The Islamic State has been consolidating its African offshoots as part of an effort to expand its presence across the continent. As part of a series of blogs to mark the publication of Armed Conflict Survey 2020, Eleanor Beevor and Flore Berger examine the impact of these developments and the risks they could pose.
America can focus on the Eurasia because AFRICOM helps locals keep a lid on things. So don't reduce its assets too much.
If it can't, America might find itself forced to commit more American forces just as it had to do in CENTCOM starting in 1990, but really in earnest in 2001 until fights in Iraq and Afghanistan wound down as locals gained more ability to fight without a large American expeditionary force.
An expansion of jihadi presence across Africa means AFRICOM needs to expand its reach. I suggested in a Military Review article The AFRICOM Queen modularized auxiliary cruiser as a power projection platform that can act around the long African littorals.
