A new U.S. general was dispatched to Africa as Marine Corps’ senior commander.
Monday evening, senators unanimously approved the promotions after the Armed Services Committee of the upper house commended the men’s “excellent” credentials during a confirmation hearing. Lt. Gen. Michael Langley will be the first African American to oversee U.S. military operations in Africa and the first Black four-star general in Marine Corps history. Fenton commits to assisting the Department of Defense’s efforts to properly minimize, investigate, and report civilian deaths caused by military activities. During his confirmation hearing, he characterized the global security situation as “the most difficult” he had ever encountered. In Kabul, Ayman al-Zawahri, the head of al-Qaeda, was assassinated by two Hellfire missiles launched by a U.S. drone.
Gen. Michael Langley is the new commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, managing 6,000 personnel in the area. He has served in Afghanistan, Japan, and Somalia and is now the commander of two commands in Norfolk, Virginia. His aims include strengthening diplomatic and military connections with nations under the sway of Russia and China and combating insurgencies in West Africa.
Source: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2022-08-02/socom-africom-commanders-confirmed-6852140.html
