Next war...Africa by way of pirates.

Thanks Jonathan for sending me this article....

Bad news bat fans...

If you thought that with the war winding down in Afghanistan that we might get at least a temporary pause in action, this should make you reconsider.  Our next battle field (probably already is) will be on the African continent.

The payoff?  I have no idea but piracy is not a big enough problem to warrant full scale military intervention.  via AFP.

BRUSSELS — The European Union will likely approve plans Friday to strike Somali pirate equipment on beaches, widening the scope of its naval operations four years into a mission to protect shipping.
Germany had voiced reservations about plans to allow EU warships and helicopters to fire at trucks, supplies, boats and fuel stowed on the coast of Somalia, but a minister indicated Thursday that Berlin would now back the plans.
"Military officers say they want to render harmless the ships on the beach that could be used. This was a convincing argument," German deputy defence minister Christian Schmidt said after a meeting of EU defence chiefs in Brussels.
EU officials have stressed that the new mandate would not call for the deployment of troops on the ground in Somalia.
"We made clear that this should be limited actions against assets on the edge of the beach. Piracy must be fought at sea," Schmidt said.

Notice the careful wording?

Land forces would not be involved?

Land forces are already involved on the continent.  British, French and American forces are operating all over the place.  Add in the work the Chinese are doing and you the next flashpoint of the future.

Remember you heard it here first.