The United States Department of Defense has proposed to Congress an amendment to legislation that would allow special operations authorities to equip and train allied countries for broader combat roles beyond their current mandate, which includes counterterrorism, border security, and counternarcotics operations.
In the proposal, the Defense Department seeks to expand its mandate to include resistance and foreign internal defense operations. The document specifically references Kenya as an example where security infrastructure is a concern in countering war-related activities.
"Kenya is a prime example as their conventional and Special Operations Force units are growing in capacity, but their security infrastructure and institutional pillars are vulnerable to corruption, subversion, lawlessness, terrorism, and civil war," states the proposal from the Pentagon.
The US government has pledged Ksh13 billion in aid to support Kenya's deployment of police forces to Haiti to help restore peace in the conflict-ridden country. The deployment is scheduled for May 23, 2024, but the Pentagon has yet to complete the construction of a base for the officers, raising concerns about the project's feasibility.
In addition to concerns about Kenya, the Pentagon also highlighted security risks in Scandinavian and Baltic countries, particularly regarding potential Russian influence. The defense department emphasized that partnerships through special operations authorities could help mitigate the threat from Russia.
Congress is expected to review the Pentagon's legislative proposals in the coming weeks. The initial deployment will include 200 Kenyan police officers, with additional personnel to follow in subsequent weeks. Kenyan forces will be joined by officers from Benin, who have also pledged to support peace efforts in Haiti.
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