Obama to deploy 300 US troops to Cameroon to fight Boko Haram

[PufPuf23]

Source: The Guardian US edition

Senior administration official says deployment is part of efforts to fight Boko Haram as militant group expands beyond traditional base in Nigeria.

Barack Obama on Wednesday notified US Congress that he intends to deploy 300 troops to Cameroon to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

In a letter released by the White House, the president said 90 personnel had already been deployed, and would be armed for self-defense.

A senior administration official told AFP the deployment was “part of the counter Boko Haram effort”.



Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/14/obama-deployment-us-troops-cameroon-boko-haram

[forest444]

1. Because, hey. What could wrong!?

[FiveGoodMen]

2. From the war hawks' perspective? Nothing.

Some of those 300 will be killed.

Then we'll have to escalate.

Mission accomplished.

[forest444]

3. Ah, the human condition.

They play; we pay.

[maxsolomon]

4. Obama is between a rock and a hard place.

Nigeria needs help. Chad needs our help. Cameroon needs our help. Maybe our role escalates; hopefully it doesn't. But the status quo is unacceptable.

We're going there for aerial reconnaissance, to support and direct Nigerian & Chadian efforts. The region is flat and arid with scrub forests - easy to observe from above, nearly impossible from the ground. We'll be able to figure out where their bases are with any luck.

We're not going there for oil that I can see. To the degree that it is possible for America, it's selfless. We're going there because Boko Haram are medievalists, misogynists and nihilists. They need to be eliminated to the man.

[PufPuf23]

6. More like whack a mole some more, AFRICOM version.

We have not proved to be effective as World police of the 21st century.

[maxsolomon]

11. we sure haven't

But, for one, France was successful in driving out an Al Queda affiliate from Mali, so there is recent precedent for anti-guerilla campaigns in this region.

I don't see that we have a choice but to try.

[PADemD]

7. Chad's Fight Against Boko Haram

Boko Haram's terror has spread beyond Nigeria's borders. In mid-June the recently declared Islamic State-affiliate staged two suicide attacks in the Chadian capital N'djamena, killing 23 people. The expanding threat posed by the militant group was answered earlier this year by a regional coalition of forces from Chad, Niger, and Cameroon who agreed to assist Nigeria's own beleaguered army.

Chad's contingent of 5,000 soldiers has advanced the furthest into Nigeria. One of the most experienced fighting forces in the region, Chad says they've killed hundreds of Boko Haram militants while losing few of their own troops.

Meanwhile, thousands of refugees and displaced people have sought shelter in Chad's Lake Region, which houses some of most destitute communities in one of the poorest countries in the world.

https://news.vice.com/video/chads-fight-against-boko-haram

Video at link

[olddots]

5. the 1%ers are celebrating again

and the troops are staying everywhere.

[PADemD]

8. China Unicom seals deal to expand Cameroon's telecom capacity

YAOUNDE, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mobile communication company China Unicom has signed an agreement with its Cameroonian counterpart to cooperate on improve link between the Central African country with the rest of world.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of China Unicom Yimin Lu signed the agreement with the General Manager of Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL) David Nkoto Emane for deploying a submarine optical fibre cable to link Cameroon in Central Africa with Brazil in South America.

The 5,900 km long project deployed by Huawei Marine Networks, which will build the landing station in Kribi in the South Region of Cameroon, with Telefonica handling the landing station in Fortaleza, Brazil, estimated to cost 280 billion CFA francs (487 U.S. dollars), will boost Cameroon's telecommunications capability.

"We are going into this project that will take about 24 months for its deployment," said Emane.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=305288

[Ford_Prefect]

9. Cross posting from 2 days ago, Same topic alternate source.

Obama sends 300 U.S. troops to Cameroon in anti-Boko Haram fight

Source: Reuters via Yahoo

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141233515

Read more: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/obama-sends-300-u-troops-cameroon-anti-boko-161736667.html


So how is this LBN?

News yes. A largely Ignored subject and an expanding one. I wonder just how many people know the number and types of troops already deployed in Africa?

[PufPuf23]

10. October 14 post and source. Ask for it to be locked if you desire.

There are troops all over Africa.

I have been following AFRICOM for years.

Better if not an ignored subject.