As new information emerges on the October 4 ambush in Niger, which left four US troops killed, sources familiar with the situation say they believe it was the result of a “massive intelligence failure.”
Pentagon officials now say that the patrol had become “routine,” having been carried out nearly 30 times in the same area, making it very predictable, dangerously so considering the US troops were in unarmored trucks.
The ambushing militants appear to have drawn the troops into an ambush, as officials say they were chasing suspects on motorcycles at the time the ambush began. The troops had no aerial surveillance, nor any support forces in case the situation turned bad.
Indeed, officials warn the situation could’ve been a lot worse if the French military didn’t happen to be in the area to bail them out, and the entire contingent of US and Nigerien troops could’ve been wiped out completely.
The Pentagon is downplaying the reports of intelligence failure, or any failure, insisting that the investigation is still ongoing and they don’t want to draw any conclusions before it is completed.
It is difficult to imagine what it must be like to be involved in a fire fight in the middle of the Sahara desert in one of the most sparsely populated locations on Earth. A lonely way for a young man to die.
Frankly, considering the level of training of US forces, they should only engage unarmed opponents.
Unfortunately true. The French troops should not be there either, but USA in Niger????why?
The geopolitics of Halford Mackinder and the Pentagon’s empire of bases require securing Africa in terms of real estate, resources, and people against the Eurasian century. Its not called AFRICOM for nothing.
If geopolitical terms of reference seem alien, the reader is ill-equipped to understand why America is at war and in any way impede its progression towards a final global confrontation where everyone loses for good.
The scenario described is a typical ambush lure used by insurgent forces against a superior opponent.
Unfortunately, intel failure could easily mean a deliberate failure to warrant an increased commitment.
The only thing U.S. troops did wrong was sign up and become U.S. troops, and, they did disperse the ambush anyway.
In Niger? Still looking for those yellow-cakes
that were supposedly sold to Iraq. While it was a crude forgery, no doubt that it was a sufficient excuse to come in and “help” Niger fight terrorism. After that, terrorism is guaranteed to appear. What happiness, contracts and money flowing into deserving pockets forever. Helping France return to their colonial haunts — a most worthy cause.
Pretty good chance the weapons which fired the shots were originally gifts provided to Libyan jihadists by Clinton & Kerry. Another fine mess…
When this story first aired, it was being reported that Niger wouldn’t let us use drones for reconnaissance. This part of the story seems to have been dropped. If this is true then why is this the case? Perhaps our overuse of drone strikes is coming back to haunt us.