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Gen. Abizaid: Military Work in Horn of Africa 'Blueprint' for Future

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060511-17
Release Date: 5/11/2006 6:38:00 PM

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cindy Dorfner, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa Public Affairs

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, Africa (NNS) -- Though the mission of the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) doesn't get nearly the attention as others in his area of responsibility, Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said he sees the work done in this region as a "blueprint" for the future.

Led by Rear Adm. Richard W. Hunt, about 1,500 U.S. and coalition forces make up CJTF-HOA, which conducts operations and training to assist host nations to establish a secure environment and enable regional stability.

Even though a small number of coalition members cover an area about three-quarters of the size of the United States, the general said the task force is moving in a good direction.

"For example, I was out at Dikhil (in Djibouti) yesterday, where 17 Seabees are building a school. In many respects, in their own way, those 17 Seabees doing their mission out there achieve as much for us as a battalion of infantry on the ground looking for bad guys," he said. "Dollar for dollar and person for person, our return on our investment out here is better than it is anywhere in the CENTCOM (area of responsibility)."

Whether building a school, digging a well, immunizing people and livestock, or conducting military-to-military training, CJTF-HOA is working to build relationships with the decision makers and leaders in the region, as well as give power to the African people with a hand up, versus just a handout.

"I regard this as being an effort to empower the moderates in this region so they can resist terrorism and extremism," Abizaid said in a visit to the task force headquarters May 7. "For relatively low investment today, we're gaining insights on the region, we're building capacity and I think, more importantly, we're helping to build institutions that will strengthen the countries in this region to be able to resist the extremists."

The investment is one he's told the secretary of defense and president of the United States should be repeated in other tough spots around the world.

"From capacity building and nation building perspectives, this investment is one of the best our country has ever made," he said. "Ultimately, globalization either works or it doesn't work. If you want to make it work, you've got to engage in the places where it's most difficult and this is precisely one of those places."

In the Central Command area, Abizaid said there are three different situations. In Iraq, one is dealing with a state after it's failed. In Afghanistan, another is dealing with a state that was a sponsor of terrorism. In the Horn of Africa, it's dealing with people in this region who are "struggling with their own problems and they're trying not to let the terrorists get a foothold." Of the three, he said, "The one that I would much rather deal with is the one that is ahead of the problem as opposed to behind it."

Abizaid said he often refers to CJTF-HOA members as "global scouts." He said it's a very interesting term to use when looking at the work being done here. For instance, task force members go into a region in which they haven't been before to learn and get a sense about the area. These scouts, he said, are able to determine what work needs to be done by talking to the decision makers and the people who can change societies to find out what can be done to help. It does help, he said, because then all of a sudden, people see the United States in a role of helpfulness as opposed to what they've been led to believe.

"When I think about how much we knew about this region when I first became the deputy commander of CENTCOM four years ago and how much we know about it now, it's amazing how far we've progressed," he said. "This is a hard part of the world to work in because things happen slowly, but compared to where things were when I first started and where they are now, the whole thing has been exciting to see."

Abizaid said he has a great deal of pride in the people who make up CJTF-HOA.

"I think our men and women out here are doing a fantastic job, and they're doing it in a very non-traditional use of military power, yet in a very effective way," he said. "I thank them for their sacrifice, their courage, their innovative ability to solve problems, and their willingness to go into hard places and do hard things.

"It's people like this who will win the broader war that's going on in this part of the world," he added. "I couldn't be prouder of them."