The U.S. Should Send More, Not Fewer, Troops to West Africa by Matthew Dalton - Defense One
As the Pentagon looks to redistribute and possibly draw down its troops in Africa, it should consider not trimming but boosting its presence in the continent’s western region.
Why is West Africa so important to America’s interests? Made up of more than a dozen countries and with a population larger than that of the United States, the region is host to several transnational threats, including Islamic extremism, criminal activities, and pandemic vulnerabilities. Left uncontained, any of these threats could travel to American shores…