By Matik Kueth
The head of the US Africa Command, Gen. Michael Langley, has laid out the case for maintaining troops on the continent, as the United States under President Donald Trump reassesses its military engagement in various parts of the world.
In a statement, Langley said USAFRICOM’s presence in Africa is critical for fighting threats to the US while establishing alliances and promoting stability.
“Africa remains a nexus theatre from which the United States cannot shift its gaze. It is home to terrorists who take advantage of conditions in Africa to grow and export their ideology,” Langley told the Senate Armed Services Committee at a meeting in Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart-Möhringen, Germany on Friday.
He stated that USAFRICOM was keenly aware that “if ISIS and al-Qaeda groups continue their expansion, they will pose a direct threat to the US homeland.”
Langley pointed out that the force strives to make accurate decisions to solve issues and capitalize on identified possibilities.
“It is where the Chinese Communist Party actively works to change international rules-based order as a stepping stone to become the global hegemon. And it’s where the Russian Federation seizes opportunities created by chaos and instability,” he said.
He added, “We must deter these nations and their malign actors from their goals.”
The meeting comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Brussels seeking to reassure NATO allies about the US commitment to the alliance. Allies in the military alliance have expressed concern about any reduction of American troops or support in the region.
However, the US Defense Department has not made any public proposals to reduce military levels in the region.