and Cu is an unreal number.
The Congo is a treasure-house of minerals and it’s not going to belong to Africans …
The Special Operations “basic” mission to train local peoples and provide military assistance to defend from tyranny is a need strategy in the war on terror. The problem occurs when a “Constitutional Republic” lets slip the dogs of war in “blind” secrecy. The concept of a Continental secret war with no explanation or diligent external oversight leaves those carrying out the mission blinded by their own bias and those who should access and explain to the citizenry silent, derelict of duty to the point of sedition.
While some of this is in our interest some is not. We have no mechanism to separate enlightened interest from sheer stupidity. The Art of War has been reduced to a knee jerk neocon reaction. War is serious business demanding of Public We the People attention. When someone kills in my name they should explain why someone had to die for my benefit. Our Constitution demands this but sedition rules the day.
None of this is in “our” interest, unless by “our” you mean the rich. And far more important, it’s totally immoral, as is everything the U.S. military does in other countries after WWII.
The massive expansion of US military operations in Africa will generate blowback just as it has everywhere we meddle.
If our actions (military and CIA) were added as dots on that map, a lot more Americans would be scratching their heads wondering how it is the corporate media is failing to report on any it.
the term “blowback” was invented by the CIA, so they probably know what it is, and what causes it, and account for it in their plans
The plan is to centralize power and money: they are succeeding quite well.
yep. those guys know what they’re doing.
No, actually.
Past failures are “necessitating” current actions.
That does not meet the definition of success.
You’re wrong. If you think they’ve failed, think again. This stuff is done on behalf of the ruling class, and they’ve never been richer.
right, ‘altohone’ is making the common mistake of measuring the success of others by his objectives rather than their own
droug and JeffD
Not at all.
If our prior meddling had been successful, current meddling wouldn’t be necessary.
I am judging them by their measures of success.
Attempting to control the resources of Africa is hardly a new goal.
They’ve been trying.
They’ve been failing.
They’re trying yet again.
It’s not complicated.
“and account for it in their plans”
A- their accounting is worse than Enron’s
B- their plans are immoral and psychotic and the consequences for average Americans are irrelevant.
Your optimism is delusional.
Saying that someone knows what they’re doing doesn’t mean that you agree with or support what they’re doing. Unless you know this commentor, you’re making unwarranted assumptions.
How do these military actions compare to the regions with Chinese and Russian business interests within Africa, or to countries with pro-American regimes that a vulnerable to anti-American sentiment and electoral shift amongst the wider populous? Because, call me a cynic, but I doubt the Americans are there “making the world a better and safer place” to drive a Toyota Landcruiser.
It’s good that you bring up China, as choking off the supply of raw materials that it buys from Africa is a key part of Obama’s “Pivot to Asia.”
Beijing, unlike Washington, has never carried out a regime change in Africa, nor even a drone strike or kill team deployment. In fact, the lynching of Qaddafi by US-backed forces, from what I have heard, was partly motivated by the fact that he was selling oil to China.
China has built infrastructure in Africa, such as industrial ports and hospitals, because it is not a capitalist country. In Africa, China seeks trading partners that can guarantee a long-term stable supply of whatever raw materials are needed for building under a centrally planned economy. China’s nation-wide high-speed rail network, that was recently completed a full year ahead of schedule, is a good example.
The US and the EU, driven by the anarchy of the markets, have a different approach: force African governments to sell off whatever resources are available for the absolute lowest possible price right now! If people in these countries get angry, kill them, or install a dictator who will!
Africom is apparently the Pentagon’s fastest-growing field of operations, so I am always interested to read what little is reported about it.
Good info. I too didn’t understand what the U.S. military is doing in Africa. Everything they do is about oil and pipelines, and except for Nigeria there just isn’t that much oil there. Your post answered my question.