Finding a home for Africom

Bush announced Africom a year ago, meant to be a new way of promoting health, education, security, and democracy across Africa through a combination of US military and civilian resources. Africom would also make the way the US military manages Africa more streamlined. The former way wasn’t the best way to do business. This General was speaking at a conference on Africom today in London. He says many assumed Africom would flood the continent with tanks and troops which is not the plan but he says it’s an image he’s been battling since the initiative was launched. He’s now downplaying the thought that Africom will be fully functional by October as originally planned. He says the new command will be based in Germany until a permanent home in Africa can be found. So for only Liberia has offered to host, a reflection of African concerns towards Africom.