US military in Niger had asked for more military resources before ambush but were rebuffed

[bigtree]

(((DeanObeidallah)))‏ @Deanofcomedy 16h16 hours ago

WOW: LA Times reports the US military in Niger had asked for more military resources before ambush but never came http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-fg-trump-niger-20171019-story.html

____The attack, apparently carried out by militants affiliated with Islamic State, was the deadliest since Trump took office, yet the U.S. military’s Africa Command still does not have a clear “story board” of facts that commanders usually gather swiftly after deadly incidents. That has senior Pentagon officials and lawmakers suggesting incompetence.

The questions arising from the incident, particularly about the availability of additional military support to the patrol, echo those raised in the aftermath of the 2012 Benghazi attack in Libya, which resulted in the deaths of four people: U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, foreign service information officer Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.

For months before the ambush, the U.S. military had requested more drones or other surveillance aircraft in Niger and additional military medical support, but those requests met resistance from the U.S. ambassador to the country, who was reluctant to increase the American presence in the country, according to a U.S. official briefed on the attack.

The Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha, otherwise known as an “A-Team,” increasingly had been operating in remote areas far from command support, the official said. Green Beret-led patrols had visited the area along the Mali-Niger border 29 times in the last six months. Islamic State and Al Qaeda operate there, exploiting divisions within local tribal forces in the region...

read more: http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-fg-trump-niger-20171019-story.html

Link to tweet

[coolsandy]

1. I knew Hillary was behind this all along.

[coolsandy]

2. So who is in charge of our military? The US ambassador to a nation or the Generals or the C-I-C?

Looks like it could be the ambassador.

[keithbvadu2]

3. Trump administration refused to provide more resources... Got it!

What was it that the republicans cried about Benghazi?

Something like... four died.

[Scarsdale]

4. Yes, but those 4 from Benghazi

were WHITE, likely rich and probably gop voters. These military members were not dignitaries. Where does all the money go, the Pentagon takes a large part of the treasury, then spend it on WHAT?? Where is Gowdy and the rest of them, forming committees to investigate this? Darrel Issa should be outraged, but of course he is not.

[whathehell]

7. I'm sorry, but

there's really nothing here that points to this being a racial issue -- Three of the Niger servicemen were white as well.

As to those in Benghazi being "likely rich", that's actually unlikely since the Foreign Service, like most government jobs, does not pay terribly well.

As to they're being "likely gop voters" that would be a huge assumption, especially in the case of the Ambassador, since he was a personal friend of Hilary Clinton's.

[Thor_MN]

14. The current Ambassador to Niger was appointed by Obama...

Trump is not organized enough to have placed Ambassadors except for posts like the Vatican and other "white" countries. The odds that he gets around to placing anyone in Africa are slim to none.

Ambassador Eunice S. Reddick was nominated by President Barack Obama as Ambassador to the Republic of Niger on July 30, 2013. Hillary Clinton left office as SOS February 1, 2013, so blame it on Obama in 3, 2, 1...

[keithbvadu2]

15. No matter what the excuse is, she is Trump's ambassador...

[Thor_MN]

16. Do you really think that will work?

If it even gets brought up in the MSM, all we will hear about is that she was appointed by Obama. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to drag Hillary Clinton into it.

[keithbvadu2]

17. Of course they will try but Obama and Hillary are not in charge. Trump is.

[Thor_MN]

18. Of course he is, but he will not be held accountable by his base.

It will get blamed on everything but him.

[whathehell]

5. I believe the same happened in Benghazi.

Typically cheap Repukes denied requests for more security funds, then blamed Dems when it was breached.

[bigtree]

6. in Benghazi

...increased security funding requests came from the embassy staff/State Dept. and were rejected by the republican-controlled Congress.

These requests came from the military themselves and look to have been rejected, in part, on the recommendation of the U.S. ambassador to the country, herself.

Who's CIC, again?

[whathehell]

8. They were rejected "in part"

on the recommendation of the Ambassador himself". Could be, but the other "part" did come from the Republican congress. I have no idea what the CIC is.

[James48]

9. NIGER!

(CIC= Commander in Chief. )




Time for Trump to sit in 13 hours worth of hearings under cross-exam.

[bigtree]

11. commander-in chief

...head of the armed forces, president of the United States.

Republican president, republican Congress. What's the problem with getting the funding requested by commanders in the field?

Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commander of U.S. Africa Command, documented to Congress in March his forces’ lack of needed resources on the continent. He said about 20% to 30% of requirements for “intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance” flights were being met, and complained there weren’t enough military helicopters to help locate missing, wounded, or killed service members. LAT

[dreamland]

10. Unlike Bengazi...

...the Niger incident were direct result of the actions of the P_resident.

[NCjack]

12. Trump killed these men. He is trying to obscure his participation. Expect

him to muzzle and, if necessary, fire those who try to tell the truth. Another test of honor for Gen. Kelly, as he knows all.

[keithbvadu2]

13. Kelly lied about FBI building funding so he has no honor.

Kelly lied about FBI building funding so he has no honor.

A poor example of Officer Corps integrity.

[Roland99]

19. Isnt the ambassador to Niger the same one Obama appointed?

Read another article that the State Dept said the ambassador did not reject requests

[bigtree]

20. would be in character for this WH to scapegoat her

..clarified, it looks to be more of an issue between the administration, the Pentagon, and Congress refusing to prioritize support for the Niger deployment and operations.