View Full Version : Inside The Botched Raid That Left Four US Soldiers Dead In Niger
This sucks the big one...
:mad::mad::mad::mad:
Correct me if I'm wrong,, but wasn't BuzzFeed banned by The Donald from his news conferences because of their fake-news and should be considered a hostile org??
BUT they still keep publishing trash..
Inside The Botched Raid That Left Four US Soldiers Dead In Niger
The worst military fiasco under the Trump administration — in which four US soldiers were killed alongside four Nigeriens by Islamist militants — was the result of reckless behavior by US Special Forces.
Posted on December 9, 2017, at 10:58 a.m. Monica Mark, BuzzFeed News Reporter
OUALLAM, Niger — The mission that resulted in the death of eight soldiers — including four Americans — in a firefight with Islamist militants in Niger earlier this year was the result of reckless behavior by US Special Forces in Africa, according to insiders and officials with knowledge of the operation.
The deaths came as a result of a poorly executed mission intended to gather information about three senior ISIS militants operating in isolated territory on the border between Niger and neighboring Mali.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/monicamark/niger-secret-wars-in-africa?utm_term=.dkrLgW5bBM#.dcLwMPXQVk
Team Sergeant
12-12-2017, 08:16
How to spot key words in fake news : “insiders and officials” no names, no unit, no agency but it lends itself to liberal fakenews story.
And Buzzfeed, Monica Mark, zero Special Forces/Green Beret contacts, zero Special Operations contacts and without that you’re just writing fakenews.
Buzzfeed, Monica Mark, zero credibility = fakenews.
Golf1echo
12-14-2017, 00:41
More of the same left propaganda. Understand that the official hearing will be in Jan. So why would the left be fronting propaganda...oh maybe because a big part of that problem can be directly traced back to that bang up job the former Secretary of State / attempted purchaser of the executive branch did in Libya...2nd and 3rd effects...
"A turning point was the Western-backed ouster of Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. With his demise, many Tuareg from the region who had fought as mercenaries for Gadhafi returned home, bringing with them the contents of Libya’s looted armories.
Some of the returnees launched a rebellion in Mali to try to create a breakaway Tuareg state in the desert north, a movement that was soon hijacked by al-Qaida-linked jihadists who had been operating in Mali for years. looted armories."
https://www.voanews.com/a/niger-herdsman-jihadist-us-soldiers/4111534.html
Probe finds deadly mission lacked proper approval
http://www.fayobserver.com/news/20180306/probe-finds-deadly-mission-lacked-proper-approval
"WASHINGTON (AP) — A military investigation into the Niger attack that killed four American service members concludes the team didn’t get required senior command approval for their risky mission to capture a high-level Islamic State militant, several U.S. officials familiar with the report said. It doesn’t point to that failure as a cause of the deadly ambush.
Initial information suggested the Army Special Forces team set out on its October mission to meet local Nigerien leaders, only to be redirected to assist a second unit hunting for Doundou Chefou, a militant suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an American aid worker. Officials say it now appears the team went after Chefou from the onset, without outlining that intent to higher-level commanders.
As a result, commanders couldn’t accurately assess the mission’s risk, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the results of the investigation before they’re publicly released. The finding will likely increase scrutiny on U.S. military activity in Africa, particularly the role of special operations forces who’ve been advising and working with local troops on the continent for years.
Four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien troops were killed Oct. 4 about 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Niamey, Niger’s capital, when they were attacked by as many as 100 Islamic State-linked militants traveling by vehicle and carrying small arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Two other American soldiers and eight Nigerien forces were wounded.
The investigation finds no single point of failure leading to the attack, which occurred after the soldiers learned Chefou had left the area, checked his last known location and started for home. It also draws no conclusion about whether villagers in Tongo Tongo, where the team stopped for water and supplies, alerted IS militants to American forces in the area. Still, questions remain about whether higher-level commanders — if given the chance — would have approved or adjusted the mission, or provided additional resources that could have helped repel the ambush."
Not involved enough in today's planning cycle to comment on this.
But did the team mess up or is the command trying to wash their hands?
Basenshukai
03-06-2018, 17:05
How to spot key words in fake news : “insiders and officials” no names, no unit, no agency but it lends itself to liberal fakenews story.
And Buzzfeed, Monica Mark, zero Special Forces/Green Beret contacts, zero Special Operations contacts and without that you’re just writing fakenews.
Buzzfeed, Monica Mark, zero credibility = fakenews.
Well... they could get Jack Murphy as their "token" Green Beret. But, that would not make them any better. Guys like him are detrimental to our legacy in the eyes of the public because they carry an air of legitimacy when - in fact - they are oftentimes shunned and exiled by the very community they claim to represent.
Basenshukai
03-06-2018, 17:18
Probe finds deadly mission lacked proper approval
http://www.fayobserver.com/news/20180306/probe-finds-deadly-mission-lacked-proper-approval
"WASHINGTON (AP) — A military investigation into the Niger attack that killed four American service members concludes the team didn’t get required senior command approval for their risky mission to capture a high-level Islamic State militant, several U.S. officials familiar with the report said. It doesn’t point to that failure as a cause of the deadly ambush.
