U.S. military engagement in Africa is not a new phenomenon, but it hasn’t always been a priority. But with the rapid expansion of terrorism across North Africa and the Sahel, the continent is making headlines. Until 2007, there was no U.S. military structure to address the increasing importance of Africa …
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bristled in a heated moment at yesterday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing when pressed about why the Obama Administration initially failed to recognize the September 11 Benghazi, Libya, attack as terrorism. She countered: “Was it because of a protest or is it because of guys …
Yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the September 11 terrorist attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya. There were more questions than answers. Rather than provide new insight into the attack, Secretary Clinton simply reiterated …
Yesterday, in western Algeria, near the Libyan border, militants under the command of Mokhtar Belmokhtar (a former al-Qaeda leader) attacked a gas field, taking hostages, including Americans. The attack was supposedly in response to France’s intervention in Mali. While details are still emerging, this debacle further highlights the freedom with …
Now that President Obama will never face re-election again, it is time for the campaigning to end. Perpetual political rhetoric and promises do not matter any more. Action—and leadership—are sorely needed on pressing issues that threaten the United States. America’s people are under threats to their livelihoods, their protection, and …
Less than four minutes into last night’s presidential debate, Governor Mitt Romney listed northern Mali as one of the hot spots affected by the proliferation of international terrorism. Romney’s mention of a country in a region of Africa (the Sahel) that few Americans have heard of had many viewers scratching …
Last week, President Obama joked to guests at the Alfred E. Smith Dinner in New York about the upcoming foreign policy debate: “Spoiler Alert: We got [Osama] bin Laden.” While this is indeed the highlight of the Administration’s foreign policy endeavors, President Obama’s failure to take a comprehensive approach to …
Last year, the fall of the Qadhafi regime spurred a domino-like effect across Africa’s Sahel region. When approximately 2,000 well-armed Tuareg rebels loyal to the former dictator left Libya and returned to Mali, they escalated the destabilization of the country’s north. At the same time the Malian military, reportedly frustrated …
