Niger Ambush Came After ‘Massive Intelligence Failure,’ Source Says

[Straight Shooter]

A senior congressional aide who has been briefed on the deaths of four U.S. servicemen in Niger says the ambush by militants stemmed in part from a "massive intelligence failure."

The Pentagon has said that 40 to 50 militants ambushed a 12-man U.S. force in Niger on Oct. 4, killing four and wounding two. The U.S. patrol was seen as routine and had been carried out nearly 30 times in the six months before the attack, the Pentagon has reported.

The aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly, said the House and Senate armed services committees have questions about the scope of the U.S. mission in Niger, and whether the Pentagon is properly supporting the troops on the ground there.

There was no U.S. overhead surveillance of the mission, he said, and no American quick-reaction force available to rescue the troops if things went wrong. If it weren't for the arrival of French fighter jets, he said, things could have been much worse for the Americans.

Congress also has many unanswered questions about what happened, he said, including about the specifics of the mission that day and the accounts lawmakers have been given about the timeline of the attack and rescue.

The aide said questions are being asked about whether the U.S. soldiers were intentionally delayed in the village they were visiting. He said they began pursuing some men on motorcycles, who lured them into a complex ambush. The enemy force had "technical" vehicles — light, improvised military vehicles — and rocket-propelled grenades, the official said.

After the rescue when it became clear that one soldier was missing, "movements and actions to try and find him and bring him back were considered. They just were not postured properly [to get him]." The body of Sgt. La David Johnson was not recovered until nearly 48 hours after the Oct. 4 attack.

A Pentagon spokesperson called the claim of an intelligence failure "speculation."

"An investigation is underway," said the spokesperson. "At the conclusion of the investigation, we will provide further details."

On Thursday, Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said that "every tactical engagement doesn’t necessarily proceed from an intelligence failure. We'll look at it and we'll come to conclusions about how intelligence could have supported adequately or inadequately the engagement that occurred. But on a battlefield, the enemy gets a vote."

"Sub-Saharan Africa is a very difficult place to operate," said Gen. McKenzie.

On Friday afternoon, Defense Secretary James Mattis met with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to discuss the Niger raid.

Earlier this week, McCain said the committee had not been provided with the information about the Niger mission that it "deserves."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/africa...resulted-massive-intelligence-failure-n812626

Questions need to be answered. Heads need to roll

 

[Jack Davenport]

Yes, the creator of the video needs to go to jail....

 

[sean miguel]

Puerto Rico is Katrina


Niger is Benghazi.

how long were our people under siege during Benghazi calling for help? Hours. Consulate staff including an ambassador under threat with no help forthcoming. Because of a narrative (Al-Qaeda was on the run) and an upcoming election.

War fighters on patrol get ambushed and its over in minutes. Questions need to be asked but we have special operations forces throughout Africa and 60+ countries who are vulnerable to the same scenario.

 

[meesterperfect]

Good Post AF.

my 2 cents is although I don't want to see anybody killed I must ask what the fuck the USA is doing in Niger, Africa in the first place?
Are we needed there? Of course we are not. I feel uncomfortable even using the word "we" anymore.
The people sending the US military all over to be used as grunts are not American, and the Americans involved don't represent us.

But stuff like this wil happen. And our GOV and Media will refer to the perps as Rebels, and Terrorists ect ect.
You send soldiers to other countries shoving guns in peoples faces , every once in a while somebody's gonna respond with force.

 

[pool_hustler]

how long were our people under siege during Benghazi calling for help? Hours. Consulate staff including an ambassador under threat with no help forthcoming. Because of a narrative (Al-Qaeda was on the run) and an upcoming election.

Not the way I understand it. But then we've only had 8 or 9 Benghazi hearings so perhaps the situation is still rather murky.
As I understand it relief didn't arrive in time because it was logistically impossible for relief to arrive in time. As I recall even Clinton's grand inquisitor Mr. Gowdy stated that as a fact, along with a whole slew of military bigwigs.

