Small Wars Journal

Backgrounder: Why U.S. Troop Cuts in Africa Would Cause Alarm

Thu, 01/23/2020 - 10:21am

Backgrounder: Why U.S. Troop Cuts in Africa Would Cause Alarm – Associated Press

Even as destroyed U.S. military aircraft smoldered from an al-Shabab attack that killed three Americans this month in Kenya, the al-Qaida-linked group issued a taunting message to African troops: The U.S. will abandon you just as it did the Kurds.

Islamic extremists are already exploiting possible U.S. military cuts in Africa that have caused a rare bipartisan outcry in Washington, with lawmakers stressing the need to counter China and Russia and contain a growing threat from Islamic State group affiliates.

Here’s a look at the issue that has caused alarm among some U.S. security allies, while the U.S. probes the deadliest attack against its military in Africa since 2017…

Read on.