From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: BOTSWANA: U.S. AIRBASE PART OF GROWING MILITARY ROLE
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 01:47:43 GMT

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Asia, eastern
Reference: North America; Europe, western
Title: BOTSWANA: U.S. AIRBASE PART OF GROWING MILITARY ROLE IN AFRICA


johannesburg, sep 22 (ips/jaston binala) -- the construction of
the largest military airbase in sub-saharan africa is about to
be completed in botswana, with the apparent involvement of
france and the united states.

both the french and u.s. governments are denying any links
with the airbase, claiming that it is the sole initiative
of the botswana government, according to the latest issue of the
magazine 'work in progress''.

the independent south african monthly magazine says the
the price tag of the high-tech ''project eagle'' will be at
least one billion dollars, or 20 percent of botswana's
gross domestic product (gdp).

the october issue of 'work in progress' quotes media reports
as saying the botswana government plans to recoup most of the
costs by leasing the site to the u.s. air force.

in what has been described as a ''sweet-heart deal'', french
military companies are to supply the tiny botswana defence force
(bdf) with an undetermined number of aircraft, the magazine
says.

botswana's current airforce is one squadron of 13
counter-insurgency planes. the entire bdf numbers only 4,500
men.

the french company ''spie batignolles'' is one of the site's
co-builders.

jim callahan, a spokesperson at the u.s. embassy in gaborone,
botswana, faxed the magazine a copy of a letter that david
passage, the u.s. ambassador to botswana, wrote jan. 29 to the
botswana newspaper, 'the gazette', refuting allegations of u.s.
involvement.

callahan's introductory message says: ''this is the latest
we have on this bizarre story. should i receive anything
further, i will let you know but it is completely untrue'', the
magazine reports.

according to the zimbabwe-based southern african research and
documentation centre (sardc), ''it is understood that companies
tendering for the project had to sign a confidentiality clause
with the botswana government''.

despite all the denials, the magazine reports, the united
states and botswana governments have been engaged in an unusual
amount of military activity in the past months. (more/ips)


botswana: u.s. (2)

''in january, 200 u.s. army paratroopers conducted 'operation
silver eagle', a 10-day series of combat and flying exercises in
botswana to 'teach' botswana troops how to defend strategic
installations.

''sources in botswana confirm that in may, an additional 45
u.s. paratroopers conducted a 14-day joint military exercise
with the botswana defence forces (bdf).

''later that month, 10 senior u.s. military officers from
the u.s. national war college visited botswana. fourty five bdf
officers are already receiving military training in the
united states'', the magazine reports.

this year the united states has given the bdf a grant of 15
million dollars.

sardc says one of the possible reasons for the u.s. interest
in botswana may be president george bush's concern over
''the policies likely to be followed by a future black-ruled
democratic south africa''.

but the botswana deal is only part of a wider u.s. military
involvement in africa. with the reactivation of the elite green
beret 3rd special forces group in 1990 -- which is planned to
triple in size in october -- the u.s. military has shopped for
training assignments and contacts with a number of african
governments.

in west africa in november 1991, a detatchment of 50 green
berets were in the former french colony of senegal conducting
counter-insurgency and weapons training in a country faced with
a separatist movement in the south. the u.s. also assisted
senegalese troops in their withdrawl from liberia.

other francophone countries have also been recipients of
u.s. military largess. a team from the 3rd special forces group
have this year provided parachute training to niger soldiers.

in ivory coast green berets ''mobile training teams'' were
dispatched for unspecified assignments earlier this year.

special forces medical units were in cameroon in february
1991 to help improve local health care.

military aid and training has been increased to sierra leone
since march 1991 and incursions by liberian rebels.

in southern africa, special forces units have been training
in namibia and zimbabwe. the multi-party election of a new
government in zambia last october was greeted with a rapid
expansion of u.s. military assistance including equipment and
green berets training programmes. (end/ips/jb/apc/oa/92)