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Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa [March 22, 2011]
"In recent years, analysts and U.S. policymakers have noted Africa's growing strategic importance to U.S. interests. Among those interests are the increasing importance of Africa's natural resources, particularly energy resources, and mounting concern over violent extremist activities and other potential threats posed by under-governed spaces, such as maritime piracy and illicit trafficking. [...] On February 6, 2007, the Bush Administration announced the creation of a new unified combatant command, U.S. Africa Command or AFRICOM, to promote U.S. national security objectives in Africa and its surrounding waters. [...] As envisioned by the Department of Defense (DOD), AFRICOM aims to promote U.S. strategic objectives and protect U.S. interests in the region by working with African states and regional organizations to help strengthen their defense capabilities so that they are better able to contribute to regional stability and security. AFRICOM also has a mandate to conduct military operations, if so directed by national command authorities. [...] The 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in East Africa and more recent attacks have highlighted the threat of terrorism to U.S. interests on the continent. Political instability and civil wars have created vast under-governed spaces, areas in which some experts allege that terrorist groups may train and operate. The upsurge in piracy in the waters off the Horn of Africa has been directly attributed to ongoing instability in Somalia. Instability also heightens human suffering and retards economic development, which may in turn threaten U.S. economic interests. Africa's exports of crude oil to the United States are now roughly equal to those of the Middle East, further emphasizing the continent's strategic importance. This report provides a broad overview of U.S. strategic interests in Africa and the role of U.S. military efforts on the continent as they pertain to the creation of AFRICOM. A discussion of AFRICOM's mission, its coordination with other government agencies, and its basing and manpower requirements is included."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2011-03-22
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Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa [July 22, 2011]
"In recent years, analysts and U.S. policymakers have noted Africa's growing strategic importance to U.S. interests. Among those interests are the increasing importance of Africa's natural resources, particularly energy resources, and mounting concern over violent extremist activities and other potential threats posed by under-governed spaces, such as maritime piracy and illicit trafficking. [...] On February 6, 2007, the Bush Administration announced the creation of a new unified combatant command, U.S. Africa Command or AFRICOM, to promote U.S. national security objectives in Africa and its surrounding waters. [...] As envisioned by the Department of Defense (DOD), AFRICOM aims to promote U.S. strategic objectives and protect U.S. interests in the region by working with African states and regional organizations to help strengthen their defense capabilities so that they are better able to contribute to regional stability and security. AFRICOM also has a mandate to conduct military operations, if so directed by national command authorities. [...] The 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in East Africa and more recent attacks have highlighted the threat of terrorism to U.S. interests on the continent. Political instability and civil wars have created vast under-governed spaces, areas in which some experts allege that terrorist groups may train and operate. The upsurge in piracy in the waters off the Horn of Africa has been directly attributed to ongoing instability in Somalia. Instability also heightens human suffering and retards economic development, which may in turn threaten U.S. economic interests. Africa's exports of crude oil to the United States are now roughly equal to those of the Middle East, further emphasizing the continent's strategic importance. This report provides a broad overview of U.S. strategic interests in Africa and the role of U.S. military efforts on the continent as they pertain to the creation of AFRICOM. A discussion of AFRICOM's mission, its coordination with other government agencies, and its basing and manpower requirements is included."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2011-07-22
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Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa [October 2, 2009]
