The Washington Post: Parts of Niger and Mali Are Lawless; US Strategy Might Make It Worse

News reports emerged that four US soldiers were killed after a surprise attack in Niger, and US lawmakers expressed surprise that troops were stationed in the country. “The United States has about 800 troops in Niger, a number which has been steadily increasing since they first deployed there in 2012,” reports Max Bearak for the Washington Post, adding that the United States “is eyeing a larger and more aggressive counterterrorism mission in this increasingly lawless region” and “loosening of restrictions on the U.S. military's ability to use lethal force in Niger could mirror similar decisions made in Syria, Yemen and Somalia.” The goal is to combat terrorist networks like the Islamic State, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab or Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin. The US role, notes the US secretary of defense, is to support the French with refueling for air power, training of local forces, surveillance and intelligence. Islamist militants fleeing attacks by the French in Mali or the US in Libya, head for nations like Niger. Bearak points out that small militant groups quickly shift allegiances toward larger terror networks to attract funding and local recruits. Critics suggest that military intervention fails to provide security and instead encourages more extremism, violence and refugees. The US military is conducting an investigation. – YaleGlobal