Regional US military headquarters in Africa put on a slow track

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Controversy surrounding the US military's new Africa Command has forced the Pentagon to put plans for establishing a headquarters in the continent on a slow track, US defense officials have said.

The Pentagon still hopes to have a command headquarters in Africa, but officials acknowledge it will take time to overcome negative regional perceptions.

"I think what we're talking now is the pace. I think that the initial thinking was that the pace would be fairly quick," said a US defense official who asked not to be identified.

The problem became evident when General William Ward, the head of AFRICOM, toured the region after assuming his post in October and found that Africans were convinced the United States wanted to establish bases and send...