"In recent years, analysts and U.S. policymakers have noted Africa's growing strategic importance to U.S. interests. Among those interests are the increasing importance of Africa's natural resources, particularly energy resources, and mounting concern over violent extremist activities and other potential threats posed by uncontrolled spaces, such as piracy and illicit trafficking. [...]. As envisioned by the Department of Defense (DOD), AFRICOM aims to promote U.S. strategic objectives by working with African states and regional organizations to help strengthen regional stability and security through improved security capability and military professionalization.[…]. DOD signaled its intention to locate AFRICOM's headquarters on the continent early in the planning process, but such a move is unlikely to take place for several years, if at all.[...]. The 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in East Africa, and more recent attacks, have highlighted the threat of terrorism to U.S. interests on the continent. Political instability and civil wars have created vast ungoverned spaces, areas in which some experts allege that terrorist groups may train and operate. Instability also heightens human suffering and retards economic development, which may in turn threaten U.S. economic interests. Africa's exports of crude oil to the United States are now roughly equal to those of the Middle East, further emphasizing the continent's strategic importance. This report provides a broad overview of U.S. strategic interests in Africa and the role of U.S. military efforts on the continent as they pertain to the creation of AFRICOM. A discussion of AFRICOM's mission, its coordination with other government agencies, and its basing and manpower requirements is included."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2009-10-02
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September 2013 Terrorist Attack in Kenya: In Brief [November 14, 2013]
"On September 21, 2013, masked gunmen attacked the upscale Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, taking hostages and killing at least 67 people. Almost 200 people, including at least 5 U.S. citizens, were wounded in the siege, which lasted four days. The attack is the most deadly terrorist incident in Kenya since the 1998 Al Qaeda bombing of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi. A Somali Islamist insurgent group, Al Shabaab, which has ties to Al Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the Westgate attack. Al Qaeda and affiliated groups like Al Shabaab have had a presence in East Africa for almost 20 years, although the extent of their operations there has varied over time. The region's porous borders, proximity to the Arabian Peninsula, weak law enforcement and judicial institutions, and pervasive corruption, combined with almost 20 years of state collapse in neighboring Somalia, have provided an enabling environment for violent extremist groups. […] In the 15 years since the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, Congress has appropriated increasing counterterrorism funding for Africa, and has focused hearings and investigations on reported support provided by U.S. citizens to Al Shabaab. The United States is a major contributor of financial and in-kind support to AMISOM [African Union Mission in Somalia], and has provided its troop contributors and other countries in the region with substantial support to counter terrorist threats. 'We are in this fight together,' the U.S. ambassador to Kenya commented as Federal Bureau of Investigation forensic teams deployed after the Westgate attack. President Obama has pledged U.S. support to bring those responsible for the attack to justice. Political instability and terrorist activities in and emanating from Somalia are subject to ongoing interest by policy makers, who remain concerned about Al Shabaab's ties to Al Qaeda and affiliated groups and its use of Somalia as a staging ground for attacks in the region and a training ground for foreign fighters. The following sections address possible questions about the attack and related issues for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2013-11-14
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Law Enforcement Approach to Combating Terrorism: An Analysis of US Policy
This thesis examines the US policy for combating terrorism from 1988 to 2000 using five case studies; the bombing of Pan Am flight 103, the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, the bombing of the US barracks in Saudi Arabia in 1996, the bombings of two US embassies in Africa in 1998 and the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000. The thesis begins by outlining the minimum requirements for a counter-terrorism policy. They are; that a policy must either deter terrorists from attacking the US or, failing that, successfully defend against terrorists who cannot be deterred. Next, the thesis examines the history and development of the law enforcement approach to combating terrorism and a few of the events that set the conditions for its ascendance to the forefront of US policy. After establishing the conditions for its dominance, the thesis takes an in- depth to look at the US response in the aftermath of each of the five terrorist attacks. The final chapter compares the demonstrated performance of the policy in the aftermath of the five bombings with the basic requirements for a counter-terrorist policy to determine the effectiveness of the policy as a whole.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Nagel, William C.
