190:," he says, "the American officers are pursuing this battle with a new approach. Instead of planning on a heavy American military presence, they are dispatching Special Operations forces to countries like Mali and Mauritania in West Africa to train soldiers and outfit them with pickup trucks, radios and global-positioning equipment."
125:
In addition to the "training and material support," the release states, another program would "bring military and civilian officials from the four countries together to encourage greater cooperation and information exchange within and among the governments of the region on counterterrorism and border
121:
Beginning in
November 2002, "technical assessments" took place in each country to "help focus training and other capacity building resources." PSI was to "assist participating countries to counter known terrorist operations and border incursions, as well as trafficking of people, illicit materials,
205:"Late last year, soldiers from the 10th Special Forces Group began training military forces in Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger under the Pan-Sahel Initiative, a $ 7 million State Department program designed to help the security forces of those impoverished nations defend against terrorists.
65:
PSI drew criticism for its lack of attention of underlying regional economic problems and local political struggles, the conduct of partner governments against those suspected of being "terrorists", and for indirectly radicalizing certain groups living in or near the
179:, with well-financed bands of Islamic militants recruiting, training and arming themselves. Terrorist attacks like the one on March 11 in Madrid that killed 191 people seem to have a North African link, investigators say, and may presage others in Europe."
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reported on
November 14, 2003, that the "multimillion dollar security training and equipment program" was "at last under way" in Mali, "a year after it was announced." The program was to continue in the other three countries "over the next several months."
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in
January 2002, a six-month analysis of U.S. force structure within European Command concluded that the United States likely would face a number of security challenges in Africa over the next 10 to 15 years and that a more robust engagement was needed.
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in detecting and responding to suspicious movement of people and goods across and within their borders through training, equipment and cooperation. Its goals support two U.S. national security interests in Africa: waging the
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The
Associated Press reported on May 6, 2004, that "The European Command has proposed expanding the Pan-Sahel Initiative to include Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, where terror threats are believed to be growing...."
114:, along with other State representatives, visited Chad, Niger, Mauritania and Mali, briefing host nations on the Pan-Sahel Initiative (PSI) ... a program designed to protect borders, track movement of people, combat
208:"That effort follows the establishment of Task Force Horn of Africa, where more than 1,200 Marines and special-operations soldiers are heading up anti-terror training and operations in eastern Africa from a base in
432:
21:
77:
region of Africa has become important in the global security arena. Vast expanses of unpopulated areas, instability, porous borders and corruption make
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448:'s country director for West Africa, to talk about the Pan Sahel Initiative. Public Affairs Officer Air Force Maj. Michael Shavers sat in."
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has asked for $ 125 million for the region over five years."The Pan-Sahel
Initiative is the newest front in the "American campaign against
215:"No U.S. forces have been committed to combat in Africa, Jones said. Involvement has consisted primarily of training and advisory teams."
445:
425:
103:, responsible for most of sub-Saharan Africa, says the effort could have a big pay-off for the United States and its Sahel partners."
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476:
389:
300:
433:"U.S.-African Partnership Helps Counter Terrorists in Sahel Region. New Maghreb cooperation central to Pan Sahel Initiative,"
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article reviewed the PSI, particularly as it played out in and now underlies current policy scenarios in
Mauritania.
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197:, the commander of U.S. European Command, which covers most of Africa ... said that shortly after he took command of
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444:(Europe), April 5, 2004: "Lisa Burgess and editor Pat Dickson sat down recently with Army Col. Vic Nelson, the
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are in Bamako, Gao and
Timbuktu, Mali; and Atar, Mauritania in northwestern Africa to provide
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Special to
American Forces Press Service, March 8, 2004: "Special Forces training teams from
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training for the Pan Sahel
Initiative, a U.S. State Department security assistance program."
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and enhancing regional peace and security." It was in 2005 superseded by the larger-scope
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Drew Brown, in his May 12, 2004, Knight Ridder article adds that "Marine Corps Gen.
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Smith says that the Pan-Sahel
Initiative "was begun with $ 7 million and focused on
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176:
137:, Craig Smith that the "U.S. Training African Forces to Uproot Terrorists."
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164:... in a region that military officials fear could become the next base for
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156:. It is being expanded to include Senegal and possibly other countries. The
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435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, Timbuktu, Mali, March 17, 2004.
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435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, Timbuktu, Mali, March 4, 2004.
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168:-- the largely ungoverned swath of territory stretching from the
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397:"1/10 Special Forces Group Supports Pan Sahel Initiative,"
404:"Special Forces Support Pan Sahel Initiative in Africa,"
175:"Generals here ... say the vast, arid region is a new
351:"U.S. stepping up anti-terrorism efforts in Africa,"
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to the Western Sahara's Atlantic coast," he writes.
383:"US creates African enemies where none were before"
118:, and enhance regional cooperation and stability."
73:"According to State Department officials, the Pan-
439:"Stripes' Q&A on DOD's Pan Sahel Initiative,"
106:Belida reported that in October 2002, "AF DAS
8:
426:"U.S. takes anti-terror training to Africa,"
390:"War on Terror and Social Networks in Mali"
53:, which in turn was incorporated into the
20:, according to a November 7, 2002, by the
435:U.S. Department of State, March 23, 2004.
51:Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative
385:Christian Science Monitor, July 9, 2003.
232:Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa
81:an inviting playground for terrorists."
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419:"Airmen Support Pan Sahel Initiative,"
368:, p. MM34, 2-15-09. Retrieved 2-15-09.
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28:, was "a State-led effort to assist
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408:Special Operations Command Europe
182:"Having learned from missteps in
95:Belida said that "Army Colonel
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110:and S/CT Deputy Coordinator
55:United States Africa Command
366:The New York Times Magazine
247:Military-industrial complex
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252:Operation Enduring Freedom
22:Office of Counterterrorism
392:ISIM Review, Spring 2006.
99:, operations director at
412:foreign internal defense
477:Terrorism in Mauritania
417:1st Lt. Phillip Ulmer,
402:1st Lt. Phillip Ulmer,
395:1st Lt. Phillip Ulmer,
362:"The Saharan Conundrum"
364:by Nicholas Schmidle,
446:Department of Defense
431:Jim Fisher-Thompson,
242:League of Arab States
158:U.S. European Command
133:In the May 11, 2004,
101:U.S. European Command
61:Pan-Sahel Initiative
18:Pan-Sahel Initiative
428:AP, March 22, 2004.
26:Department of State
482:Terrorism in Niger
303:2008-02-16 at the
126:security issues."
122:and other goods."
472:Terrorism in Mali
467:Terrorism in Chad
442:Stars and Stripes
327:"VOA News Report"
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462:Counterterrorism
388:David Gutelius,
381:David Gutelius,
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108:Robert Perry
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424:Ed Harris,
218:In 2009, a
195:James Jones
184:Afghanistan
177:Afghanistan
89:Alex Belida
456:Categories
273:References
146:Mauritania
42:Mauritania
162:terrorism
116:terrorism
57:in 2008.
301:Archived
237:G5 Sahel
226:See also
210:Djibouti
166:Al Qaeda
376:Sources
220:NYTimes
24:, U.S.
340:writes
79:Africa
68:Sahara
40:, and
262:Sahel
150:Niger
75:Sahel
34:Niger
199:NATO
188:Iraq
186:and
154:Chad
152:and
142:Mali
38:Chad
30:Mali
16:The
87:'s
70:.-
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