The Biden administration is considering ways to maintain its military presence in Niger following the July 26 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Niger serves as a platform for US operations in the Sahel region as it hosts about 1,100 troops and a major drone base that cost over $100 million to build, known as Air Base 201.
The US has not formally declared the situation in Niger a coup since that would require cutting off aid and other types of support to the Nigerien military. CNN reported Thursday that one option being considered to maintain the US military presence in the country is issuing a waiver to allow US operations to continue in Niger if a coup determination is made.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that another option for the administration would be to stop short of declaring a coup and working out an arrangement with the junta to continue counterterrorism support.
Many of the Niger junta leaders have received training from the US and have a long history of cooperating with the US military, including Brig. Gen. Moussa Barmou, who has proclaimed himself Niger’s new defense chief. Barmou worked closely with US special operations forces over the years, and according to CNN’s sources, has kept in touch with several current and former US military officials.
So far, the junta has yet to ask the US to leave the country, and it’s expected that the US could cooperate with the coup leaders if it chooses to. But at the same time, the US has been demanding the reinstatement of Bazoum and has backed threats from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to use force if the junta doesn’t relinquish power.
Barmou met with Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland when she visited Niger last week. Sources told The Associated Press that the junta warned Nuland that they would kill Bazoum if neighboring countries intervened.
The Niger coup follows a pattern of US-trained forces in Africa overthrowing civilian governments. Journalist Nick Turse of The Intercept has reported on this phenomenon extensively and the overall failure of the US counterterrorism mission in the region.
Turse explained in a recent article that in 2002 and 2003, the first years of US counterterrorism assistance to Niger, the State Department counted just nine terrorist attacks in all of Africa.
“Last year, the number of violent events in Burkina Faso, Mali, and western Niger alone reached 2,737, according to a report by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a Defense Department research institution. This represents a jump of more than 30,000 percent since the US began its counterterrorism efforts,” Turse wrote.
Africa is another attempted seamless budget growth operation. Russia has successfully defended eastern Eurasia from capitalist western barbarians. Somebody, somewhere has to be attacked to keep the congressional pork barrel rolling. This next US election is of course the most important of our lives.
If this so called election turns out the way I expect we are in deep shit with all sorts of nasty things on the horizon. For instance WW3,economic collapse,riots and more violence in the streets,the collapse of health care and education. The private looting of Social Security and a bigger version of the security state all are on the table no matter who runs and wins.Not to mention the condition of the planet,not exactly a small matter
I live in a city pretty far inland in Southern California. I went to the grocery store last night, and it was a madhouse. Hurricane Hilary has freaked out quite a few folks. If there was to be a bad economic collapse, it would be really bad. People will get killed over a can of spam.
While I wouldn’t wish hurricanes/tropical storms on SoCal, if they become a common occurrence it will just be like Florida — you hear a storm system is forming that might be coming your way, so you stock up on some things (and have some things you STAY stocked up on anyway).
That’s the one respect in which such storms are preferable to the more usual California emergencies like, say, earthquakes and wildfires. Those don’t give you several days’ notice to prepare.
I wonder how many weddings, funerals, parties, gatherings and such the US has bombed in Africa under the guide of ‘anti-terrorism’
when it fact it is creating terrorism.
oh, not to but mention the murder of Qaddafi and the overthrow/destruction of the legit government in Libya which unleashed all hell in the continent, provided arms to all sorts of jihadists etc etc. None of which existed before the Nato attack in 2011-2012. Clowns
The overthrow was a feature not a bug. All that “chaos” is a big $$$ opportunity for the MIC. Also, where did all of Ghadaffi’s/Libya’s gold end up? I can’t seem to find any actual information on that anywhere.
Nothing in the world is safe from the forces of Capitalism and profits. The liberating forces of Democracy will lie,cheat,steal,kill mutilate and torture. So it is written and so shall it be.
Agreed, except it’s much worse because they do all that while $hitting moral superiority on our face! (Unnecessary Sarcasm)
We the thinking feeling citizens of the US who see what is happening to our rights are up Shitts creek,
That video of Hilary. Chortling over the death of Qaddafi. “We came, we saw, he died, hahahahahaha”. That evil cackle. I could not support her for POTUS. She is on record as supporting everything Bill did (well, not everything, ahem), even the sanctions that led to the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children. Obama is on record as saying it was one of his biggest mistakes. I don’t believe that for one minute. He is said to be up until midnight reading military briefs. He could have shut down the mission. He was full in on it. The revelation of how Qaddafi died may have touched a nerve in him. But then, maybe not. He saw nothing wrong with extrajudicial assassinations of American citizens, without charge or trial. Both parties are one big murderous club.
