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The U.S. is seeking to reduce terrorism in Africa by training military units in four African countries – Mali, Libya, Niger and Mauritania. According to The New York Times, the program is being financed by the Pentagon, and involves training that will occur under the tutelage of the Greet Berets and Delta Force – elite U.S. military units reputed to be among the best in the world. The army benefits to this program, according to the source, include diminishing the risk of terrorism in the region. An event such as Boko Haram's recent raid, which saw about 300 school girls being abducted, is an example of the type of event that African governments want to be able to prevent by developing military prowess.

Multifaceted task in training African militaries
"The host country has to have the political will to fight terrorism, not just the desire to build up an elite force that could be used for regime protection," said J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center of the Atlantic Council, according to the source. "And the military has to be viewed well or at least neutrally by a country's population."

Many African countries have faced the menace of terrorism in recent years, with political circumstances unleashing potent forces that had previously been kept in check. For example, the overthrow of Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi fomented anarchy in areas in Libya, causing problems for the region. Related instances have caused difficulties for the training mission in Libya. The International Business Times reported that military equipment was recently stolen in Libya, creating a temporary impediments to training in the country.

The training is being undertaken to make Africa a safer place. Organizations contributing to violence include Islamist groups like Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Al-Shabaab, a militant group linked to Al-Qaeda. The latter has been responsible for terrorism throughout Africa, including Somalia and Kenya. 

"Training remains a critical part of our needs to further increase our men's readiness to face the many challenges of our regional environment," said Maman S. Sidikou Niger's ambassador to the U.S., according to The New York Times.

The instability reigning in many of these countries has precipitated America's training mission. Business Insider reported that Niger houses uranium reserves – the target of an Al-Qaeda attack in 2013. Meanwhile, Mauritania has allowed Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to reside within its borders, helping to foment unrest and terror. 

Training reflects goals of the Obama administration
The International Business Times noted that the U.S. mission in African corresponds to the goals of the Obama administration. One of these is to help U.S. allies create formidable armies – forces that can work autonomously of the U.S. in the future. This allows the U.S. to shift its prerogatives, moving away from troop deployment to foreign countries in the hopes that indigenous forces can appropriately deal with terrorism and other problems. 

"Training indigenous forces to go after threats in their own country is what we need to be doing," said Michael A. Sheehan, chair of the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, according to The International Business Times.

Life after service for many U.S. troops who have served in Africa will display a different approach to issues in the region – allowing the Obama administration the liberty to devise innovative ways to reduce terrorism. For example, Stars and Stripes reported that the U.S. has been using technology to diminish terrorism. This includes a surveillance aircraft based out of Niger, designed to help French troops combat militants in the region, according to the source.