The United States expanded intelligence-gathering operations in both sub-Saharan and North Africa by establishing a network of air bases for spying on terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab, Boko Harem, AQIM, and even AQAP in nearby Yemen, as well as tracking down Joseph Kony, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.
According to the WaPo, the bases in Uganda, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Djibuti, Kenya, and the Seychelles are used for "small, unarmed turboprop aircraft disguised as private planes" to avoid drawing attention and are "equipped with hidden sensors that can record full-motion video, track infrared heat patters, and vacuum up radio and cellphone signals."
Djibril Bassole, the foreign minister of Burkina Faso, praises the intelligence gathering operations and security agreement between his country and the United States.
"We need to fight and protect our borders," he said. "Once they infiltrate your country, it's very, very difficult to get them out.
Some discretion is necessary, he says.
"I cannot provide details but it has been very, very helpful. This cooperation should be very, very discreet. We should not show to al-Qaeda that we are working with the Americans."
Oops. Pretty sure they know now.
Special Ops forces, working with a sizable contingent of contractors, fly intel missions over the continent. The Special Ops depend heavily on contractors for much of the work, in effect outsourcing intelligence gathering efforts. The nature of the agreements leaves little accountability or means of renumeration for contractors or their families if things go wrong.
The article is worth reading in full, but one thing I noted about both stories was the mention of plainclothes civilians and military officers in bars and restaurants in the region. The first story placed special emphasis on the presence of service members an contractors in Ouagadougou, the capital of Muslim-majority Burkina Faso. The second placed emphasis on the presence of contractors in Kampala, which was attacked in July 2010 by al-Shabaab. Over 70 were killed and around 70 were injured when the Somali-based group attacked World Cup screenings.
I'm not sure what the mention of these foreigners in the capitals--especially in the BARS in these countries--added to the stories aside from placing these guys and mzungus (white people) who have nothing to do with the operations at risk of retaliation attacks. In the case of Ouagadougou, the story even mentioned locals appreciate them for the business they bring. In the case of Kenya--I mean, al-Shabaab already attacked them.
According to the WaPo, the bases in Uganda, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Djibuti, Kenya, and the Seychelles are used for "small, unarmed turboprop aircraft disguised as private planes" to avoid drawing attention and are "equipped with hidden sensors that can record full-motion video, track infrared heat patters, and vacuum up radio and cellphone signals."
Djibril Bassole, the foreign minister of Burkina Faso, praises the intelligence gathering operations and security agreement between his country and the United States.
"We need to fight and protect our borders," he said. "Once they infiltrate your country, it's very, very difficult to get them out.
Some discretion is necessary, he says.
"I cannot provide details but it has been very, very helpful. This cooperation should be very, very discreet. We should not show to al-Qaeda that we are working with the Americans."
Oops. Pretty sure they know now.
Special Ops forces, working with a sizable contingent of contractors, fly intel missions over the continent. The Special Ops depend heavily on contractors for much of the work, in effect outsourcing intelligence gathering efforts. The nature of the agreements leaves little accountability or means of renumeration for contractors or their families if things go wrong.
The article is worth reading in full, but one thing I noted about both stories was the mention of plainclothes civilians and military officers in bars and restaurants in the region. The first story placed special emphasis on the presence of service members an contractors in Ouagadougou, the capital of Muslim-majority Burkina Faso. The second placed emphasis on the presence of contractors in Kampala, which was attacked in July 2010 by al-Shabaab. Over 70 were killed and around 70 were injured when the Somali-based group attacked World Cup screenings.
I'm not sure what the mention of these foreigners in the capitals--especially in the BARS in these countries--added to the stories aside from placing these guys and mzungus (white people) who have nothing to do with the operations at risk of retaliation attacks. In the case of Ouagadougou, the story even mentioned locals appreciate them for the business they bring. In the case of Kenya--I mean, al-Shabaab already attacked them.
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