Posted on 10/07/2017 5:29:43 AM PDT by BenLurkin
According to the Pentagon, the Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha, otherwise known as an “A-Team,” went on a routine patrol Wednesday afternoon with about 20 troops from the Niger Armed Forces when they came under heavy fire.
Officials said a barrage of machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades from about 50 militants forced the U.S. and Nigerien troops into defensive positions near the border with Mali. The fire peppered the troops’ trucks and shattered windows before they could regroup and fire back.
The soldiers called in support from French attack helicopters and fighter jets. It’s not clear whether the aircraft fired.
Amid the chaos, the officials said, one of the 12 Green Berets was left behind in a border region notorious for drug smuggling, human trafficking and myriad extremist militias, including allies of Al Qaeda and Islamic State.
The other Green Berets only noticed his absence after they had pulled back.
...
headle said the patrol had planned to talk to local leaders about security. He said the military has no indication that someone tipped off the militants to set up an ambush in the brush.
“It would’ve been easy to have good concealment in this terrain,” he said, adding that an unarmed surveillance aircraft was overhead, but no armed air cover because the threat was considered “unlikely.”
...
he deadly attack drew attention to the little-known U.S. military presence in Niger, an impoverished desert country in Francophone West Africa. About 800 U.S. personnel are deployed there.
Niger is considered strategic for U.S. counter-terrorism operations. It lies between Nigeria to the south, where Islamic State affiliate Boko Haram has been fighting to establish Islamist rule, and Mali to the west, where multiple extremist militias are active.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
What in Niger is worth one American Green Beret’s life?
Another change Obama made ok?
And he has done NOTHING to repeal destructive, terrible Ash Carter and Obama directives. He did virtually countermand Trump’s transgender orders.
The military ad naval forces do not make policy nor decide where they will go and fight/support etc.
Blame for foreign policy is squarely on the congress and administration. congress for approving funding for such ops and the Executive for deciding to engage in those activities.
I guess ‘no man left behind’ isn’t a Green Beret value.
most correct - defend America first, not foreign entanglements
so apparently Mochelle Obama’s #give the girls back campaign didnt work?............
I guess we know where the troops are going after Syria. Oh wait. They are already there. What is the US national interest in Niger?
If people did fifteen minutes worth of research, the Islamic terrorists in Niger are no more dangerous that a Bronx street gang.
And our “commando” would be alive if we followed the constitution when getting entangled in these foreign wars. If we are sending commandos to fight gangs, I suggest they send them into Mexico to kill the cartels.
“If we are sending commandos to fight gangs, I suggest they send them into Mexico to kill the cartels.”
“DRONE” all the cartel homes...in one day..Betcha things will slow down ..for a few weeks...then DRONE all the crooked cops homes where the ‘survivors’ have taken up residence !
This is something that his comrades will live with and be haunted by for the rest of their lives.
WHAT IN THE HELL ARE THEY DOING THERE? How do you tell their relatives they “died for their country?” We should not be scattering “troops” all over the globe like so much pollution. Bring them the hell home unless you are going to go kill somebody for a reason that PROTECTS the USA.
When Trump said calm before the storm I had thought we were going to light up Boko Harom soon. These savages need to be pounded
You ever been in the beaten zone of a deliberate complex ambush? If so, then your opinion matters, if not, it doesn’t.
Africom.
Please, FRiend, there’s a plethora of Team America (heck, yeah! (TM)) members around here.
World Police is just up their alley, as EVERYTHING in the world revolves around ‘national security’ (as we don’t/can’t drill our own resources, refuse to keep the bad-elements outside our borders, actively pursue those that HAVE gotten over our borders, etc.).
While D.C. economically enslaves the taxpayers and sticks its nose into where it’s not wanted/needed, or send our military to die to protect those that refuse to protect themselves, we allow Socialism+ to spread as the stupid Americans allow foreign powers to spend their $$ where we inject ourselves.
Military-industrial-complex indeed.
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