Over the last twenty years the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expanded its power in Africa at an incredible pace. In countries across the continent, the UAE has made enormous investments in shipping, agriculture, energy, mining, and telecommunications. On top of this, they have set up a series of small military installations and made armaments and training deals in all corners of the continent. Due to their low population, most of whom are engaged in managing their economic interest and large foreign population, the Emirates’ military strategy relies on a small number of highly trained...

Seemingly out of nowhere, at the beginning of November, President Donald Trump started musing about taking military action in Nigeria to save the Christians from the Islamist terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province. These groups, which operate in the northeastern part of the country has been the subject of a lengthy and unsuccessful counter-terrorism operation by the Nigerian government, which has received U.S. backing. The issue is being framed as one where the the Nigeria has not tried to deal with the problem or is complicit in the killing of Christians,...