US Army
A year after President Barack Obama’s inauguration, the administration has failed to change course from disastrous U.S. policies that privilege expanding military ties rather than promoting economic development and democracy in Africa. A recent article by Daniel Volman notes that the Obama administration’s FY 10 budget request
“proposed significant increases in US arms sales and military training programs for African countries, as well as for regional programs on the continent.”
The budget of Africom (the US military command for Africa) far exceeds that of the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The United States must reverse this trend by revitalizing the capacity and resources of these critical agencies, rather than prioritizing military assistance and training programs. In addition to over militarizing underdeveloped African nations with limited infrastructure, investing in military programs diverts scarce resources from efforts to consolidate democracy, uphold human rights, and spur economic growth on the continent.
