Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al-Saadi: There were concerns that Lahham would be placed under administrative detention.
Al-Saadi: The Israeli occupation authorities could not prove any allegations leveled against Nasser Lahham.
Lawyer Oussama al-Saadi: The oppressive Israeli measures of delaying Lahham's release had vengeful motives.
Nasser Lahham's lawyer said the journalist was released without any conditions or restrictions, adding that the conditions in which he was kept were terrible.
The Israeli occupation authorities release Al Mayadeen Palestine bureau chief Nasser al-Lahham.
Local Syrian sources: An Israeli airstrike targeted a tank and artillery battalion in the city of Izraa in the Daraa countryside
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in eastern Lebanon: 12 martyrs and 5 wounded in Israeli raids targeting the outskirts of Wadi Fa'ra in the northern Bekaa Valley
Local Syrian sources: More than 10 Israeli raids targeted Sweida, with information about more than five casualties from the Internal Security Forces
Local Syrian sources: Initial reports indicate that approximately 15 people were killed or wounded at the al-Radwan family's guest house in Sweida following a direct exchange of gunfire
Israeli media, citing Israeli political sources, reported that the Shas movement is expected to withdraw from the government within less than 24 hours

US champions short-term security over long-term stability in Africa

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Responsible Statecraft
  • 22 Aug 2023 21:01
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

A new report sheds light on why the US must change its security assistance strategy in African states.

  • x
  • Case studies: US military assistance in Africa doesn’t work
    US military forces during an exercise at Adazi, Latvia, on April 29, 2023 (AP)

According to a new analysis by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, reported on by Responsible Statecraft, the recent string of military coups across the Sahelian area should drive a significant reconsideration of US military and security support to weak African nations, which calls for a far larger focus on improving governance.

The report details that “military action might suppress the problem of terrorism, but it will not relieve the underlying conditions that feed it,” highlighting that “only improved governance can address these grievances, which means good governance is the foundation for long-term stability.”

"It's time to flip the script," the report's authors suggest, detailing that the US has for a long time given priority to short-term security at the expense of "long-term stability by prioritizing the provision of military security assistance." 

However, this policy has neither benefited African security nor lessened challenges to the US and its interests.

The report, titled “Less is More: A New Strategy for US Security Assistance to Africa,” details several case studies and expresses concern that the new paradigm of "great-power competition" between the United States and Russia or China may lead to an increased reliance on military support.

Read next: US desperate for meddling in Africa, where Russia, China stand strong

"The rise of great-power competition exacerbates the risk that the US national security establishment will double down on its security cooperation strategy in the region out of concern that doing otherwise would leave a vacuum that America's competitors might fill," the paper states. "In reality, however, the argument for being more selective in distributing security assistance is even stronger with the return of great-power competition, as values and reputation become increasingly important in attracting support for the United States over other great powers."

The report follows how the coup in Niger, which holds a drone base of about 1100 US soldiers, has received nearly $500 million in US security and military aid.

Related News

Rutte: Secondary tariffs on Russia would impact China, India, Brazil

US urges 'Israel' to halt Syria airstrikes, Tel Aviv pledges to stop

This was the sixth coup in the Sahelian and West African regions since 2020.

Read more: RS: The fate of US troops in Niger

US officers played roles in coups in Mali, Guinea, Chad, and Burkina Faso as well, with the report citing that only a limited impact has been made on human rights and civilian authority.

The report further explains that the US should recognize that security assistance in such states is "innately risky," emphasizing that assistance should only be provided in the case that the benefits greatly outweigh the long-term costs. 

The paper includes country case studies for Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Ethiopia. In the analysis, in all three nations, the US failed to "prevent or end the terrorist threat that US assistance was meant to combat, facilitated abusive behavior by the partner country's military, and ultimately contributed to greater instability in the long term."

More rigorous vetting and oversight were suggested, as well as proper documentation of human rights abuses in order to avoid prolonged instability.

Additionally, the paper suggested that all new assistance programs be given proper risk assessment in order to ensure US interests in the long-term are not hindered.

It also demands far larger and more rigorous Congressional scrutiny of US security aid programs, as well as the closure of loopholes in the so-called Leahy statutes, which prohibit assistance to repressive units.

Lastly, the report suggests prioritizing non-military assistance and providing more assistance to regional bodies such as ECOWAS than directly getting involved. In other words, the report confirms what American citizens and the global audience have been advocating for decades: the US should reduce its foreign meddling as it is not only harming other countless nations and their innocent people but also ultimately harming its image and own people. 

  • Africa
  • Responsible Statecraft
  • United States
  • US Army
  • US military

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025
This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows damage after an Iranian attack at the al Udeid Airbase outside of Doha, Qatar, June 25, 2025 (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Satellite images show Iran attack damaged US comms dome in Qatari base

  • Politics
  • 11 Jul 2025
An Israeli soldier abandons an excavator during an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades. Arabic text reads "The moment the soldier fled", July, 10, 2025 (Al Qassam Military Media)

Israeli media rue al-Qassam footage, alarmed by fighters among troops

  • Politics
  • 11 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Syrian government forces deploy at the Mazraa village on the outskirts of city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Bedouin clans and Druze factions, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Gulf-backed negotiations underway in Syria's Sweida to end clashes

UN: 798 Palestinians killed while trying to reach aid in Gaza
Palestine

UN: 798 Palestinians killed while trying to reach aid in Gaza

A damaged car is seen at a field that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Nabi Sheet village, in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, Wednesday, August 21, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Hezbollah condemns Israeli Bekaa massacre, urges action from Lebanon

Palestinians walk next to the closed humanitarian aid distribution center of UNRWA, the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime cuts electricity, water supplies to UNRWA Gaza offices

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS