Money:
“Some of the world’s lead experts on Africa are convening a symposium to discuss security issues on the continent at Maxwell Air Force Base on February 13th. Co-hosted by the Air Force research Institute, the AF’s brand new strategic think tank which advises the AF Chief of Staff, and the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA), the day-long event promises to cover Somali piracy, militias in Congo, Hezbollah terrorists around the region and many other critical topics. It is open to the military and governmen, civilian academics, and interested others who request an invitation. For more, and to register, go to www.asmeascholars.org.”
Both ASMEA and the USAF are particularly interested in soliciting military attendees, active duty, reserve, guard, doesn’t matter. Seems like an easy -and fascinating- TDY if you do anything with small wars, irregular warfare, et al. Would love to have some of OPFOR’s readers go and report, so if you don’t get enough info at the embedded link, feel free to email me and I’ll point you in the right direction.
Why would the USAF be leading a conference in this? It seems to me a bit more ground intensive.
Maybe because the “tyranny of distance” on the continent provides for unique contributions that air forces can provide – good to see USAF embracing concepts other than force on force warfare.