Abstract
This research will look into the emerging issues of terrorist threats in Africa. The paper will try to answer whether the U.S. can counter the emerging terrorist threats in Africa through military cooperation missions with aligned countries. Thus the research looks into how the U.S. can participate both militarily, and diplomatically to combat the emerging terrorist threat in Africa.
Additionally, the paper discusses the disposition of the threat and where it is going. Some of the issues the article looks at are:
- increasing kidnapping cases for ransoms that fund terrorism;
- the AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) and Al Qaeda relationship;
- emergence of Al Shabab in the horn of Africa,
- the transitional federation government in Somalia and its implication on the state of lawlessness;
- the AQIM using Torgs as protection and logistical support;
- the un-official truce between AQIM and the government;
- the situation of the anti AQIM movement in Mauritania;
- the research will also cover the U.S. involvement in Africa, the State Dept and DoD.
Other important issues that will be considered will include the foreign internal defense mission that the U.S. is conducting, military agencies like: -Special Operations Command Africa -Special Operations Command Europe -EUCOM -AFRICOM and all of their participating efforts (Davis 2010, 150).
Reasons for the research
- Africa for a long time has been a very focal point in the U.S’s policies and has been regarded as a friend. Major economical, political and social changes that are observable within the region have led to an upsurge of terrorist actions within the region (Rothchild and Keller 2006, 100-8).
- Inclusion of African states in world issues and especially its focus from the UN and EU has opened up serious obligations concerning civil liberties protection arising from a number of ratified global pacts. To this point, the reaction from the UN has brought out various important weaknesses in the population strategies and legislation, predominantly relating to minorities’ matters.
- The emerging trend of terrorist organizations in the Middle East recruiting and establishing cells in Africa, Al Qaeda in east Africa and so forth.
- The issue has become the target of both, international and national interest, due to the recent events (for example: The AQIM and Al Qaeda relationship, emergence of Al Shabab in Somalia, rampant piracy in the Indian ocean off the shores of Kenya) which requires the world and United Nations and European Union and other world bodies, to reconsider and revise the whole population policy and human rights legislation.
Davis (2010, 16) notes “these aforementioned reasons and the overall need to put a stop on emerging terrorist activities and threats in Africa requires updated current legislation and a revision of national policies by the U.S and aligned countries.” This has offered me with motivation to discuss the emerging terrorist threats in Africa issues in my research paper.
Outline of the research
The paper will gather resource from a huge array of reference materials such as: journals, books, policy papers, legislations, case studies, and so forth, that would help in shedding light on this grave issue.
Through this article I seek to answer the question whether the U.S. can counter the emerging terrorist threats in Africa through military cooperation missions with aligned countries. And how it can participate to the left of the line militarily, and diplomatically to combat this.
The first part of the paper, the background of terrorist threats in Africa shall be looked into and discussed. The research will give an overview of the historical background and the dynamics that affect of influence it (Rothchild and Keller 2006, 100-8).
The second part of the research paper will analyze the main issues and difficulties with the situation increasing terrorist activities in northern Africa and the respective actions that countries are using to combat this (Davis 2010, 150).
The article will also look at the relationship between the AQIM and Al Qaeda and Al Shabab in northern horn of Africa (Somalia). One of the major difficulties of combating these emerging threats is the constant political upheavals within the region (Africa) (Rothchild and Keller 2006, 100-8).
The third part will seek to find solutions for countering terrorism and offer conclusions and recommendations to the question.Due to the above stated facts, there arises a necessity for the development and realization of stable and efficient polices that are tailored towards the protection of human rights.
These human rights policies or legislations should be applied equally whereby the will guarantee equality and fairness both in practiced law and the law on paper. Rothchild and Keller (2006, 100-8) notes “the northern African states and Africa as a region of post-modern democratic states are obliged under international treaties to guarantee human rights protection in their societies for the sake of international peace and security.”
References
Davis, John. Terrorism in Africa: the evolving front in the War on Terror. Lexington: Lexington Books, 2010.
Rothchild, Donald, and Keller, Edmond. Africa-US relations: strategic encounters. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2006.