ARTICLE: 'Questions About Military's Role in Africa Spur Steep AFRICOM Cuts,' Inside the Navy, Vol. 21, No. 37, 15 September 2008

Depending on the motives, this could start a good and better dialogue on AFRICOM. As I have indicated, I would draw AFRICOM differently, making the "commander" a retired 4-star with combatant command experience, for example.

So, while on the surface, this is inherently bad for AFRICOM as currently configured, don't assume this is an abandonment of the idea of blending diplomacy, defense and development. In my mind, it means only that Congress sees a beast it does not yet know how to interact with, and hence demands a more familiar package, balanced in a manner it believes to be more appropriate.

This discussion, then, is just beginning.

(Thanks: Chris Janiec)