The Biden administration’s refusal to withdraw from Niger despite an order from the post-coup government to leave has put US troops in the country in danger, a senior Air Force leader said in a letter to Congress that was obtained by The Washington Post.
The whistleblower said that senior officials at the US Embassy in Niger have “intentionally suppressed intelligence” to maintain the “facade of a great country-to-country relationship” as the US is trying to figure out a way to maintain its military presence.
The Nigerien government, known as the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), said in March that it was severing military relations with the US and that the US presence was no longer legally justified. US officials have claimed they didn’t receive an order to exit the country.
“It is clear that the country of Niger does not want a permanent military presence in the country and they have informed us that we need to leave. At the same time, there are approximately 1,100 US Military Service Members in the country who are essentially being held hostage from returning home to their families while the State Department continues with failed diplomacy by not communicating with the country of Niger on what their withdrawal plans will look like,” the whistleblower said.
Nigerien officials recently held talks with US officials and said that the US would submit a plan to “disengage” troops from Niger. But the US side refused to comment on the talks and did not confirm that they agreed to submit a withdrawal plan.
Since the July 23 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, US troops in Niger have been on orders to “sit and hold.” The whistleblower said that US personnel have had their deployments extended because Niger is not approving new visas for troop rotations. The airman said that all “US forces were scheduled to end a six-month deployment early this month when relief forces arrived.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said at a congressional hearing on Tuesday that he spoke with US Army soldiers in Niger and described a similar account. He said there are “Army soldiers right now in Niger who aren’t getting their troop rotations, who aren’t getting their medicine, who aren’t getting their supplies, who aren’t getting their mail.” Criticizing Army leaders at the hearing for not taking the situations seriously, Gaetz said, “And the two senior people in the United States Army are sitting before me, and it’s like ‘hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.'”
The whistleblower said that the US actions in Niger “have potential implications for our bilateral relations with other Partner Nations and the safety of our personnel in the region.”
The whistleblower is based at Air Base 101 near the capital Niamey, but most US personnel are stationed at Air Base 201 in Agadez, a facility that cost over $100 million to build and acts as a hub for US drone operations in West Africa. The US does not want to give up such a significant drone base but has also been preparing for the possibility of getting kicked out. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that the US was in talks with other West African states to base drones on their territory, including Benin, the Ivory Coast, and Ghana.
Rules based order…
The American exceptional empire is collapsing. They just don’t know it. Even falling can be considered as flying.
yeah, yeah and Jesus is coming too.
I think we all know the magic man in the sky does not and never has existed, however, empire collapsing is very real, you just don’t want to see it, and right there is your mistake.
You equate fall of an empire to the return of Jesus? Hyperbole much?
He’s already here, for those who can see.
USA government does not care. How soon until the whistleblower is destroyed?
That’s what Macron tried to do and eventually gave up and left. I’m sure that whoever rules the USA will soon realize they have no choice.
At what point do unwelcome US troops in Niger constitute “occupation” ?
As soon as the legitimate government asks them to leave ( I dunno maybe there is some paperwork) and they don’t. Can Niger take this up at the UN?
I suppose they could, where the UN General Assembly refers it to the UN Security Council where…-OH AND the United States just vetoed any action.
But moot point – just yesterday “that Maoist Biden” (ha ha) agreed to “cut and run” from Niger and withdraw troops. I now expect Trump to leap on this opportunity and declare he’ll “go back in with force even if the Nigers don’t want us to” but Trump being Trump, he’ll put two g’s in the country’s name, and his base will agree wholeheartedly.
The US is taking over from France as the new occupying force just like what it did in indochina.
https://youtu.be/_-u1Pjce4Lg?si=e1y6655WGx-iBCh_
Very interesting video. I knew nothing about this until now.
https://youtu.be/36vYRkVYeVw?si=WGgTTboTUPUCskUE
Is the new government generally recognized by the international community? Is it recognized by the USA? If it is, it is clear we are invaders.
It’s recognized by most of the world and is represented in the UN. It’s not clear (deliberately) what Foggy Bottom’s and the Pentagram’s opinion are.
The U.S. after a long delay declared it an undemocratic coup which automatically cut funding. Niger turned to trade with Russia. The U.S. then complained to them about it. So Niger asked the U.S. to leave. There are other diplomatic snafus that led to the U.S. being asked to leave as well.
The US seems to want to pay everyone…
Script writers are writing the script for “Blackhawk Down II”. Only a matter of time before we screw up.
The negotiations will be quick:
US: “Thank you for…”
Niger: “You still here? GET OUT.”
US: “Uh…”
Niger: “Don’t say goodbye, just go.”