CNN: US Defense Secretary visits Africa for first time seeking to push back on Russia and China Malta
(CNN)US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper made his first visit to Africa Wednesday, a trip aimed in part at pushing back on Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
Esper arrived in Tunisia to meet with top officials, including the country's president, Kais Saied, and to lay a wreath and give a speech at a World War II cemetery to honor US service members who fell during the North African campaign.
The trip was not announced until after Esper departed the country.
Tunisia which has been touted as the sole democratic success story to come out of the 2011 "Arab Spring," was designated "a major-non NATO ally of the United States" in 2015 and has partnered with the US on counterterrorism efforts aimed at ISIS-linked groups.
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WNU Editor: China is throwing cash all around the African continent, and Russia is providing military support to their allies in the region. What is US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper offering? The answer is not much. My gut is telling me that he is in Africa trying to his best to stay away from the politics and the insanity of this election cycle. He also has the look of someone who is going to be out of a job in a few months. Regardless of who wins.