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The Origins of AFRICOM

Early in 2007 Nigeria surpassed Saudi Arabia as the largest supplier of oil to theUnited States. By 2015 the US expets to i!port !ore oil fro! Afria" than fro!the entire #ersian $ulf. %n &ebruary 2007 #resident Bush announed the reationof the US Afria 'o!!and" A&(%')*. +his o!bination of e,ents is hardly a

oinidene" but the thin-ing behind A&(%')* began ba- in the early 10s.

%n 12 #aul /olfoit" on instrutions of his boss" Seretary of efense i-'heney" prepared the efense #lanning $uidane" #$ 3 exerpts4 that set fortha plan for US orld do!inane and !ilitary superiority. %t as idely ritiied andonde!ned. But the people ho rote it -ept it in reser,e.

%n 2000" the #roet for a Ne A!erian 'entury" #NA'" alled for total globaldo!ination by the US !ilitary in order to pre,ent ri,als fro! e!erging" and todeter potential ri,als fro! e,en thin-ing about o!petition ith the US. *e!bersof #NA' inlude /olfoit" 'heney" (u!sfeld" and other leading neo6onser,ati,es ho oupy -ey positions in the Bush ad!inistration. /hen Bushas running in 2000 he ga,e a speeh alling for !ilitary buildup to proet our

poer8 into distant o!bat ones" re9eting the thin-ing of the earlier #$" and#NA'. Subse:uently" !any of #NA';s onlusions and reo!!endations ereritten into the /hite

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for Afria into a reality.8 (ather than engage Afria diplo!atially" it is better to bediplo!ati through the barrel of a gun. A!eria !ust not be afraid to e!ploy itsfores deisi,ely hen ,ital national interests are threatened.8

Ne,ertheless" the U.S. ill not need to alays send its on soldiers. A sub6uni@edo!!and for Afria ould gi,e the U.S. !ilitary an instru!ent ith hih to

engage eeti,ely in the ontinent and redue the potential that A!eria !ightha,e to inter,ene diretly.8 +he A&(%')* ould analye intelligene" or-losely ith i,il6!ilitary leaders8 and oordinate training and ondut oint6exerises. %n other ords" the U.S. ould !a-e the friendly Afrian !ilitary foresinter6operatable8 not only ith U.S. hardare but also ith U.S. interests.

%n 2007 the