President Trump’s “paper tiger” test begins in Niger (op-ed)
In 1992 the United States began operating in Somalia as part of a United Nations humanitarian mission. Operations of this nature attract little public interest. Midway through 1993 four US servicemen were killed in Somalia and pundits became interested in why the United States cared about a failed African state ravished by civil war.
Shortly afterwards the United Nations was criticized for departing from its original humanitarian purpose to conduct military operations against Somalia’s most feared warlord, Mohammed Farrah Aidid.
Then, during the first week of October the American people became interested in Somalia. Two US Blackhawk helicopters, on a mission to capture Aidid, were shot down, and the dead bodies of American troops were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital.
The fire fight that ensued became known as the “Battle of Mogadishu”, and it was, as of 1993, the bloodiest fire fight involving US troops since the Vietnam War.
One foreign newspaper stated, “Images of dead American troops being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu was the beginning of the end for US-UN peacekeeping forces which quit operating in Somalia.”
In 1994 the Rwandan genocide took place.
During a 100-day killing spree the Hutu majority government sanctioned the slaughter of 70 percent of Rwanda’s Tutsi population. US intelligence reports revealed the Clinton Administration was aware of “the final solution to eliminate the Tutsis” but they didn’t intervene because the Clinton Administration feared a repeat of the “Battle of Mogadishu”.
This American apprehension led Islamic extremist, who wanted to expel US military presence from Muslim lands, to believe if they tortured and killed American troops the United States would withdraw its forces.
In 1998 Osama bin Laden discussed defeating the Russians in Afghanistan with a reporter and Bin Laden explained, “After leaving Afghanistan [fighters] headed for Somalia and prepared for a long battle thinking the Americans were like the Russians … The [Islamic extremist] were surprised at the low morale of the American soldiers and realized more than before that the American soldiers were paper tigers. After a few blows, the Americans ran away in defeat.”
Now, over the past few years the US quietly established a military presence in Niger.
In 2015 the Obama administration deployed 350 troops to Niger to help combat al-Qaida-related groups and Boko Haram. The US troops were sent to provide training and security assistance to Nigerian forces, as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, to target extremist in the region.
But the US presence isn’t limited to training in counterterrorism.
The Air Force operates a drone base out of Niamey, Niger’s capital, and the Pentagon is building another $100 million drone base in Agadez, the largest city in Central Niger.
Recently, a joint US and Nigerian patrol was ambushed by about 50 enemy fighters. One report stated the recent deaths of US servicemen in Niger were the first indication many Americans had that the US had boots on the ground in the West African nation. Once again four American soldiers were killed, and once again the date was October 4, the anniversary of the “Battle of Mogadishu”.
First published in New Pittsburgh Courier 10/18/17
Shortly afterwards the United Nations was criticized for departing from its original humanitarian purpose to conduct military operations against Somalia’s most feared warlord, Mohammed Farrah Aidid.
Then, during the first week of October the American people became interested in Somalia. Two US Blackhawk helicopters, on a mission to capture Aidid, were shot down, and the dead bodies of American troops were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital.
The fire fight that ensued became known as the “Battle of Mogadishu”, and it was, as of 1993, the bloodiest fire fight involving US troops since the Vietnam War.
One foreign newspaper stated, “Images of dead American troops being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu was the beginning of the end for US-UN peacekeeping forces which quit operating in Somalia.”
In 1994 the Rwandan genocide took place.
During a 100-day killing spree the Hutu majority government sanctioned the slaughter of 70 percent of Rwanda’s Tutsi population. US intelligence reports revealed the Clinton Administration was aware of “the final solution to eliminate the Tutsis” but they didn’t intervene because the Clinton Administration feared a repeat of the “Battle of Mogadishu”.
This American apprehension led Islamic extremist, who wanted to expel US military presence from Muslim lands, to believe if they tortured and killed American troops the United States would withdraw its forces.
In 1998 Osama bin Laden discussed defeating the Russians in Afghanistan with a reporter and Bin Laden explained, “After leaving Afghanistan [fighters] headed for Somalia and prepared for a long battle thinking the Americans were like the Russians … The [Islamic extremist] were surprised at the low morale of the American soldiers and realized more than before that the American soldiers were paper tigers. After a few blows, the Americans ran away in defeat.”
Now, over the past few years the US quietly established a military presence in Niger.
In 2015 the Obama administration deployed 350 troops to Niger to help combat al-Qaida-related groups and Boko Haram. The US troops were sent to provide training and security assistance to Nigerian forces, as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, to target extremist in the region.
But the US presence isn’t limited to training in counterterrorism.
The Air Force operates a drone base out of Niamey, Niger’s capital, and the Pentagon is building another $100 million drone base in Agadez, the largest city in Central Niger.
Recently, a joint US and Nigerian patrol was ambushed by about 50 enemy fighters. One report stated the recent deaths of US servicemen in Niger were the first indication many Americans had that the US had boots on the ground in the West African nation. Once again four American soldiers were killed, and once again the date was October 4, the anniversary of the “Battle of Mogadishu”.
First published in New Pittsburgh Courier 10/18/17
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