2002-06
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Countering Terrorism in East Africa: The U.S. Response [November 3, 2010]
"The United States government has implemented a range of programs to counter violent extremist threats in East Africa in response to Al Qaeda's bombing of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998 and subsequent transnational terrorist activity in the region. These programs include regional and bilateral efforts, both military and civilian. The programs seek to build regional intelligence, military, law enforcement, and judicial capacities; strengthen aviation, port, and border security; stem the flow of terrorist financing; and counter the spread of extremist ideologies. Current U.S.-led regional counterterrorism efforts include the State Department's East Africa Regional Strategic Initiative (EARSI) and the U.S. military's Combined Joint Task Force -- Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), part of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). The United States has also provided significant assistance in support of the African Union's (AU) peace operations in Somalia, where the country's nascent security forces and AU peacekeepers face a complex insurgency waged by, among others, Al Shabaab, a local group linked to Al Qaeda that often resorts to terrorist tactics. The State Department reports that both Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab pose serious terrorist threats to the United States and U.S. interests in the region. Evidence of linkages between Al Shabaab and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, across the Gulf of Aden in Yemen, highlight another regional dimension of the threat posed by violent extremists in the area."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2010-11-03
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Scourge of Terrorism: Theater of Conflict Moves to Africa
Two decades ago, most of the people of Africa associated terrorism with the PLO, IRA and "Carlos the Jackal" the legendary hero of most terrorists, otherwise known as Illich Ramirez Sanchez. They were least concerned with what they perceived as Palestinian-Israeli-European - American conflict. Beginning with the hijacking of Lufthansa Airline from Greece to Entebbe, Uganda in July 1976, followed by the revengeful bombing of Nairobi's Norfolk Hotel on 3rd December 1976, and most recently with the simultaneous bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, terrorists had finally shifted their theater of war to Africa. The aim of this paper is to critically analyze the term "Terrorism" as viewed by a cross section of the international community. In order to determine if this malice is on the rise or not, I will analyze trends in the formation of these organizations, their purpose and activities. My paper will then shift its focus to Africa and select a few cases of terrorism and their impact on the victims, the social fabric and the security apparatus in dealing with the after effects. I will further try to explain why Africa has been chosen as a new theater of conflict, and recommend what African governments need to do to reduce their vulnerability to terrorism. African nations need to consider the following bold steps: - Reject liberation wars that adopt methods of terrorism. - Join the international community in information exchange regarding all forms of terrorism. - Strengthen immigration security. - Set up, and train disaster management teams. - Educate and inform citizens to be conscious of terronsm. - Enact laws that make terrorist activities difficult to operate. - Whenever possible, deny terrorist organizations access to mass media.
Army War College (U.S.)
Chuma, Matthew S.
1999-04-01
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Embassy Construction: Achieving Concurrent Construction Would Help Reduce Costs and Meet Security Goals, Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations, Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives
"After the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, the State Department embarked on a multibillion-dollar, multiyear program to build new, secure facilities on compounds at posts around the world. The Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 1999 generally requires that all U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), collocate offices within the newly constructed compounds. This report discusses how State is incorporating office space for USAID into the construction of new embassy compounds and the cost and security implications of its approach."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2004-09
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Combating Terrorism: State Department Can Improve Management of East Africa Program, Report to the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate
"Terrorism in East Africa has remained a concern of the United States since 1998, when al Qaeda bombed U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. As part of its efforts to address this threat, State launched PREACT [Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism] in 2009 as a program for long-term engagement and capacity building in East Africa. PREACT--which focuses on countering terrorist threats, including al Shabaab, an al Qaeda affiliate based in Somalia--is managed by State's Bureau of African Affairs and provides assistance in a region composed of 12 partner countries. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine PREACT, including (1) the role it plays in U.S. counterterrorism assistance to East Africa, (2) the extent to which funds allocated for PREACT since 2009 have been disbursed, and (3) the extent to which State considers key factors in managing PREACT. GAO reviewed agency documents and interviewed U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., and in Germany, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Uganda."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2014-06-17
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Eighth Public Hearing of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: Statement of Madeleine K. Albright, March 23, 2004
The eighth public hearing of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States was held March 23-24, 2004 in Washington, DC. The two-day hearing investigated the formulation and conduct of U.S. counterterrorism policy, with particular emphasis on the period from the August 1998 embassy bombings to September 11, 2001. In this testimony, Madeleine K. Albright, discusses eight specific topics dealing with the policies developed and action taken by the Clinton Administration: Counterterrorism and the United States Foreign Policy during the Clinton Administration; The Africa Embassy Bombings; Afghanistan, the Taliban and bin Laden; Pakistan; Counterterrorism and Sudan; The U.S.S. COLE; Recommendations; and Conclusion.
