Esper Eyes Pulling Out of Africa…To Position More Forces Against Russia & China

Could explain why AFRICOM has been so eager to see a Russian hand in Libya

Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper is weighing proposals for a major reduction — or even a complete pullout — of U.S. forces from West Africa as the first phase of reviewing global deployments that could reshuffle thousands of troops around the world, according to officials familiar with internal deliberations.

The discussions of a large-scale pullback from West Africa include abandoning a recently built $110 million drone base in Niger and ending assistance to French forces battling militants in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The deliberations stem from a push to reduce post-9/11 missions battling terrorist groups, and instead to refocus Pentagon priorities on confronting so-called Great Powers like Russia and China.

With an initial decision about Africa expected in January, the plans are sure to draw criticism from lawmakers, allies and military officials, and could eventually affect most global missions in some way. About 200,000 U.S. forces are currently stationed abroad, similar to the force posture when President Donald Trump took office with a promise to close out the nation’s “endless wars.”

But Trump is not so much ending wars as he is moving troops from one conflict to another, and Esper’s initiative aims to carry out that rebalancing.

Officials say the overhaul of Africa deployments will be followed by one in Latin America, and that drawdowns will happen in Iraq and Afghanistan, as has been expected.

The initiative reflects what has become the defining priority for Esper: moving away from 18 years of counterterrorism deployments in places troubled by militancy and insurgency where thousands of U.S. troops cycle through in an attempt to maintain minimal stability but without much prospect of definitive solutions.

“We’ve begun a review process where I’m looking at every theater, understanding what the requirements are that we set out for, making sure we’re as efficient as possible with our forces,” Esper told reporters.

Source: The New York Times

15 Comments
  1. H Tait says

    Why don’t you take all your troops home and stop interfering in other countries. You have been at war for 90% of your being a country. Your leaders are a****holes, get rid of them.

  2. LS says

    There is no public support for “confronting” Russia or China. And there is not going to be any public support for “confronting” Russia or China. It is already over.

    1. CHUCKMAN says

      Try reading a poll before commenting on the subject.

      The facts are exactly the opposite. There is public support. Fairly strong too.

      The 24-hour-a-day propaganda machine that is corporate and establishment America is quite effective.

      It is a fairly sick society, dedicated to violence.

      1. LS says

        OK. Where is there a poll finding that the public supports confronting Russia and/or China? Lets you and I discuss it.

        1. David Bedford says

          This is called a drive-by opinion, drop it and then run from it

      2. Canosin says

        any link available to the poll you mentioned….?
        however….. it’s true that the American society is a violence oriented one….
        regarding China or Russia….. hmmmm… . even the dumbest ignorant has understood that these boots are bit too large for the LGTBQ US armed forces…

      3. LS says

        3 DAYS and you still have not provided such a poll.

      4. LS says

        24 HOURS and you still have not provided such a poll.

      5. LS says

        48 HOURS and you still have not provided such a poll.

  3. JustPassingThrough says

    idiots, absolute idiots.
    a banana republic w/o bananas.
    move them into PL.
    the poles just love murikans.

    1. John Mason says

      braindead opinion

      1. JustPassingThrough says

        braindead, period
        33 pieces of s*it from you.
        you’re making progress
        troll

        1. John Mason says

          2270 from you; that makes you a bigger turd. Wanker!

          1. JustPassingThrough says

            std. murikan nitwit
            blocked

            1. John Mason says

              What a pussy!
              Your comment leaves trace of bad neuronal programming.

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