I remember in my youth I heard Africa referred to as “The Dark Continent”…..I was never sure if that was a racist statement or just a statement on the limited amount of knowledge of the continent….I’m still not sure what is meant by the description.

Just what is US troops doing in Africa?  Are we fighting terror?  Maybe we are just a stabilizing force for some dictator?  What is the mission?

The Intercept has gained access to some papers that may help to explain our involvement in Africa…….

Across Africa, 1,700 Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, and other military personnel are carrying out 78 distinct “mission sets” in more than 20 nations, according to documents obtained by The Intercept.

“The SOCAFRICA operational environment is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous,” says Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, using the acronym of the secretive organization he presides over, Special Operations Command Africa. “It’s a wickedly complex environment tailor-made for the type of nuanced and professional cooperation SOF [special operations forces] is able to provide.”

Equally complex is figuring out just what America’s most elite troops on the continent are actually doing, and who they are targeting.

Source: In Africa, the U.S. Military Sees Enemies Everywhere

Again….what is the specific mission of troops deployed to Africa?

There is a line in a movie about Africa….”It is Africa….No body cares about Africa”…..that was accurate until oil was discovered in Nigeria and the world salivated and became concerned….the vision of dollar signs danced in their eyes…..