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
2004-03-23
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Vice President's Remarks at a Rally for the Troops [December 6, 2005]
"Some have suggested that by liberating Iraq from Saddam Hussein, we simply stirred up a hornet's nest. They overlook a fundamental fact: We were not in Iraq on September 11th, 2001, and the terrorists hit us anyway. The reality is that terrorists were at war with our country long before the liberation of Iraq, and long before the attacks of 9/11. And for many years, they were the ones on the offensive. They grew bolder in their belief that if they killed enough Americans, they could change American policy. In Beirut in 1983, terrorists killed 241 of our servicemen. Thereafter, U.S. forces withdrew from Beirut. In Mogadishu in 1993, terrorists killed 19 American soldiers. Thereafter, United States forces withdrew from Somalia. Over time, the terrorists concluded that they could strike America without paying a price, because they did, repeatedly: They bombed the World Trade Center in 1993; the murders at the Saudi National Guard training facility in Riyadh in 1995; the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996; the simultaneous bombing of two of our embassies in East Africa in 1998; and the USS Cole in 2000. Believing they could strike us with impunity and that they change U.S. policy, they attacked us on 9/11 here in the Homeland and killed 3,000 Americans. Now they're making a stand in Iraq -- testing our resolve, trying to intimidate the United States into abandoning our friends and permitting the overthrow of a new Middle Eastern democracy. Recently we obtained a message from the number-two man in al Qaeda, a man named Zawahiri, that was sent to his chief deputy in Iraq, the terrorist Zarqawi. The letter makes clear that Iraq is part of a larger plan of imposing Islamic radicalism across the broader Middle East -- making Iraq a terrorist haven and a staging ground for attacks against other nations. Zawahiri also expresses the view that America can be made to run once again."
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
2005-12-06
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Embassy Construction: State Has Made Progress Constructing New Embassies, but Better Planning Is Needed for Operations and Maintenance Requirements, Report to the Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate
"In response to 2 bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998, the Department of State embarked on a $21 billion program to replace 201 insecure and dilapidated diplomatic facilities. In November 2004, GAO reported that State's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), which manages the construction program, had implemented reforms to its planning, design, construction, and funding processes designed to expedite the construction process and prevent cost overruns that were common to previous State diplomatic construction programs. This report updates GAO's earlier report, by discussing OBO's completion rates and costs for embassy construction projects and the impact the reforms and other factors have on completion rates. It also discusses the changes in the costs for operating and maintaining these new facilities."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2006-06
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U.S.-Kenya Relations: Current Political and Security Issues [September 23, 2013]
"The U.S. government views Kenya as a strategic partner and anchor state in East Africa, and as critical to counterterrorism efforts in the region. Kenya has repeatedly been a target of terrorist attacks, and, as the September 2013 attack on an upscale Nairobi shopping mall underscores, terrorist threats against international and domestic targets in Kenya remain a serious concern. Kenya's military plays a key role in regional operations against Al Shabaab in Somalia. The Al Qaeda-affiliated Somali insurgent group has claimed responsibility for the Westgate Mall attack ostensibly in response to Kenya's military offensive against the group across the Somali border. The incident is the deadliest terrorist attack in Kenya since the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombing and the group's first successful large-scale operation in the Kenyan capital. Kenya ranks among the top U.S. foreign aid recipients in the world, receiving significant development, humanitarian, and security assistance in recent years. The country, which is a top recipient of police and military counterterrorism assistance on the continent, hosts the largest U.S. diplomatic mission in Africa. Nairobi is home to one of four major United Nations offices worldwide."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2013-09-23
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Osama bin Laden: Taliban Spokesman Seeks New Proposal For Resolving bin Laden Problem
"This is a declassified U.S. Department of State Cable." […] "According to their senior spokesperson, the Taliban currently understand that the U.S. in particular wanted bin Laden expelled from Afghanistan at all costs, and that if they chose to back terrorism, they could expect to be the recipient of terrorism in response. The U.N., U.S., Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are all applying great pressure to secure the expulsion of bin Laden, but Kandahar [Mullah Omar] was still trying to find a proper way to resolve the issue. The East Africa bombings have brought the issue of the presence of Osama bin Laden on Afghan soil to the forefront of U.S. security policy and discussions on human rights and narcotics should be set aside in order to focus all U.S.-Taliban relations on the goal of resolving the bin Laden issue. The August 20 U.S. bombings in retaliation for embassy attacks continue to be a source of distress for the Taliban. If Kandahar could have retaliated with similar strikes against Washington, it would have. But it did not want anymore strikes against anyone."
United States. Department of State
1998-09
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New Age of War: Is the United States up to the Challenge?
