U.S. War on Terror Through Kenya As An Intermediary

Obama and the U.S. government continue to expand the war on terror. Where possible, Obama prefers to use proxies or intermediaries that the U.S. supplies with arms, aid and training. The terrorists on the receiving end are not fooled. They know the U.S. is behind these efforts and wherever possible they will strike Americans as well as U.S. forces and installations.

In addition to the direct engagement of U.S. forces in Somalia, there is indirect engagement using the armed forces of Kenya. The Congressional Research Service tells us “With U.S. aid levels reaching almost $1 billion annually in some years, Kenya ranks among the top recipients of U.S. foreign assistance globally.” The U.S. Department of State tells us “The United States provides equipment and training to Kenyan security forces, both civilian and military.” From the Friends Committee on National Legislation, we learn “One estimate from the National Defense University found that the U.S. is already giving Kenya about $300 million in military assistance…”

U.S. military aid and training to Kenya supported Kenya’s invasion of Somalia in Operation Linda Nchi. Obama has increased aid to Kenya “exponentially“. A House Armed Services Committee Report urged that all of Africa be targeted for the war on terror:

“Specifically, the committee believes that activities that utilize U.S. Special Operations Forces and an `indirect approach’ that leverages local and indigenous forces should be used more aggressively and surgically in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula in close coordination with and in support of geographic combatant commander and U.S. embassy country team requirements. The committee believes that current indirect activities are not fully resourced and underutilized to counter gains and preclude the expansion of Al Qaeda affiliates in these regions.”

This entire report is a blueprint for expansion of the war on terror to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

There is no evidence that Obama has repudiated the framework of U.S. aid to Kenya or undone the other agreements for bases in Africa. The Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa is up and running. From the African Security Research Project, we read from a 2008 document:

“The Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) was created in October 2002 to conduct naval and aerial patrols in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the eastern Indian Ocean as part of the effort to detect and counter the activities of terrorist groups in the region. The CJTF-FOA used military facilities in Kenya as well as in Djibouti and Ethiopia to launch air and naval strikes against alleged al-Qaeda members involved in the Council of Islamic Courts in Somalia in January and June of 2007.”

We also learn

“In addition, the Bush administration has negotiated base access agreements with the government of Kenya—along with the governments of Gabon, Mali, Morocco, Tunisia, Namibia, Sao Tome, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia—that will allow American troops to use their military facilities (know as Cooperative Security Locations and Forward Operating Sites) whenever the United States wants to deploy its own troops in Africa.

“The Bush Administration has built a close military relationship with the government of Mwai Kibaki and has played a central role in the creation of his internal security apparatus, now being deployed with such bloody results throughout Kenya.”

If Obama had actually dismantled any of this war on terror infrastructure, it would have made big news. Nothing of the sort has happened. See here for a summary of U.S. military operations in Africa.

The official reason for all of this activity in the war on terror is national security. Does the war on terror enhance America’s national security or does it undermine it? Answering this query in full is beyond the scope of this blog. But some limited observations are in order relating to Kenya and other African nations. Aid coming from the U.S. interacts with corrupt military forces. In Iraq positions and arms have been for sale. Corruption has been endemic. One article cited above refers to a similar situation in Kenya, although not on a wide scale, where arms are diverted to private arms sales. Military and police training lead in unexpectedly bad directions. This has occurred in Iraq. In Kenya there is a reference to the U.S.-trained internal security apparatus being turned against the domestic population or to the advantage of local despots parading as democrats. These are arguments against the use of proxies or intermediaries because they cannot be counted on as reliable. To some extent and often a large extent, they are subject to other motivations than anti-terror and they look upon the American presence and aid as a profit opportunity for themselves. On paper in the halls of Congress and think tanks where policies are drafted, it seems logical to exercise power through proxies and avoid American boots on the ground. In practice, the waste, corruption and misuse undermine the hoped for results.

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