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The DOD Role in African Policy

Abstract : Africa's role in U.S. national security policy has fluctuated between episodic importance in times of East-West tensions to relative unimportance since the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union. Crises in Liberia and Somalia, and the domestically important issue of South African governance, are rare instances of U.S. attention being focused on the region. Economic development, political reform, and conflict resolution are the focus of congressional interest and dominate discussion of U.S. African policy. These largely humanitarian interests overshadow strategic security interests. Unfolding global and regional events, however, portend an increase in Africa's importance to U.S. national security interests and warrant greater Department of Defense (DoD) participation both in the region and in the policy debate. This article examines the current African policy environment and its effects on U.S. strategic and humanitarian interests. The article also suggests a strategy whereby DoD might contribute markedly to U.S. humanitarian policy initiatives while furthering U.S. strategic security interests. DoD should play a major role in Africa policy formulation for several reasons: the contributions of current DoD programs, the likelihood of future peace enforcement missions, and Africa's strategic importance to the United States.