Why not buy it with a few trinkets the way the early Americans bought Manhattan Island? Maybe start a few cotton plantations…
Americans bought Manhattan Island
We was robbed!
Turse explained in a recent article that in 2002 and 2003, the first years of US counterterrorism assistance to Niger, the State Department counted just nine terrorist attacks in all of Africa.
“Last year, the number of violent events in Burkina Faso, Mali, and western Niger alone reached 2,737, according to a report by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a Defense Department research institution. This represents a jump of more than 30,000 percent since the US began its counterterrorism efforts,” Turse wrote.
because it’s not “counter terrorism” efforts, it’s terrorism itself and the locals organize and start to fight back. It’s amazing how a simple slight of term has such a major effect on perception. In short, US started the takeover in 2003.. and
If you ever need a problem call USA we’re on our WAY!
https://youtu.be/a2n0widQ4nA
Thunderbird No. 4 was my favorite.
LOLOLOLOL
LOL
You seem to be mistaken. It’s not terrorists we are going there to kill. It’s Russians and Chinese.
I cracked up at the movie, “Blackhawk Down”. The truth dumped down a rabbit hole. Two warlords went at it. “Our” warlord needed backing, so, we killed 2,000. What did we think would happen?
The US military is the international version of vermin. Like rats and roaches you never can get rid of them.
Termites.
Actually your answer is equally good. Rats and roaches are nasty. Termites eat the foundation.
Uncle Sam’s foreign policy: “Bend over and let us help you…”
Oh yes, without KY.
“One option is to cooperate.”
Do we even care who runs that place and we pay under the table?
Sure, we have to make a show about the coup but at the end as long as people get fed and water is available no one cares who is in charge as long as the mines keep producing and people aren’t starving.
Water and Food insecurity? We invented an app for that: https://newint.org/blog/majority/2011/06/20/africa-water-privatization
If I didn’t know any better, this would be exactly how to create water and food insecurity. But, I assure you: I know nothing! (Conspiracist Sarcasm)
Speaking of water, the Bush Trust purchased a lot of land in Paraguay, right over one of the larges natural water aquifers in the world. Years ago. Former CEO of Goldman Sachs said that water will be the new oil.
“US Considers Ways to Keep Its Military Presence in Niger”
Yes America needs to keep it’s drone base in Niger.
America’s only success militarily is killing aboriginal tribal people with missiles from drones.
https://youtu.be/jBor59jkFVU
Mesmerizing! Outstanding! One question, he had money to buy masks and cool outfits but no money to buy shoes for dancing on rocks?
America keeps its military presence where it goes. That’s why there is still an American Military Presence in Europe, East Asia and many other places. US Bases shouldn’t be in other nations, what nation doesn’t have US Bases?
So a squatting occupation like in Syria? Yeah, that will sure win hearts and minds. But I suppose after revelation of Pentagon bioweapon development and simple terrorism world-wide, these pests no longer care about “hearts and minds”
Not exactly, the UN recognized government has hit a spot of bother. The guys calling the shots now could well be viewed as illegitimate. In Syria we amped up a civil war against a heinous but legitimate government. The Russians in contrast supported the legitimate government of Syria, they are more right than we are on this one.
There’s no such thing as a “legitimate government.”
Oh, so law of the jungle? Somalia writ large?
“”There’s no such thing as a “legitimate government.”””
really? i voted for a 3rd party in the last POTUS election.
my guy did not win but i have to accept the fact that the guy who did win received more votes than the charlatan who received the 2nd most votes did.
at what point is the current US government not considered to be legitimate?
edit = (hey if yalls are ready to mount some kind of campaign/action then i honestly have nothing better to do than to jump onboard).
what
LOL, “we win hearts and minds” by droning people with “smart bombs,” steeling their oil, and Ukrainian “biolabs?” Niger allowing the “(US) To Keep Its Military Presence in Niger” is like allowing cancer to take hold in your body, but much worse. (Sarcasm)
Sovereignty and national security decisions are apparently only for the US and its friends. This banal hypocrisy of course will not get a mention in corporate media.
War Is the main U.S. export along with debt(fiat). https://www.lewrockwell.com/2023/08/gary-d-barnett/the-only-national-defense-needed-in-this-country-is-defense-against-the-real-enemy-the-ruling-class-and-the-u-s-government/ Do you really think the military and police will be on the side of the people OR on the side of their benefactors, the Federal, State and Local Gov’ments when the whole thing implodes.
No problem, recognize the new coup government. Dig up some dirt on the old guy and business as usual.
Also, sell the new “government” nice, new weapons. Then look the other way, or have the CIA bend the news.
Counterterrorism. All these imperial prancing around the globe, especially where poor abd defenceless countries can be found — must have a name. Did not get around to rename it.