Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in Africa

President Donald Trump’s Africa policy is often characterized as one of indifference towards the continent. The news of four American soldiers killed in combat with ISIS on the border of Mali and Niger, however, demonstrated the reality of the situation, which is that American troops are increasing...

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Main Author: Christopher Griffin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Presses universitaires de Rennes 2018-09-01
Series:Revue LISA
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/10157
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author Christopher Griffin
author_facet Christopher Griffin
author_sort Christopher Griffin
collection DOAJ
description President Donald Trump’s Africa policy is often characterized as one of indifference towards the continent. The news of four American soldiers killed in combat with ISIS on the border of Mali and Niger, however, demonstrated the reality of the situation, which is that American troops are increasing their involvement in counterterrorism on the continent. This paper uses the Niger incident as its starting point to examine the Trump administration’s military policy in Africa against Al Qaeda and ISIS affiliated groups. Trump’s rhetoric and stated policy about Africa contrasts with the reality on the ground, where the US considers the war on terrorism there to be strategically important. The presence of the US Army and its actions in Somalia, Libya, Niger and in Nigeria demonstrate that Trump has carried over some of the active military policies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Trump, however, has changed the US strategy from an emphasis on foreign aid and peacekeeping to a focus on the use of significant military force and firepower to defeat Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorist groups. The wars in Africa fit into Trump’s worldwide war on terrorism aimed at destroying Al Qaeda and ISIS, and in which the administration is prepared to accept significant American casualties.
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spelling doaj-art-5d6bea66ff254b4da06545c6ff7ea29b2025-01-06T09:03:26ZengPresses universitaires de RennesRevue LISA1762-61532018-09-011610.4000/lisa.10157Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in AfricaChristopher GriffinPresident Donald Trump’s Africa policy is often characterized as one of indifference towards the continent. The news of four American soldiers killed in combat with ISIS on the border of Mali and Niger, however, demonstrated the reality of the situation, which is that American troops are increasing their involvement in counterterrorism on the continent. This paper uses the Niger incident as its starting point to examine the Trump administration’s military policy in Africa against Al Qaeda and ISIS affiliated groups. Trump’s rhetoric and stated policy about Africa contrasts with the reality on the ground, where the US considers the war on terrorism there to be strategically important. The presence of the US Army and its actions in Somalia, Libya, Niger and in Nigeria demonstrate that Trump has carried over some of the active military policies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Trump, however, has changed the US strategy from an emphasis on foreign aid and peacekeeping to a focus on the use of significant military force and firepower to defeat Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorist groups. The wars in Africa fit into Trump’s worldwide war on terrorism aimed at destroying Al Qaeda and ISIS, and in which the administration is prepared to accept significant American casualties.https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/10157foreign policyBush George W.Trump DonaldAl QaedaAfrica policyBoko Haram
spellingShingle Christopher Griffin
Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in Africa
Revue LISA
foreign policy
Bush George W.
Trump Donald
Al Qaeda
Africa policy
Boko Haram
title Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in Africa
title_full Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in Africa
title_fullStr Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in Africa
title_full_unstemmed Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in Africa
title_short Trump and the Al Qaeda and ISIS Networks in Africa
title_sort trump and the al qaeda and isis networks in africa
topic foreign policy
Bush George W.
Trump Donald
Al Qaeda
Africa policy
Boko Haram
url https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/10157
work_keys_str_mv AT christophergriffin trumpandthealqaedaandisisnetworksinafrica