P
resident Bush has nominated Army Gen. William Ward to become the first commander of the new US Africa Command, which when initially operational in October will be a sub-unified command under US European Command. The Pentagon expects Ward, who currently serves as EUCOM deputy commander, to usher in AFRICOM as a separate unified command by Sept. 30, 2008. He has been instrumental in helping craft the new command’s agenda and operating structure, which will include a State Department official as one of its deputy commanders.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.