American interest in Niger began with it serving as a host for a US drone base. This has escalated over the years, largely behind closed doors, until the US has ended up with 1,000 ground troops there and centering a regional military campaign out of Niger.
But there’s always more escalation to be done, and while the recent ambush that killed four US troops did reveal the current level of ground troops in the country, something that virtually no one knew, it’s also set the stage for arming drones in the country and carrying out drone strikes.
Niger has apparently been resisting the drone strikes for some time, but the deaths of the US troops are the gift that keeps on giving for US African Command, allowing them to argue that it proves the need for the US to have such permission.
Normally, the US doesn’t bother with permission for its drone killing programs, but since Niger is hosting the base, it makes the kill-first, discuss-later strategy more risky, especially given the checkered history of US strikes killing few identified people and a lot of random “suspects.”
“but the deaths of the US troops are the gift that keep on giving for US African command”. Priceless. And so disturbingly true.
I don’t know about Trump yet ? but the last three administrations I believe supported the most violent head choppers every time . That means we likely supported the wrong side every time . So I don’t have much faith in what NATO or the U.S. government is doing ; Syria and Russia have about kicked out the worst head chopper from Syria . I understand they have gone to Africa but I have no idea if the United States is there to help or hinder the head choppers . I know NATO , the E.U. , The United Nations and the United States will not identify head choppers as Muslims . But Muslims on Jihad is what they are and even if they go by hundreds of different names from Boka harm , AlQaida , ISIS , to KLA . The United States has supported them and opposed them off and on