Fighting the War on Terror

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates revealed a few months ago a plan to form a new African command in response to the increasing strategic importance of the continent in the Global War on Terror. The new command, known as AfriCom, is expected to begin initial operations this fall and should be fully operational in late 2008. The timing couldn't be more critical.

As the United States and its allies keep pressure on terrorist groups in Europe and the Middle East, the activities of radical elements in Africa serve as a sober reminder that the Global War on Terror is not limited to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

According to analytical reports by Austin-based Stratfor, a private intelligence and counter-terrorism firm, al-Qaeda's operations have expanded from the Horn of Africa into the northern part of the continent, and are likely to spread further unless the threat is addressed soon. Islamic militants of the Supreme Islamic Courts Council in Somalia continue to engage in fierce fighting with Ethiopian troops, a U.S.-led task force is conducting counter-terrorism operations in Djibouti, bombing plots have been uncovered in several African countries, and the list goes on.

Stratfor also says that recent suicide bombings indicate that jihadist warfare, primarily under the guise of the al-Qaeda Organization for the Countries of the Arab Maghreb, is now being waged on a much broader scale than was previously the case. By establishing a new combatant command in Africa, the United States is hoping to combine the strengths of joint-service military forces with other governmental resources, agencies, and departments to stop the spread of terrorist influence in Africa before it establishes a firm foothold.

Some analysts have argued that establishing a larger U.S. military presence in Africa will only serve to embolden the terrorists who are already there. But the alternative to expanding our Global War on Terror operations on the continent is a much less attractive option. Once terrorist organizations are firmly rooted in Africa, it will be much more difficult and much more costly to dislodge or destroy them. Once a new base of operations is established, radical terrorist groups will use Africa as a springboard for their Islamic movement, working to topple nearby secular governments first, gradually spreading their hatred and subjugation until their ultimate goal of world domination can be achieved.

That is why it is so important, now more than ever, for the new AfriCom to become fully functional as soon as possible, and for it to have the resources it needs to fight terrorists in Africa. The United States and allied nations must remain focused on the larger strategic picture that is the Global War on Terror. We cannot become fixated on Iraq and Afghanistan, for to do so would be to ignore the threats that are gaining momentum in the Philippines, Africa, and other countries where radical Islamists are attempting to establish bases of operations.

Now is when we must keep the pressure on, not only in the Middle East, but wherever terrorists seek to set up shop. AfriCom is designed to do just that, allowing us to bring to bear the full power and resources of the United States, so that by fighting them over there, we will not be forced to fight them over here.