Initial information suggested the Army Special Forces team set out on its October mission to meet local Nigerien leaders, only to be redirected to assist a second unit hunting for Doundou Chefou, a militant suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an American aid worker. Officials say it now appears the team went after Chefou from the onset, without outlining that intent to higher-level commanders.
As a result, commanders couldn’t accurately assess the mission’s risk, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the results of the investigation before they’re publicly released. The finding will likely increase scrutiny on U.S. military activity in Africa, particularly the role of special operations forces who’ve been advising and working with local troops on the continent for years.
Four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien troops were killed Oct. 4 about 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Niamey, Niger’s capital, when they were attacked by as many as 100 Islamic State-linked militants traveling by vehicle and carrying small arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Two other American soldiers and eight Nigerien forces were wounded.
The investigation finds no single point of failure leading to the attack, which occurred after the soldiers learned Chefou had left the area, checked his last known location and started for home. It also draws no conclusion about whether villagers in Tongo Tongo, where the team stopped for water and supplies, alerted IS militants to American forces in the area. Still, questions remain about whether higher-level commanders — if given the chance — would have approved or adjusted the mission, or provided additional resources that could have helped repel the ambush."
Not involved enough in today's planning cycle to comment on this.
But did the team mess up or is the command trying to wash their hands?
We all know that "victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan". Army Special Forces' teams in both Iraq and Afghanistan have long clamored for a shorter decision-making cycle, less bureaucracy, and far more autonomy in the conduct of their operations.
I think these things are important to point out because this degree of flexibility and self-sufficiency is paramount to how Special Forces operate. That being said, this is combat, and the enemy has a vote. Regardless of the available intelligence, we all know that war is war and sometimes it is akin to winning the devil's lottery. We can and should always use every possible fire-fight as a great way to validate our training and our operational methodology. Yet, at the end of the day, this is the profession we chose. The only thing that prevents casualties in war is not going to war. I have been thinking a great deal about these men who gifted their lives for their country in Niger. I didn't know any of them personally, but it felt as if I did because we are all brothers and they are us. May God Bless them and their families.
But did the team mess up or is the command trying to wash their hands?
Alex. I will take command for $600 please.
sfshooter
03-06-2018, 19:33
Now just imagine if the buzzword "risk adverse" had been in use in SOG (way before my time but I've read many of their stories). There would have never been any cross border operations all alone. I think the O's in todays military are pressured too much to not take any risky action. Soldiering is a risk in itself and the SF career field just ups that so much more.
When soldiers are killed in combat commanders should not be blamed unless they made some really stupid decision regarding tactics (check out the book NO WAY OUT).
It sounds like the command is trying to protect itself. Those brave souls got attacked by bad guys.........it happens!
Well, "not approved"?? So much for Commanders intent... Hands tied, end of story...
Were they sloppy??? I dunno, wasn't there... But if ya gotta send up a 40 or so page of a CONOP...well....we lost
Remington Raidr
03-07-2018, 18:32
Alex. I will take command for $600 please.
"Command . . . final answer";)
WarriorDiplomat
03-07-2018, 19:14
Man you guys have it all wrong about the fake news even the Embassies produce that its hot up there sarge 120-130 degrees or hotter no one wants to REALLY go out there and see whats really going on without red wine and cheese oh and bread they want to sit back talk to a few people make a phone call to buddies in the state dept who are talking and write something.....I mean why let a tragedy go to waste that's missed opportunity. Many I read some bullshit that was not true getting put in reports before from our own leaders and don't forget the experts the "insiders and officials" on the news who talk about operations and bad guys without once having stepped foot into any of these countries.
I understand, at least somewhat, that the U.S. military is in this region (Mali, Niger, Nigeria, etc.) in order to track and kill terrorists (fighting over there, rather than over here). I would also assume we have a requisite need for the U.S. military in this region to provide security for the drone (http://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-building-a-100-million-drone-base-in-niger-2016-9)base that is being constructed near Agadez.
Do the uranium mines (which provide 7% of France's uranium) and our relationship with France have anything to do with our presence in Niger or the region, in general? Thank you.
I understand, at least somewhat, that the U.S. military is in this region (Mali, Niger, Nigeria, etc.) in order to track and kill terrorists (fighting over there, rather than over here). I would also assume we have a requisite need for the U.S. military in this region to provide security for the drone (http://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-building-a-100-million-drone-base-in-niger-2016-9)base that is being constructed near Agadez.
Do the uranium mines (which provide 7% of France's uranium) and our relationship with France have anything to do with our presence in Niger or the region, in general? Thank you.
Main reason is terrorists, other reasons Iran, and China getting uranium and other rare earths. We have to counter the influence they have in Africa.
"Command . . . final answer";)
shut up Alex I know the answer, Lets move to $800
Intel NCO
03-25-2018, 14:58
I'm going to reserve my opinion until I've had the chance to read the full report on higher.
This all went down my first week on the job covering this area and problem set, so it'll be interesting to see what turns up. What I really want to see is the sworn statements of the survivors, since I think that's really the most important piece of the puzzle.