On June 21st, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) questioned Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, President Obama’s nominee to become the next four star general commanding AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command. Most of the discussion focused on the ongoing conflict, aka crisis, in Libya, where territory is now controlled by seven different forces: the Council of Deputies and Libyan National Army; the Government of National Accord and Libya Shield Force; the Islamic State; the Shura Councils of Benghazi, Derna and Ajdabiya; the Petroleum Facilities Guard; the Tuareg; and local forces.
In 2011, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, then UN Ambassador Susan Rice and then National Security Advisor Samantha Power argued that the U.S. was morally obliged to bomb Libya to stop its leader Muammar Gaddafi from committing genocide and mass atrocities as, they claimed, the U.S. had failed to do in Rwanda. E-mail on Hillary Clinton’s private e-mail server has since revealed that control of oil and currency issues were the actual motives behind the U.S. and NATO’s bombing war and the ouster of Gaddafi.
Neither oil nor currency issues were discussed at the SASC hearing, where Lt. Gen. Waldhauser assured South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham that he would expand the so-called War on Terror in Africa and seek the authority to assassinate without presidential approval:
Senator Lindsay Graham, R-SC: Libya, do we fly in Libya?
Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser: The answer is yes, if there is a target that is an imminent threat to the United States.
LG: OK. Is ISIL an imminent threat to the United States?
TW: Yes.
LG: Is ISIL in Libya?
TW: Yes.
LG: How many sorties have we flown in Libya?
TW: To my knowledge none at this time.
LG: That makes no sense then, does it?
TW: It does not. What I can say, Senator, at this time, is there are targets that are being developed, but there have been no flights flown.
LG: How many people do we have on the ground in Libya?
TW: I don’t have that answer. It’s not a large number.
LG: Do we need people on the ground in Libya?
TW: Yes, we do.
LG: OK. Do you see any change in policy any time in the near future?
TW: I’m not aware of any of those discussions, Senator.
LG: Does the buildup of ISIL and other related Al Qaeda type groups present a threat to our European allies?
TW: Eventually they could. Yes.
LG: OK, thank you. When it comes to Africa, what are the rules of engagement in terms of targeting ISIL in Africa?
TW: Senator, I believe the rules of engagement have to do with the presidential policy guidance. That’s what, when these targets pop up, the three that I mentioned that were hit in Libya this year, they fall under that criteria.
LG: But you don’t have the authority to, without presidential direction, to go and find ISIL members in Africa and kill them?
TW: Well, Sir, if the question is do we have authority to take out targets, the AFRICOM commander has some authority for various targets in Somalia, for example, with Al-Shabab, but I’m not familiar with the details and if—
LG: Do you have the authority as AFRICOM commander do go after ISIL targets in Africa on your own?
TW: I do not.
LG: Do you think that would be wise to have that authority?
TW: It would be wise. It would certainly contribute to what we’re trying to do inside Libya.
LG: Is the war moving to Africa over time, do you think?
TW: It could. It’s possible. I mean that’s why ISIL has taken hold inside Sirte, to be kind of a backup if Iraq and Syria fail.
LG: So the ungoverned spaces in Africa are likely places for ISIL to flee to if we dislodge them from the traditional Mideast?
TW: They’re very likely. That’s why instability inside Africa is to ISIL’s advantage.
TW: Senator, if confirmed, I’d have to look into that to be specific. I think in the main, it goes without saying, I think it’s common knowledge that AFRICOM’s an economy theatre. I think it’s common knowledge that AFRICOM could use more ISR, but beyond that, I don’t have the specifics.
LG: Is it a fair statement when it comes to radical Islamic threats emanating from Africa, we’ve got a long way to go in upping our game?
TW: We do. That’s an away game. I know that you’ve mentioned before we are fighting an away game in Africa to contain it on that continent.
Senator Graham concluded that he will gladly support the nomination of Obama’s would-be assassin, aka extrajudicial executioner.
