Bush’s War in Africa

With his usual impeccable timing, Joe Roche has an op-ed in the Lexington Herald-Leader on U.S. actions to combat al Qaeda in Africa just as the U.S. announces air strikes against al Qaeda in Somalia.

Joe’s op-ed says, in part:

…After 9/11, President Bush launched a series of twilight wars to reverse Africa’s suffering caused by terrorists. The offensive couldn’t be launched outright because of the focus on Afghanistan and Iraq. So it was engineered by special forces and excellent military contractors, and occasionally aided by initiatives threatening more direct U.S. and allied action. The results have been amazing.

Taylor’s regime was toppled. Sanko was captured and killed. Gadhafi turned tail in fear that the United States would come after him. Insurgencies abated in Niger, Mali and Senegal.

The ripple effect of these transformations has had a similar dramatic impact on Uganda’s suffering and in undermining repressive regimes in other countries. Initially al-Qaida nodes reacted with vengeance in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, but that has been increasingly brought under control.

“Thanks to President Bush, whose strong resolve, public condemnation and appropriate action forced our tyrant into exile,” Liberian President Ellen Sirleaf, the first woman leader of an African nation, said last spring.

Somalia was the latest major challenge. Jihadists allied with al-Qaida almost established themselves there. Ethiopia took the lead to support the U.N.-appointed government of Somalia and throw out the jihadists, closing a terrorist training camp outside the capital in Jowhar.

Millions of Africans have renewed hope for better lives. Relief and aid agencies are pouring in on the coattails of U.S. victories. Children are escaping the horrors of war…

Read it all here.



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