Countering Violent Extremism in West Africa: The “Smart” Role of the Military

Abstract

Violent extremism is a major security concern in the international political system. Having recognized the devastating effects of violent extremism, there have been countless international regional and national initiatives to prevent and counter the phenomenon. Most of the initiatives to counter violent extremism have involved the military. The international, regional multinational military and national armies have played a major role in countering violent extremism. However, the role of the military in countering violent extremism has often been analyzed in the context of their kinetic military approaches. Most security analysts have argued that the overly-military centric approach has resulted in the increasing spread of extremism and that violent extremism cannot be halted by kinetic military approach alone. There is the general conception that combining kinetic and non-kinetic military approaches is the best option in dealing with the spread of violent extremist ideology. The problem is although the global initiatives in countering violent extremism is shifting emphasis from kinetic to combined kinetic and non-kinetic military approaches (smart military), the validity of the concept of “smart” military strategy has not been fully explored in literature. The capabilities of the military in West Africa to effectively apply “smart” military strategy have not been fully explored. Given that most analysts attribute the failure of the US and NATO campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq to the overly kinetic approach, the study examined the “smart” role of the military in countering violent extremism in West Africa. It is factual that the militaries in West Africa have combined kinetic and non-kinetic military approaches in countering violent extremism however, how to transform the military in West Africa to be effective in the application of “smart” military strategy was the focus of the study. The study used Joseph Nye’s Smart Power Theory and the Regional Security Complex Theory to examine how the national armies and the multinational task forces have utilized their non-kinetic and kinetic military capabilities in countering violent extremism. The study used interpretive qualitative approach in understanding the “smart” role of the military in countering violent extremism, bearing in mind the regional security and how the culture and ethos of the military can affect the application of smart military strategy. Thirty respondents with expert knowledge and experience in the subject matter were interviewed using semi-structured and unstructured interviews. The study found that both the national armies and the various military interventions to counter the phenomenon have mostly focused on kinetic military approaches. The study again found that there are challenges in integrating and combining kinetic and non-kinetic military approaches. There is the need for a significant shift in the culture, orientation and organizational structure of the military force in West Africa to be effective in the application of “smart” military strategy.