This study investigates the role of the Unified Command Plan in Subsaharan Africa. The United States' intervention in Somalia increased public awareness of Subsaharan Africa's problems and that region's potential for future deployments of military forces, especially to conduct operations other than war. A discussion of the situation, brief historical overviews of the Unified Command Plan and Subsaharan Africa, and two test cases comprise the thesis. One of the cases--the US action in Somalia--occurred while the thesis was in progress. The other case, an American intervention in Liberia, is factual up to a point. A fictional scenario involving the US European Command completes the example. The study concludes that the Unified Command Plan needs revision in order for the US to handle effectively any threats to its interests in the region. Recommended alternatives include a transfer of the Subsaharan African region from the US European Command to the US Central Command. This transfer will allow the US to cope better with regional contingencies in both Europe and Subsaharan Africa.

ADA 272729 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)