Into Africa: A New Frontier in the War on Terror
By Lieutenant Commander Pat Paterson, USN
Africa, long a haven and training ground for terrorists, has become a priority in the Global War on Terrorism.
The war on terror is about to enter a new theater. Africa has emerged into the spotlight of global counter-terror operations because of repeated appearances of Africans among the foreign fighters in Iraq. The Navy and Marine Corps are concerned that the vast and lawless expanses of Africa could make the continent a potential terrorist sanctuary. The reasons that make Africa a safe haven for terrorist organizations are the same ones that make the continent difficult for American military operations. The challenges associated with making inroads onto the continent, perhaps the most impoverished, corrupt, and ungoverned region on the planet, leave the Navy and Marines with a daunting task before them.
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Lieutenant Commander Paterson is the African desk officer at Special Operations Command, Europe in Stuttgart, Germany. A 1989 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he is also a surface warfare and foreign area officer.
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