The U.S. is being drawn ever deeper into the war on terrorism. Terrorism is predicted to be the primary threat to the U.S. for the foreseeable future. The recent attacks on the U.S. homeland, the USS Cole bombing, and the U.S. embassy bombings in Africa indicate that the stakes are getting higher and higher. The war in Afghanistan demonstrates to the world our resolve in winning the war. But this is only a first step. The war on terrorism will likely be long term and will not be won easily. This is a new kind of war. It will not only be fought on a traditional battlefield with traditional opponents with traditional weapons. It will also be fought on Main Street America and in cyberspace and it will be fought against opponents we can't see or even envision. It will be won with technology, some of which is yet to be developed. But this war will only be as effective as the policies guiding it. The instruments of power must be wielded in new and different ways to achieve our goals. Significant changes in policies and strategies are required to effectively utilize and synergize all the instruments of power. This paper evaluates current and evolving policies and trends with respect to counterterrorism.
Army War College (U.S.)
Baker, Donald L.
2002-04-09
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Iran's Central Bank Will Have Its Day in the Supreme Court [October 28, 2015]
"On October 1, 2015, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Bank Markazi v. Peterson, in which the Central Bank of Iran is seeking to prevent the turnover of $1.75 billion in frozen bonds to victims of Iran-sponsored terrorism. The appellees are a group of more than 1,300 plaintiffs who have judgments against Iran for its involvement in the 1996 Khobar Towers attack, the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon, the 1998 attacks on two U.S. Embassies in Africa, a 1990 assassination in New York City, a hostage-taking in Lebanon in 1984, and various terrorist bombings in Jerusalem. Iran did not appear in court to challenge its liability, and the validity of the judgments is not at issue in this enforcement action. The plaintiffs seek to execute on those judgments, totaling about $4.5 billion in compensatory damages, by attaching certain bonds. The bonds are held in the name of Clearstream, a Luxembourg securities intermediary, which is handling them for an Italian bank, which, in turn, holds them for the benefit of Bank Markazi, the central bank of Iran. In order to facilitate execution on the bonds, Congress passed a statute as part of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (ITRA) to sweep away possible obstacles. This, Bank Markazi argues, is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers because it effectively directs the outcome of a pending court case. Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), a sovereign foreign government and its agencies are generally immune from suit in U.S. courts for their sovereign or public acts, as distinguished from commercial activities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
2015-10-28
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Kenya: Current Issues and U.S. Policy [February 26, 2013]
From the Document: "The U.S. government has long viewed Kenya as a strategic partner and an anchor state in East Africa. After Al Qaeda's 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and neighboring Tanzania, this partnership took on a new dimension as Kenya emerged on the frontline in the struggle against international terrorism. Kenya expanded its efforts to counter violent extremism in the region in late 2011, when it launched military operations in Somalia against a regional Al Qaeda 'affiliate,' Al Shabaab. The United States has also valued Kenya's role as a peacemaker among its neighbors and as a host to refugees from across the troubled region. With U.S. aid levels approaching $1 billion annually, Kenya ranks among the top recipients of U.S. foreign assistance globally. However, governance and human rights challenges periodically complicate Congress's annual deliberations on aid to Kenya and factor into its oversight of U.S. policy toward the country. Corruption and abuses of power have fueled grievances among Kenya's diverse population. Periodic ethnic disputes--notably the widespread civil unrest that followed contested elections in December 2007--have marred the country's generally peaceful reputation. Impunity for state corruption and political violence remains a major challenge that threatens to undermine the country's long-term stability. Balancing these concerns against U.S. security priorities in the region may pose challenges for Congress in the near term."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2013-02-26
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Libya: Background and U.S. Relations [March 16, 2010]
"Libyan-U.S. rapprochement has unfolded gradually since 2003, when the Libyan government accepted responsibility for the actions of its personnel in regard to the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and announced its decision to eliminate its weapons of mass destruction and longrange missile programs. In response, U.S. sanctions were gradually removed, and, on May 15, 2006, the Bush Administration announced its intention to restore full diplomatic relations with Libya and to rescind Libya's listing as a state sponsor of terrorism. Full diplomatic relations were restored on May 31, 2006, when the United States upgraded its Liaison Office in Tripoli to an Embassy. Libya was removed from the lists of state sponsors of terrorism and states not fully cooperating with U.S. counterterrorism efforts in June 2006. Until late 2008, U.S.