African foreign threats to the U.S.

What i'm looking for are the security threats that countries in the southern portion of Africa pose. We are well aware of the issues going on in Northern Africa and I feel the Southern portion often gets overlooked.

So if you were tasked with advising the President on the most immediate dangers from countries such as Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Angola, Zambia.........what would you think?

Is there a common theme running among the nations that poses are particular threat? Issues like terrorism, China's influence, drug trafficking...you get the idea.

Please try to keep it on topic since it is for research and not just a rant against America thread.

Thanks

Could you please elaborate on the threats possed to the US from Africa. From where I am standing it looks the otherway around.

That is why I'm asking the question.

Lets assume you were just hired as a security specialist to the President. Your area and job responsibility is to report on possible security risks from only this part of the world.

What would you advise him on as being the biggest threats from the southern half of Africa?

reply to post by Spookycolt

reply to post by Spookycolt
Well personally I'm hoping we aren't having any threats from southern Africa. My husband is going to South Africa soon because of his work and I'm worried enough about it without thinking about some sort of politically motivated attack.

Originally posted by Spookycolt
That is why I'm asking the question.

Lets assume you were just hired as a security specialist to the President. Your area and job responsibility is to report on possible security risks from only this part of the world.

What would you advise him on as being the biggest threats from the southern half of Africa?

Weak govs with weak militaries mean an organized group could take power fairly easy and use one or more nation as a spring board to cause trouble.

Originally posted by Spookycolt
What i'm looking for are the security threats that countries in the southern portion of Africa pose. We are well aware of the issues going on in Northern Africa and I feel the Southern portion often gets overlooked.

So if you were tasked with advising the President on the most immediate dangers from countries such as Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Angola, Zambia.........what would you think?

Is there a common theme running among the nations that poses are particular threat? Issues like terrorism, China's influence, drug trafficking...you get the idea.

Please try to keep it on topic since it is for research and not just a rant against America thread.

Thanks

I would advise him to get more people over there training the "right" people whoever that may be. Looks like that is what they told him too.

I would also tell him occupation is not an option, which it would seem they told him that too.

I would tell him to keep the tours short.

I would tell him to keep the wrong people from representing us over there, which has happened in the past.

reply to post by littled16

If your hubby is coming to South Africa,he only needs to worry about regular crime,which is high in+around the cities.

reply to post by MrSpad

I would exclude SOUTH AFRICA from this,though.Our military is not what it was during the Border War,but still,i don't ever see that happening here.SA is far different from most other countries in Africa,in that respect.

reply to post by Raxoxane
I don't know exactly where he's going yet, only that it's a port somewhere on the Cape of Good Hope. He travels all over for his job but this will be his first trip to South Africa. I'm more worried about his trip to get there than anything else. As far as crime goes it can't be any worse than some of the places he's been.

I've heard it's beautiful around the cape area so I'm making him bring my camera with him. Thanks for the heads up- I'll make sure he knows to be extra cautious around the city areas.

reply to post by NarrowGate

I would advise the president to tend to the US first,and fix the problems you have There,on home soil.I get that Afghanistan must be wearing thin now,and new wars on terror has to be found,more billions has to be made,etc we all get that,resources has to be stolen-but really,i would advise to just stay out of Africa in general.Is there a sure,absolutely infallible way that your president can keep Africa from being used as a stepping stone for attacks on the US, from Islamic extremist groups? A real,permanent difference he can make? If so,most reasonable could see the benefit,and at least Africans will benefit from that also.Not likely though,short of occupying most African countries on a permanent basis.Im very very wary of American involvement on this continent ,and i don't think you can blame me for that.

reply to post by littled16

Cape Town,the Mother City:-)! Ah he's in for a treat then-CT is wonderful,i grew up there,though i have'nt been able to return for too long years,due to finances.Wonderful region of our country,one of the finest! Crime is a huge problem here since 1994,but if he takes normal precautions like keeping valuables out of view,and keeps his situational awareness at all times,he should be just fine.There's a lot of opportunistic crime like car+house burglary,pickpocketing,normal theft,you know.Then there is the matter of car hijackings-which is serious,because if the victim is white,he may be shot,so its best,especially at night,to do your driving before it gets too late and the roads are more deserted.He should stick with people he knows,or at least,is safe with,and not go off by himself,specially at night.Better to go out accompanied by at least one reliable local,or if he's with fellow Americans,go everywhere in groups of at least 2,not alone.If he was coming to Mpumalanga province,the hubby and i could've invited him over for a traditional South African bbq:-)

reply to post by littled16


So if hes white, he should be ok, he will only be shot, but if he is black, then he is in the wrong part of the country, and would be the wrong tribe (most African slaves were from East Africa)...so he will be shot, stabbed, cut up in pieces, raped, then eaten for his soul....think District 9 movie....
Of course we dont want to alarm you............Are you coming too?.....

reply to post by gort51

May i ask what you mean? You obviously took offence at what you interpreted as racism,while i was trying to give the member common-sense advice.Do you live here? And i expect an answer.

reply to post by Spookycolt


Interesting OP. The only real threat to US soil coming from that region I could see would involve coercion (either through threats to family or major payout of money in a region where money is scarce) to drum up a visitor to the US to carry out some manner of attack. Otherwise, I suppose you're pretty close to an area with some significant piracy issues threatening virtually any ship traffic. Hmmm... not really an area I'd consider a huge threat to the US, actually.

Originally posted by Spookycolt


So if you were tasked with advising the President on the most immediate dangers from countries such as Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Angola, Zambia.........what would you think?

You do know where Africa is I presume? Have you got any idea which African countries are in Southern Africa?

Not Niger! Not Mali! Not Chad! Not Sudan!

reply to post by wiser3

Yes,that's correct-SOUTHERN AFRICA would be South Africa,Swaziland,Namibia,Zimbabwe,Mozambique,and then Angola,possibly.

reply to post by Spookycolt


yeah yeah, the us govt should totally probably send an immediate force to a variety of southern african countries. after all - the local gang lords and corrupt rulers are getting all the benefit of exploiting the people and selling the natural resources for their own gain.
those multinational corporations are missing out big time - it really is about time something was done about that, and the blood of patriotic us soldiers is totally the way to right this wrong.

reply to post by Raxoxane


Thank you!

Born in Zambia, moved to S.A after war and then to Namibia where I have lived for very close to 44 years and I think this thread should be dead!

ETA. ps. Zambia is also in Southern Africa


I would also just like to ask the OP one thing! What on earth makes you think that there is a single country in Africa that isn't under complete scrutiny, all the time, from all over the western world! You would for sure hear about it if there was a whiff of anything that threatened the security of the USA coming from Southern Africa!

reply to post by Raxoxane


No, No, and No. South Africa is a wonderful country, I'm sure.