E.E.R: US presence in Africa and operational bases

The United States have allegedly, a handful of troops helping the French in Mali, but that’s just a drop in the bucket of the U.S. military’s presence in Africa 2013…

…which has been quietly building for the past decade and is approved by post colonial societies (including the United Kingdom).

You’ve probably heard about the 2,000-troop hub at Camp Lemmonier, Djibouti, and the 100 special operators hunting Joseph Kony.

But less is known about the handful of U.S. drone bases scattered across the continent and the dozens of exercises involving hundreds, if not thousands, of American troops (click the place-marks on the map below – for a quick description of what U.S. troops are doing in each country.)

Map of post colonial territories where the U.S. has recently conducted exercises, operations or has bases in Africa.

View U.S. military presence in Africa in a larger map

Place-marks notes (below): or view U.S. military presence in Africa 2013 in a larger map

Morocco

Last month, about 1,200 U.S. Marines, sailors and airmen participated in African Lion ’13 where they drove 250 tons worth of vehicles and equipment on a 300 mile convoyand practiced low-level flying

Mali

U.S. troops are aiding the French fight against Islamist rebels.

Niger

The northwest ramp of the airport at Niamey, Niger is the possible site of a U.S. drone base.

Burkina Faso

A special ramp at Ouagadougou’s airport is reportedly a hub for U.S. military surveillance planes operating in the region.

Cape Verde

U.S. coast guardsmen and sailors from the Navy and the Royal Navy helped sailors from Cape Verde’s navy conduct maritime law enforcement operations. The Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll…

Mauritania

In February and March, more than 1,000 troops from African countries and the U.S. participated in Flintlock 13. Flintlock is an annual special operations exercise held in the region.

Senegal

In March, the U.S., five European countries and eight African nations participated in exercise Saharan Express 2013 aimed at developing anti-piracy skills.

South Sudan

The South Sudanese village of Nizara is the possible site of a new U.S. drone base. U.S. special operations troops are also here helping to hunt Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army.

Kenya

An airstrip under construction near Lamu in coastal Kenya is reportedly home to a new U.S. drone base.

Tanzania

In February, U.S. special operations troops co-hosted a conference for special ops forces from east Africa.

Djibouti

Camp Lemmonier, Djibouti is home to roughly 2,000 U.S. troops and serves as the major U.S. base in Africa.

Placemark 15

Entebbe airport is apparently home to U.S. drone operations. U.S. special operations troops are also here helping to hunt Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army.

Ethiopia

Arba Minch, Ethiopia is reportedly home to a U.S. drone base.

Seychelles

The U.S. has a drone base at the airport on the island of Mahe in the Seychelles.

Cameroon

U.S. Navy and Air Force troops provided medical treatment to more than 1,300 people here over five days in early April under the aegis of the U.S. Navy’s Africa Partnership Station.

Central African Republic

U.S. special operations troops are here helping to hunt down Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

A two-man “travelling contact team” from the U.S. Army “recently” ran a three week course training 29 local troops in basic intelligence techniques. U.S. special operations troops are also here helpin…

Nigeria

Last week, U.S. milirary medical personnel and staff at the Nigerian navy hospital in Lagos exchanged “best practices” for treating trauma casualties.

Liberia

A two-man “Travelling Contact Team” from U.S. Army Africa’s Inspector General’s office went to Monrovia to help the Liberian military stand up its own inspector general cadre.

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A quick look at exercises and other activities conducted by U.S. Africa Command (HQ in Germany) reveals a U.S. military presence in more than a dozen countries — from Cape Verde in the West to the Seychelles in the East and Morocco in the North.

These exercises have shared medical techniques with the Nigerian military, provided intelligence training in Congo, trained special operators in Cameroon, and even included an East African Special Operations Conference in Zanzibar.

Just look at the U.S. Army’s page on Africa to find even more examples of soldiers deploying to Africa.

In 2012, Africa Command planned 14 major exercises with African militaries, according to the command’s website. Meanwhile, the Foreign Military Financing program gave African militaries $45 million to buy American-made weapons in 2011.Tunisia received the most cash ($17 million), followed by Morocco ($9 million) andLiberia ($7 million).