-Libyan re-engagement was hindered by lingering disagreements over outstanding legal claims related to U.S. citizens killed or injured in past Libyan-sponsored or supported terrorist attacks. [...] Libya has experienced a period of significant economic growth in recent years but remains defined politically by Muammar al Qadhafi's controlling influence over a decentralized, opaque, and authoritarian political system. Economic and political reform efforts are emerging in Libya, with some limitations. Current U.S. policy concerns include ensuring Libya's positive contribution to the security and economic prosperity of North Africa and the Sahel, securing commercial opportunities in Libya for U.S. firms, and addressing persistent human rights issues. The Obama Administration is requesting $875,000 in FY2011 foreign assistance funding for Libya programs. This report provides background information on Libya and U.S.-Libyan relations; discusses Libya's political and economic reform efforts; and reviews current issues of potential congressional interest."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2010-03-16
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Bin Ladin Determined to Strike in US
This declassified intelligence report given to President George W. Bush prior to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was believed have given the Bush administration clear and ample warning of an impending attack inside the United States, thereby providing information necessary for the U.S. to prevent these attacks. In fact, the report does not provide specific information of an attack but instead states that the Federal Bureau of Ivestigation (FBI) had detected "patters of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks," but details nothing specific about the possibility of using planes as weapons. The report also alleges that Osama bin Laden was intent on attacking the U.S. as early as 1997; that al-Qaeda operatives have lived in or traveled to the U.S. for years; and that this group "maintains a structure that could aid attacks." Two members of this group residing in the U.S. were found guilty in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
2004-10-04
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U.S.-Kenya Relations: Current Political and Security Issues [Updated July 23, 2015]
From the Introduction: "The U.S. government has long viewed Kenya as a strategic partner and a key regional actor in East Africa. After Al Qaeda's 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, this partnership took on a new dimension as Kenya emerged on the frontline in the struggle against international terrorism. Kenya expanded its efforts to counter violent extremism in the region in late 2011, when it launched military operations in neighboring Somalia against a regional Al Qaeda 'affiliate,' Al Shabaab. Al Shabaab's assault in September 2013 on a Nairobi shopping mall popular with Americans and other expatriates and subsequent attacks have drawn fresh attention to the U.S. strategic relationship with Kenya and other security partners in the region."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2015-07-23
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Diplomatic Security: State Department Should Better Manage Risks to Residences and Other Soft Targets Overseas, Report to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives
"Since the 1998 East Africa bombings, U.S. diplomatic personnel working overseas have faced increasing threats to their safety and security. State has built many new embassies and consulates since 1998 and enhanced security measures at others. Increased security at such facilities has raised concerns that residences, schools, and other places where U.S. diplomatic personnel and their families congregate may be viewed by terrorists as more attractive 'soft targets.' GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review the security of residences and other soft targets overseas. GAO evaluated (1) how State assesses risks to U.S. diplomatic residences overseas; (2) the timeliness, clarity, and consistency of residential security standards; (3) how State addresses security vulnerabilities at residences; and (4) how State manages risks to other soft targets. GAO reviewed agency documents; met with officials in Washington, D.C.; and conducted fieldwork at a judgmental sample of seven higher-threat, higher-risk posts in four of State's six geographic regions. This is the public version of a sensitive but unclassified report issued in June 2015."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-07
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In Brief: The September 2013 Terrorist Attack in Kenya [September 27, 2013]
"On September 21, 2013, masked gunmen attacked the upscale Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, taking hostages and killing more than 60 people. Almost 200 people, including at least 5 U.S. citizens, were wounded in the siege, which lasted four days. The attack is the most deadly terrorist incident in Kenya since the 1998 Al Qaeda bombing of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi. A Somali Islamist insurgent group, Al Shabaab, which has ties to Al Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the Westgate attack. Al Qaeda and affiliated groups like Al Shabaab have had a presence in East Africa for almost 20 years, although the extent of their operations there has varied over time. The region's porous borders, proximity to the Arabian Peninsula, weak law enforcement and judicial institutions, and pervasive corruption, combined with almost 20 years of state collapse in neighboring Somalia, have provided an enabling environment for violent extremist groups."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2013-09-27
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