The Botswana Defense Force in the Struggle for an African Environment

This is the story of an African success. It describes how Botswana, an obscure nation in southern Africa, employs its capable, professional army to secure its wildlife resources -a precious heritage of all mankind. This narrative speaks well for a government and an army on a continent where officials and soldiers are widely held in disrepute. The book describes how Botswana's leaders clearly defined their nation's interests and effectively employed the instruments of power at their disposal, portraying a state that works. It argues that Africans are contributing meaningfully to emerging global thinking on security and urges Africa's friends to take advantage of opportunities for productive partnerships over environmental issues.

Dan Henk serves as a social anthropologist on the faculty of the US Air War College.  He is a former career US Army officer whose assignments included combat in Viet Nam and Grenada and overseas service in Europe and Africa. His years in Africa included accreditation as military attaché to four African countries.  He has served as Director of African Studies at the US Army War College and as Chair, Department of Security Strategy, Africa Center for Strategic Studies. He holds a B.A. in History from The Citadel, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Florida. He is a graduate of the US Army Command & General Staff College and US Army War College. His recent publications explored defense budgeting in African countries, new military roles and missions and emerging new definitions of “security.”  His most recent book analyzed the evolution of South Africa’s armaments industry in the wake of majority rule.