Beneath this valiant guise the United States is using its military might to acquire control of the heart of the dark continent, gaining ground to assure a strategic geographic fortress in Africa. Africa has also become a source of cheap labor for American based corporations, and the resources gained make it a hefty prize indeed. On African soil the Military is much more free from the scrutiny of American civil rights and geographic watchdog groups, allowing it to test weapons and other new technology with a lessened fear of reprisal.

Officially the United States military does not set foot in any country which has not openly requested to placed under U.S. protection. However, in the past, strong influence, to an almost stranglehold degree, has been placed on certain countries by their neighbors already under U.S. protection to accept U.S. military intervention to operate on their soil.

For the most part the U.S. presence in these countries has been welcome, as the increase in revenue, employment, and health care is a blessing to the countries, of which most had been bankrupt and destitute before U.S. occupation. The U.S. military also trains and arms the native military forces of the countries they occupy, as well as providing aid in a military advisory capacity. Still there are those who oppose foreign control, and rebel armies and terrorist groups are always a source of deadly aggravation for the U.S. military forces. Conflict in the regions held by the U.S. is common, And while somewhat effective, attempts to put down these groups have failed as each time one faction is eliminated another takes its place, but the Europeans have it worse. In addition to bolstering its military forces in defense of these countries against their hostile neighbors, the U.S. Military has in many of these countries been given the responsibility of policing inside the borders as well. Combating the roving hordes of bandits and trying as it can to eliminate crime from the cities and major roadways. This is done so U.S. based corporations may move in relatively safely and begin their Americanization process. (This more than anything else is the biggest cause of dissent among the indigenous populations who pride themselves on their culture and heritage.

To appease the anti-American sentiment, the U.S. officially has no governing power in these regions, and the policy is one of assistance not domination, the local governments are still in power, and they have control. Unofficially the U.S. has these governments in its pocket and controls everything from behind the scenes, using the unaware, or corrupt officials as figureheads to keep the populations content.

The two largest problem areas for the U.S. forces in africa are the countries of Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic Of Congo. These two countries are the only places in the world where the U.S. is in direct confrontation with the EEC. In Ethiopia the lines are clearly drawn, and the country is divided down the center, with both sides making sporadic attacks on each other in effort to gain ground, neither side willing to simply divide the country into two separate entities. In the DRC (Formerly Zaire) there are no specific boundaries, and open conflict is taking place between the U.S. and the Europeans all over the country. Military boundaries held in this country change almost daily, and are scattered like polka dots. As soon as ground is gained it is lost. In this region with its dense jungles, high mountains and volcano's, lowland marshes and swamps, gaining ground is one thing, holding on to it is quite another. For the most part the U.S. controls the north and Eastern borders, while the Europeans hold the East. No one really holds the south, and most of the fighting occurs in the heart of the country.

Learning its mistakes in Vietnam, the Middle East, and South America the U.S. military has instituted an almost complete media blackout in any area where open conflict is a regularity. It also views and censors any non-military information leaving the U.S. controlled regions in Africa. Any information pertaining to Africa is once again scrutinized stateside before it is broadcast. The reasoning behind this is simple, it stems public moral and dissension at home and keeps any civilian activist groups from investigating the military's activities. There is a larger and more important reason, both the U.S. and the Europeans like their little covert war, and in the midst of the new Cold War between the two Superpowers, keeping their conflicts covert prevents the countries from having to commit to a full scale war which neither side really wants. A cold war is more profitable for both sides than an open one.

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