Do we really have to kick everyone’s butt in the world? What are our strategic interests in Africa?
Somalia Pirates.
Oil or more correctly untapped oil reserves and removal of oil producers that don't want to play nice,economically speaking. Namely Iran who now accepts euros for their oil instead of only dollars. Once the troops are drawn down from Iraq I believe Israel will move on Iran. The ME will get very hot for awhile so we are looking to cultivate other sources of oil and hopefully displace China in the process.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Sudan#Oil
http://www.economist.com/node/15825780
The Horn of Africa is a very strategic place through which large numbers of our Navy's ships and civilian shipping pass. There has been no functioning government in most of Somalia for a long time, which is why the pirates can operate. Plus, Al Qaeda has figured out they can operate there for the same reason.
We aren't, however, sending troops to Somalia. Not after the Mogadishu fiasco. Instead, friendly local countries, like Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda have been doing what they can to keep a lid on the situation. One reason we are helping Uganda with the Lord's Resistance Army, which is more of a gang of thugs than an army or liberation movement, is that they are helping us in Somalia.
Obama is a truly awful President, but not everything he does is wrong. Stopped clock and all that.
Oil, as stated. Also gold and diamonds and other gems and minerals.
The First Family has Brothers, Aunts and Uncles there.
African security is an American priority. We don’t want a member of the first family getting kidnapped.
This is also about China. They just are not talking about it. China is moving into Africa bigtime. Leasing thousands and thousands of acres of farmland to grow crops etc.
Somewhere between Uganda and Somoalia lies St. Mary’s Church...?
I suppose you can claim we're countering Chinese power in the region, but that's a stretch.
Maybe we should ask: What are the interests of the State Department and the Department of Defense in the region?
This kind of meddling strengthens DoD and DoS influence, gives them greater budgets and gives them more things to do.
And anyone who criticizes this patronage system is tarred as an isolationist.
In the war on terror we have only a tactical interest.
However, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq and the smaller Gulf states have an existential interest in the Horn of Africa, as does Kenya.
We need to protect those regimes for 10 more years so that we can bring on domestic supplies of hydrocarbons.
We have Strategic Interests there by extension.
Nigeria for starters.
Where the US is absent chaos produces huge problems for us and our interests across the globe like it or not. Not that I have any hope or expectation this idiot knows how to protect our interests. Quite the contrary.
Cheap real world weapons testing. You blow up a few Africans to make sure the weapons systems can work in the field when operated by our troops before you buy a large contract supply of them from the manufacturer. It gives you honest feedback from the troops using the equipment and a realistic assessment of how effective the hardware is when deployed half a world away, and nobody gets hurt, ... excepting a few nobodies. /s
Same as our strategic interests in Afghanistan pre-911. The days when you could isolate yourself from your enemies are LONG gone. Al Qaeda can reach and a touch you from any place in the world.
Ain't technology grand?