MORE IS NOT BETTER: FIXING SECURITY COOPERATION
By Brian Rauen, Terri Erisman and Edward Ballanco June 22, 2018
One point is unequivocal: U.S. engagement had not adequately facilitated Mali’s security abilities
During a visit to Mali in early 2011, a senior official from United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) asked a group of U.S. trainers, “We’ve invested millions of dollars here, why are we not seeing any real progress?†In response, a U.S. Special Forces officer working with the Malian military stated, “Sir, just as dumping a million water bottles into the sand doesn’t get you a lake, spending millions of dollars on security cooperation without a solid foundation won’t get you results either.â€
Over the course of the following year, the Malian military struggled against a Tuareg insurrection. Enabled by Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups, the insurgents overran huge swaths of Malian territory and ultimately established a caliphate in northern Mali. The Malian government collapsed, requiring French intervention to prevent the threat from reaching Mali’s capital.
https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/articles/more-is-not-better-fixing-security-cooperation/
