U.S. Counterterrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa: Understanding Costs, Cultures, and Conflicts
Abstract
While sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has never been the centerpiece of U.S. foreign or defense policy, the current struggle of the United States and its allies against terrorist groups and individuals motivated by Islamic extremism has elevated the region to a front in the global conflict. In this Letort Paper, Dr. Donovan C. Chau examines U.S. counterterrorism policy in SSA. He begins by analyzing the policy debate in Washington, DC, especially the fundamental divergence of approaches between development and defense. From there, the paper shifts to a discussion of the attitudes and views of terrorism and counterterrorism in SSA. Vast and diverse, SSA is divided subregionally into East, West, and Southern Africa so as to highlight the different geographies, histories, threats, and perceptions. Given the debate in Washington and the perspectives from SSA, Dr. Chau answers the central question concerning the most effective long-term approach to counterterrorism in SSA. He suggests a grand strategic approach to attain "three standards" that comprise seizing and holding the moral high ground, winning the struggle for perceived legitimacy, and pursuing restrained counterterrorism responses. None of the standards are attainable, however, without a future generation of analysts, officers, and policy makers with deep knowledge and understanding of SSA.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA485702
Entities
People
- Donovan C. Chau
Organizations
- United States Army War College