6 FEB--This Day in US Military History

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 17:36:13 -0500

2007 – Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara (OEF-TS) begins.

It is the military operation conducted by the United States and partner nations in the Sahara/Sahel region of Africa, consisting of counterterrorism efforts and policing of arms and drug trafficking across central Africa. The goal of the missions is to drive terrorist threats away from the continent of Europe, thus, south and east of the Sahara.
Joint Task Force Aztec Silence (JTF Aztec Silence) is the combined arms organization assigned to implement the missions and meet the goals of OEF-TS. The JTF has been part of United States European Command (EUCOM). As of September 2007, with the announcement of the new United States Africa Command, the mission will fall under the responsibility of Africa Command.
The Congress approved $500 million for the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative (TSCTI) over six years to support countries involved in counterterrorism against alleged threats of Al Qaeda operating in African countries, primarily Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Nigeria, and Morocco. This program builds upon the former Pan Sahel Initiative (PSI), which concluded in December 2004 and focused on weapon and drug trafficking, as well as counterterrorism.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/february-6/

February 6

6 February 1778 - During the American War for Independence, representatives from the United States and France sign the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the Treaty of Alliance in Paris. The Treaty o...

Response by Col William Preston Mclaughlin made Jun 19 at 2015 6:29 PM

Col William Preston Mclaughlin — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 18:29:14 -0400

Great post, Heres to success to our comrades from SOCAFRICA and AFRICOM. I was in Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania in 1991-1992 as a US Military Observer assigned to the UN. We patrolled the cease fire line, the King Hassan II Line or better known as the "Great Wall of Africa" separating the Forces Armee Royale and the POLISARIO (SADR). A very porous set of borders, Western Sahara is the former Spanish Sahara, and Morocco and Algeria are former French Colonies. Very tribal, Saharwi, Berber and Tuareg. We had a UN Liaison Office in Tindouf Algeria, the former Site of a French Foreign Legion Prison. Refugee camps abound for the displaced Saharwi. If you have ever seen the movie "The Wind and the Lion", it epitomizes the nomadic existence along these borders. Understand the tribes and post colonial history and the MAHGREB will make more sense as you learn more about it.