Trend Lines: Politics Dictates Use of U.S. Contractors to Train African Forces

Trend Lines: Politics Dictates Use of U.S. Contractors to Train African Forces

The United States is training a growing force of African troops as part of a wider strategy to fight al-Qaida-affiliated militants in Somalia.

Boot camps where contractors hired by the U.S. State Department provide training to Ugandan soldiers made headlines earlier this week.

According to recent reports, U.S. contractors will train three quarters of the 18,000 African Union troops deployed to Somalia, and the U.S. government has spent $550 million over the past several years on training and equipment.

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