" The publication looks at the most recent turn in the United States' policy in Africa. The so-called ACRI-African Crisis Response Initiative-defines the new policy outlook that restores the U.S. as the major player in Africa's political games. Backing from local client states combines with military elements and both seem to promise earliest possible intervention in emerging socio-political crises that-if unimpeded-might easily threatened international politics and American global leadership. The author is reader in sociology and co-director of ikoplan, a research network of economics and social science at the University of Paderborn. "

Traditionally, the U.S. military has not been heavily involved in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the end of the Cold War, though, this has begun to change. U.S. forces have supported several humanitarian relief and evacuation operations associated with African conflicts. They have also conducted numerous "engagement" activities aimed at assisting African states and their militaries during the transition to democracy. But Africa remains a region where U.S. national security interests must be promoted with limited resources. This makes a sophisticated and coherent strategy vitally important. Helping Africans develop a capability to avoid or solve their region's security problems has reemerged recently as an important goal of American strategy, and the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) is its centerpiece. Based on their testimony presented to the Africa Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations, this study by Dr. Steven Metz and Colonel Dan Henk of the U.S. Army War College examines the ACRI. Significantly, it does so by placing the ACRI in a wider, long-term strategic context.

As the lone remaining superpower, the United States is often viewed as the world's police force and expected to help restore order wherever problems arise. But as the size of the United States' military continues to shrink and the number of regional conflicts continues to grow the United States finds itself in a precarious position. How can it help attain regional stability throughout the world with an ever shrinking military? The African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) is one tool being used in an effort to attain this goal in Africa. The overall aim of the ACRI is to train a division's worth of battalions in the necessary tasks to conduct limited Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) and Humanitarian Assistance Operations (HUMROs). The hope is that with this capability, African nations will be capable of solving their own problems with only minimal assistance being required from the United States. The purpose of this thesis is to identify critical factors and considerations for command and control of a multi-national force in Africa, participating in either PKOs or HUMROs. This thesis will examine recent conflicts in Africa, what lessons have been learned by peacekeeping forces used there, U.S. command and control doctrine, and what is currently being done with ACRI. The thesis will conclude with recommendations for what must be done on both the international and brigade level in the area of command and control, in order to provide the necessary framework to make ACRI successful.

Since the end of the Cold War the growth and stability of individual nations highlight Africa's complexity, diversity, and rapid change. Throughout the last ten years, the United States National policy towards the region has been fairly consistent. Limited US interests focus on the promotion of security, economic prosperity, and democracy. However, in the 21st century the United States will play a more vital role, as a hegemonic power, in attempts to bring stability and development to Africa using limited military resources. In 1996 the Africa Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) was implemented to enhance the indigenous African capacity to conduct peacekeeping operations. This US training initiative provides for peacekeeping training and limited non-lethal equipment for battalion sized units in selected countries. Since the ACRI concept is viewed as a flagship initiative for military to military engagement within the region, it is now time to consider building on the initial success of the program. A reorientation of the program to focus on sub-regional organizations with the regional capacity to conduct the full range of peacekeeping through peace-enforcement operations may be warranted.

African Crisis Response Initiative : a security building block : hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa of the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventh Congress, first session, July 12, 2001.