Why were our US Green Berets in Niger?

[Achilleaze]

As far as I can tell, the republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief not only ignored the deaths of our American soldiers until he was called on it, he also dodged the explanation for what they were doing when they were ambushed.

Comrade Casino owes America a straightforward explanation, not another lie-based diversion into his psychic fog.

[Irish_Dem]

1. more like a psychotic fog. nt

[7962]

2. They were on a "routine patrol" with forces from Niger when they were ambushed.

That is the story as I heard it when it happened.

[SummerSnow]

3. I found a damn good article on this..

US launches investigation into deadly Niger ambush and confusion that followed

http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/17/politics/us-niger-military-investigation-confusion/index.html

Some of the key questions being asked in the investigation include:

Why did the intelligence indicate it was 'unlikely' the 12-man team led by Green Berets would run into opposition?

Were there missed indicators that ISIS was operating in the area?

Were the villagers the team met with potentially ISIS loyalists?

After multiple visits to the area, why was there an attack at this time?

Once the ambush broke out, how did the body of Sgt. La David Johnson get left behind? Did he survive the ambush or was he killed instantly?,

Where was his body found in relation to where the gun battle happened?

Is it still accurate that a "beacon" was emitting from the battlefield, leading to some indication he might have been alive for a period of time?

Was the evacuation and quick reaction plan that relied on the French sufficient? If it took them 30 minutes to arrive, what about the team being in a firefight for 30 minutes with no help?

What led to the decision to deploy Navy SEALS for a possible rescue?

Did the wounded get the medical care they needed in time?

* This is going to be very interesting


But U.S. Africa Command has formally said only that the four slain soldiers were working on a counter-terrorism mission, without more details. Trump, meanwhile, is happy to talk out of school about former presidents, but he remains tight-lipped about why the slain soldiers were in harm’s way. ---https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/why-hasnt-trump-addressed-what-happened-in-niger/543054/

[gratuitous]

5. It will be interesting only if the popular media find it interesting

For all the time they spent obsessed with the non-existent stand down order related to Benghazi, and their endless pondering about why Secretary Clinton didn't jump into her invisible jet and fly to Libya while the attack was happening, the popular media kept pumping up Benghazi even when there was no story, no pump, and no controversy.

Will their attention get captured by Niger, or will they shrug it off as some kind of partisan witch hunt, which we all know they abhor when it comes to Republican misfeasance.

[Bradshaw3]

4. Fighting terrorism according to some reports

http://www.newsweek.com/niger-attack-president-trump-us-military-684417

Although I'm sure dump didn't know that.

[marylandblue]

6. U S soldiers are deployed in many countries

A lot of the missions are classified. We don't find out about them unless something goes wrong. Doesn't sound right, but we've been deploying troops and lying about it since WWII.

[TexasProgresive]

7. If they are anything like the G.B. of my Dad's time

We will never know. They keep their cards very close to the vest.

[Not Ruth]

8. Boko Haram, the girl traffickers, are fighting there