In the current telling, the American soldiers — a 12-member Army Special Forces team — were patrolling with 30 troops from Niger when the ambush took place. That prompted the dispatch of Niger ground forces and French Mirage jets, which arrived about two hours later, as the fighting was tapering off. American forces in Niger operate under strict rules that forbid them to go on missions that could involve enemy encounters. That so many questions have been raised and left unanswered raises yet another serious question: What exactly is the true mission of American troops in Africa? He recently threatened to subpoena Pentagon officials about the Niger fiasco, before Defense Secretary Jim Mattis agreed to meet with him.

Source: New York Times October 28, 2017 02:20 UTC