The president’s righteous strike against Islamic State targets in Nigeria is a reminder that America is capable of much more. Having lost the territory they once controlled in Iraq and Syria, the terror groups have found fertile soil in West Africa. The Islamic State’s history shows that when the group establishes a stable presence, it’s only a matter of time before it looks to wreak havoc around the world. It’s tempting to want to pretend that the chaos in West Africa isn’t an American problem, but the world isn’t that simple. The Pentagon has also been considering merging Africa Command back into European Command, which it spun off from in 2008.

Source: Washington Post December 28, 2025 14:50 UTC