US-West Africa Relations

🌍 Americans do not understand the West African zeitgeist. We do not know all of the different ethnic groups in West Africa, nor do we understand the dynamics between these groups. We don’t really understand the internal strife among West Africans that is causing so much terrorist activity and the military coups. The USA must trust the judgement of the democratic leaders of West Africa on these issues. We must respect their decisions, and support their solution, however they wish to proceed. The US mission in West Africa is to help the region become more secure and stable. We are not there to impose our will on West Africans. Because of West Africa's colonial history, the USA must be extremely careful so that our military presence is not misinterpreted by the civilian populations, otherwise we risk generating strong anti-American sentiment in the region. xo