“Nigerien and French units assisted without hesitation,” according to the investigation’s eight-page executive summary. An executive summary, he said in a telephone interview, was all that the military could make public “without this thing blowing up into a firestorm,” and he suggested that senior officials were trying to protect their reputations. I understand it, but it doesn’t mean it’s right.”The executive summary and the Pentagon briefing did not directly address why the team was relatively unequipped, traveling in an unarmored sport utility vehicle that was not carrying a mounted machine gun. It did not specifically fault the Army, the United States Africa Command and the Special Forces for fatal gaps in training and oversight. General Cloutier was promoted last month to lead all Army forces in Africa.

Source: New York Times May 10, 2018 16:00 UTC