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Salon
Salon
Politics
Nick Turse

What's the US military doing in Africa?

Senegalese Chief of Staff Mamadou Sow (R) speaks with former AFRICOM chief General David Rodriguez during three-week joint military exercise between African, US and European troops, known as Flintlock, on February 29, 2016 in Saint Louis. (SEYLLOU/AFP via Getty Images)

What's the U.S. military doing in Africa? It's an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, straight-jacketed in secrecy, and hogtied by red tape. Or at least it would be if it were up to the Pentagon.

Ten years ago, I embarked on a quest to answer that question at TomDispatch, chronicling a growing American military presence on that continent, a build-up of both logistical capabilities and outposts, and the possibility that far more was occurring out of sight. "Keep your eye on Africa," I concluded. "The U.S. military is going to make news there for years to come."

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