US Decides AFRICOM Best Located in the Same Hemisphere as Africa

In a blinding move of stunning common sense, the DoD elected againstmoving AFRICOM to the other side of the globe from its area of responsibility.
AFRICOM will remain in Stuttgart for the time being, or until some enterprising Congresscritter decides to try and milk it as a jobs program in a home district:

U.S. Africa Command's headquarters will remain in its current location in Stuttgart, Germany, for the foreseeable future, a Pentagon spokesman said Oct. 30.
The decision by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates allows the newest unified command to gain greater operational experience and develop and foster relationships with both African and European partners, Bryan Whitman said.
'We certainly looked at a number of alternatives,' Mr. Whitman said. 'But at the end of the day, it was determined that for now, and into the foreseeable future, the best location was for it to remain in its current headquarters.'
AfriCom, which became operational this month, eventually will be composed of some 1,300 personnel. About half will be members of the U.S. military, with the other half from civilian agencies such as the departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security and Treasury, among others, said Eric Elliott, an AfriCom spokesman.

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By: Brant