Photo: Left, Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley, U.S. Marine Corps AFRICOM nominee / Right, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley, March 25, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Mr. Casey Price)
On March 23, Congressman Matt Gaetz questioned the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, General Michael Langley, over billions of dollars being spent on training coup leaders and soldiers in Africa.
Langley was named the sixth Commander of the United States Africa Command in August 2022.
Africa Command (or AFRICOM) is responsible for all of the U.S.’s military operations on the African continent under his responsibility
AFRICOM is one of the 11 unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. To some, AFRICOM promotes the U.S.’s imperial affairs In Africa.
Founded in 2007, the United States Africa Command, is one of the 11 unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany.
Langley is a United States Marine Corps general who is the first black four-star general in the United States Marine Corps, having been promoted to that rank on August 6, 2022.
The exchange between Langley and the Republican from Florida revealed the training that has been kept hidden and highlighted the U.S.’s involvement in African politics.
Several U.S.-trained African soldiers have led attempts to overthrow civilian-led governments; some of them have been successful, Today News Africa reported.
General Langley acknowledged some African coup leaders were trained by the U.S. but assured Gaetz that the U.S. also teaches the soldiers core values, including democracy, and that only around one percent of the 50,000 soldiers they have trained with our tax dollars have participated in attempted coups, Today News Africa reported.
According to The Internet, U.S.-trained officers have led seven coups and coup attempts in Africa from 2021 to 2022. U.S.-trained officers have attempted coups in five West African countries–three times in Burkina Faso, three times in Mali, and once each in Guinea, Mauritania, and Gambia.
Photo: Left, Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley, U.S. Marine Corps AFRICOM nominee / Right, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley thanks sailors preparing the USS Gunston Hall ship for deployment, March 25, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Mr. Casey Price)
