U.S. Officials Voice Their Concerns On Al Qaeda's Growing Influence In Africa

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The African network

The U.S. military has established small air bases across Africa to spy on al-Qaeda affiliates and other militant groups. Shaded areas indicate the presence of those groups, according to U.S. Africa Command.

White House Secret Meetings Examine al-Qaeda Threat In North Africa -- Washington Post

The White House has held a series of secret meetings in recent months to examine the threat posed by al-Qaeda’s franchise in North Africa and consider for the first time whether to prepare for unilateral strikes, U.S. officials said.

The deliberations reflect concern that al-Qaeda’s African affiliate has become more dangerous since gaining control of large pockets of territory in Mali and acquiring weapons from post-revolution Libya. The discussions predate the Sept. 11 attacks on U.S. compounds in Libya but gained urgency after the assaults there were linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM.

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My Comment: Al Qaeda's victory in northern Mali early this year and the continuing deadly campaign of Boko Haraom in Nigeria were my red flags that Al Qaeda was growing and expanding (and winning) in the conflicts that they were focusing on in Africa. Hmmmm .... it seems that I was not alone in expressing these concerns as mirrored by these now public secret White House meetings.