United States troops are in Chad training some of the country's elite forces in how to fight al-Qaeda or any of its allies in the region. The US is giving equipment as well as training to the soldiers. This is the latest battleground in what United States President George W Bush calls the global war on terrorism. Twenty-five US marines have been stationed at a base 50km south of the capital Ndjamena at a military base, Camp Loumia, working with 170 Chadian soldiers. It is all part of what the US calls the Pan-Sahel Initiative, with US forces improving military training in Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
Before he set off for last year's tour of Africa, Mr Bush declared security to be the first priority of what he said was a partnership with African states. "We will give them the tools and resources to win the war on terror," he said. Those words are now being put into action and Major Paul Baker is in charge of this operation. "The enemy is anyone who passes illicit arms, goods or people, through the territory of Chad. Predominantly up in the north, where the borders are a little more porous, there is a little more of a threat of terrorism. Ultimately this company is the anti-terrorism unit for Chad," he said.
The US had almost lost interest in Africa following the end of the Cold War. But since 11 September 2001, the continent is now firmly back on the Pentagon's agenda as a breeding ground for terrorism. The train bombs in Madrid earlier this year, planned from Morocco, only underlined how dangerous this region could be. |