With the establishment of the Pentagon's new regional command for Africa, AFRICOM, addressing the complex political and social challenges of the African continent moves from diplomatic afterthought to shrewd long-term effort. The new theater command became operational Oct. 1.

For decades, American diplomats serving in Africa — particularly sub-Saharan Africa — referred to their region as "the neglected continent." I recall a conversation in the early 1990s with a ...

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