Three Special Forces (i.e. Green Beret) Soldiers were killed in an ambush in Niger just a couple weeks ago. We have specops/specwar forces in many different countries right now, especially in Africa (the Horn, over in Niger, up in the Islamic Maghreb) and the Middle East. These are all low-level/low-intensity conflict areas where our troops are nominally only there to give military assistance and provide training but where they're likely also engaged in serious fighting from time to time.

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

Unfortunately, there were 4 KIA ultimately, plus 2 WIA. The 4th KIA Green Beret was recovered a couple days post-ambush.

The US military has a significant presence in Africa, especially the quiet types.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1MYW90iPB_s-7IMKhfith4iMA5jw&ll=7.495366455424771%2C19.009137150000015&z=3

They're all over Africa, something that's not obvious to much of the American public for sure.

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

Abating the radical Islamist threat is not the driving force for the US military presence there. If it was, you'd be seeing US troops in a whole whack of other countries - i.e. North-East Kenya, south Philippines, north Sumatra, South Thailand, etc. The reason for a growing military presence is.... wait for it.... OIL. In 2011 it was discovered that they had some decent sized oil reserves (1+ billion brl) and suddenly the interest in protecting the area from islamists grew.

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Remember - It's important to be comfortable in your own skin... because it turns out society frowns on wearing other people's

" It could become predominantly Muslim likely not a peaceful version thereof or Christian/secular."


When has Africa ever been peaceful? Albeit I'm sure it would get a lot worse under Muslim influence.

Exactly. Otherwise who'd give a rat's ass about these countries.

It's still a geopolitical struggle on a global scale. Us. The Russians (and their Spetnaz forces, who are scary on a whole different level). The Chinese. Nothing much has changed in that regard -- whether it's about oil, precious metals, what have you -- and likely won't in the foreseeable future.

I don't know the nature of the Islamist threat in Niger, but I'm guessing we're partly in there because we don't want to see such natural resources fall into the hands of people likely to be made wealthy by it and then use it against us, should they gain power.

Cue the "It's all about Halliburton!" video in three, two, one.... ;-)

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

i just watched a vid a couple days ago that showed some of the training the russian SF guys do...they're a...umm...very confident bunch.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ-ΛΑΒΕ
we're doomed

I ran across them on a couple of occasions. Lunatics to a man. Not the most highly technically or tactically skilled, but a cockroach would envy their ability to take punishment and survive.

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

Abating the radical Islamist threat is not the driving force for the US military presence there. If it was, you'd be seeing US troops in a whole whack of other countries - i.e. North-East Kenya, south Philippines, north Sumatra, South Thailand, etc.


There's also the matter of those countries having a say in having the US military in their country. The Philippines voted to remove the US bases even though there is some presence still there to watch Abu Sayyaf. It is political suicide there to have US troops in the country.

It seems like there is oil virtually everywhere these days. I can't see why denying control of a valuable asset to violent people is a bad thing.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Shouldn’t we be calling this “the ‘N’ Country”?

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Well some transparency is in order if the U.S. is going to play World Oil Police and put our troops in harm's way to protect oil reserves that are not on U.S. property or worked by U.S. businesses . There's no argument we should make that official U.S. policy. As opposed to secret U.S. policy. Is this Obama policy that Trump is extending? Has it been discussed in Congressional committee? I don't know.

Because if this is policy, and we're not being told, then it's a little disturbing. Because it means that some group of "elites" doesn't think the U.S. public needs to be troubled with the real reasons for policy dictating the deployment of U.S. military force over the long term.

Personally, I think the oil thing is overplayed. Defeating ISIS-and-friends is the real goal. Securing oil fields is just a way of cutting off funding to them. And that's less disturbing to me. Because that goal has been transparently communicated. And in that case securing oil resources falls into the category for "military strategy" rather than policy. And the government has much less of an obligation to explain strategy.

All of the countries listed have partcipated/currently are involved in exercises and training missions (JCET, etc. ) with us. Just because your Fbook doesn't say it, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

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SF

Then we might be confusing it with Nigeria. :)

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Then we might be confusing it with Nigeria. :)

Or Nambia...

Or Namibia. ;-)

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

Shirley you're talking about Zamunda?

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Steve

Or Nambia...

Or Namibia. ;-)

It must be Nambia, I heard it from Trump...

What is that, velvet?

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War is god

MMM Velvet

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Steve