Top Black General to Head Africa Command

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Top Black General to Head Africa Command

Tuesday July 10, 2007 9:31 PM

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Gen. William E. “Kip” Ward, the active
military's only black four-star general, was tapped Tuesday
to lead the Pentagon's new Africa Command.

Ward, 58, currently deputy commander of U.S. European
Command, will take over a sprawling new command, which
will work with African countries to strengthen governments
and their militaries and make the nations less vulnerable to
terrorist activities.

Initially the command will be run through the existing
European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, but is expected
to become an independent unit by the end of September
2008.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced in a press
release that President Bush had nominated Ward for the
new post.

-snip-

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1. Et tu Darfur..