U.S. in Africa

Very important. This confirms AFRICOM is active and, as I have maintained for some time, a more permanent presence is forthcoming. The U.S. appears to be prepared for a series of proxy conflicts with Asia which is an increasingly probable outcome.

Full article here.

Somali government troops massed in Mogadishu for a planned offensive against al Shabaab, the powerful al Qaeda allied-militia that's been trying to topple the government.

Government and African Union officials say the goal is for the Somali troops, backed by U.S.-trained African Union forces, to carve out a secure area of Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.

Achieving that objective would provide breathing space for the Somali government to function, and the opportunity to win support from a fractious and insecure public, officials say.

The strategy takes a page from U.S. counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, where strengthening a weak government has been seen as pivotal in the U.S.-led wars against Islamic militants.

"We have our troops trained and equipped now, so they are ready to clear the rebels out of the country," said Somali Security Minister Abdullahi Mohamed Ali.