{{Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has decided against moving the U.S. military’s headquarters overseeing Africa from Germany to the United States, concluding the benefits of staying in Europe – closer to African hot spots – are worth the extra cost, officials say.}}<\/p>\n
The Pentagon notified Congress of its decision this week. Some lawmakers had been pushing for Africa Command to move stateside, with South Carolina and Georgia promoted as possible locations.<\/p>\n
“The decision was based on the operational needs of the commander,” a U.S. defense official told Reuters, referring to General Carter Ham, the outgoing head of Africa Command.<\/p>\n
Africa has become much more important for the U.S. military in the last decade. American forces played a prominent role in NATO operations during the uprising in Libya, and is assisting the French mission in Mali.<\/p>\n
The decision about the location of AFRICOM, as it is known in the military, was shared with Congress the same week that news emerged of a deal with Niger that could pave the way for a U.S. drone base there.<\/p>\n
AFRICOM is the only U.S. regional combatant command that is neither in the United States nor in its area of responsibility.<\/p>\n
Central Command, which oversees the Middle East and Afghanistan, is headquartered in Florida. Pacific Command, which monitors Asia, is in Hawaii.<\/p>\n
Agencies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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