Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
June 20, 2008
Pg. 7
The new U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is facing some problems that its commander doesn’t want to talk about, and high on that list is China and South Africa.
During a June 19 breakfast in Washington, Army Gen. William E. Ward, AFRICOM’s commander, brushed off questions about harnessing South Africa’s network of air bases, positive air control, training schools and pool of pilots, as well as China’s sale of arms to anyone in Africa with money or something to trade. “I have opinions,” he allowed.
However, senior U.S. military intelligence officials tell Aviation Week that China is the only country that still sells arms to Zimbabwe, where iron-fisted leader Robert Mugabe refuses to abide by democratic election results. In addition, Chinese-made F-7 fighter and K-8 military training aircraft grace the ramps of several African countries.
In the past, South Africa asked the U.S. for more modern transport aircraft and fuel and offered its air force and bases to help its neighbors. However, the establishment of AFRICOM has torpedoed that desire for cooperation, senior U.S. military officials say. The South African government now sees the U.S. as a peer competitor for political and military influence in Africa, and it is stiff-arming cooperation with the U.S., they say.
“It’s not my job to ask the Chinese to limit arms sales in Africa,” Ward says. He instead chose a more positive interpretation of China’s contributions to Africa by noting that its military has provided airlift and engineering capabilities, built roads and mounted peacekeeping operations.
While avoiding direct questions about South Africa, Ward did mention his desire to work with the few professional air forces in Africa, such as in Botswana.
He predicts that AFRICOM will double in size over the summer, but it is not being designed to unilaterally “fix things for them.” Instead, the command will wait for requests from African nations, after which the United States will do its best to meet those needs as a partner, and would be willing to depart from traditional organizational constructs and funding models if necessary.
Asked where AFRICOM will move its headquarters that are now in Stuttgart, Germany, Ward says, “I don’t need to spend time on that right now.” He says there is no guide book about how to set up a new unified command, so his time is spent in improvising and experimenting with its organization.
--David A. Fulghum
June 20, 2008
Pg. 7
The new U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is facing some problems that its commander doesn’t want to talk about, and high on that list is China and South Africa.
During a June 19 breakfast in Washington, Army Gen. William E. Ward, AFRICOM’s commander, brushed off questions about harnessing South Africa’s network of air bases, positive air control, training schools and pool of pilots, as well as China’s sale of arms to anyone in Africa with money or something to trade. “I have opinions,” he allowed.
However, senior U.S. military intelligence officials tell Aviation Week that China is the only country that still sells arms to Zimbabwe, where iron-fisted leader Robert Mugabe refuses to abide by democratic election results. In addition, Chinese-made F-7 fighter and K-8 military training aircraft grace the ramps of several African countries.
In the past, South Africa asked the U.S. for more modern transport aircraft and fuel and offered its air force and bases to help its neighbors. However, the establishment of AFRICOM has torpedoed that desire for cooperation, senior U.S. military officials say. The South African government now sees the U.S. as a peer competitor for political and military influence in Africa, and it is stiff-arming cooperation with the U.S., they say.
“It’s not my job to ask the Chinese to limit arms sales in Africa,” Ward says. He instead chose a more positive interpretation of China’s contributions to Africa by noting that its military has provided airlift and engineering capabilities, built roads and mounted peacekeeping operations.
While avoiding direct questions about South Africa, Ward did mention his desire to work with the few professional air forces in Africa, such as in Botswana.
He predicts that AFRICOM will double in size over the summer, but it is not being designed to unilaterally “fix things for them.” Instead, the command will wait for requests from African nations, after which the United States will do its best to meet those needs as a partner, and would be willing to depart from traditional organizational constructs and funding models if necessary.
Asked where AFRICOM will move its headquarters that are now in Stuttgart, Germany, Ward says, “I don’t need to spend time on that right now.” He says there is no guide book about how to set up a new unified command, so his time is spent in improvising and experimenting with its organization.
--David A. Fulghum