And though countless information deficient right wing parrots still squawk about it, I'm sure you know Hillary did not roll over at 3AM, say "fuck it", then go back to sleep. Gotta love some of the complete bullshit the right comes up with, though. It would be funny if it wasn't so disturbingly delusional, and yet so doggedly embraced.

 

[Straight Shooter]

FFS the manchild couldn't even remember Sgt. Johnson's name

Widow of Sgt. La David Johnson says she cried in anger when Trump forgot his name during call
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...mands-answers-husband-death-article-1.3582592

 

[Mayhem]

A senior congressional aide who has been briefed on the deaths of four U.S. servicemen in Niger says the ambush by militants stemmed in part from a "massive intelligence failure."

Well, at least we're not calling this kind of shit a success anymore. Progress!

The U.S. patrol was seen as routine and had been carried out nearly 30 times in the six months before the attack,

Jeezus Tapdancing Christ, what in the everlasting fuck are they doing "ROUTINE" patrols in AFRICA for? The Free French made a smoldering mess of "routine" German patrols. If there is any place where there's no such thing as "routine", it's Africa. I say again, Jeezus Tapdancing Christ.

House and Senate armed services committees have questions about the scope of the U.S. mission in Niger, and whether the Pentagon is properly supporting the troops on the ground there.

Really? We're wondering this? Could the Pentagon be possibly humping the proverbial goat...in Africa? Say it ain't so!

There was no U.S. overhead surveillance of the mission, he said, and no American quick-reaction force available to rescue the troops if things went wrong.

BEST EQUIPPED MILITARY IN THE WORLD! GOD BLESS US, EVERYONE.

If it weren't for the arrival of French fighter jets, he said, things could have been much worse for the Americans.

OK slackjaws, I'll cut you some slack on this one. What they meant to say was that the French took one look at the enemy and ran screaming into the ocean. Anything else is fake news. It was American Exceptionalism and only American Exceptionalism (and our groovy military budget) that got 4 Americans killed. Yee-GawdblessAmerica-Haw!

Congress also has many unanswered questions about what happened

Hey....ya think?

the mission that day and the accounts lawmakers have been given about the timeline of the attack and rescue.

Hey! This is the Pentagon we're talking about. They wouldn't do shit like this? Would they?

questions are being asked about whether the U.S. soldiers were intentionally delayed in the village they were visiting.

Not unless someone was planning to ambush them.

The enemy force had "technical" vehicles — light, improvised military vehicles — and rocket-propelled grenades, the official said.

So, the thousands of pictures and years of video footage showing light, improvised military vehicles — and rocket-propelled grenades was somewhat accurate. I can really see where the RPG's would take them by surprise since it's common knowledge that there's been as many "billions" sold as McDonalds hamburgers.

After the rescue when it became clear that one soldier was missing, "movements and actions to try and find him and bring him back were considered. They just were not postured properly [to get him]."

Which brings us, seamlessly back to: House and Senate armed services committees have questions about the scope of the U.S. mission in Niger, and whether the Pentagon is properly supporting the troops on the ground there.

A Pentagon spokesperson called the claim of an intelligence failure "speculation."

Yup. Jus' speculatin' my ass off over here.

"At the conclusion of the investigation, we will provide further details."

Ok, I'll just let you conjure your own horse-laugh here. The possible replies to this one are spinning around in my head like a nuclear powered Rolodex.

On Thursday, Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said that "every tactical engagement doesn’t necessarily proceed from an intelligence failure.

Yeah, but a lot of them do. Y'know...like this one.

we'll come to conclusions about how intelligence could have supported adequately or inadequately the engagement that occurred.

Oh no the fuck you won't.

But on a battlefield, the enemy gets a vote."

*Ahem* - pardon me for this - THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE WE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY ON?!?!?!

"Sub-Saharan Africa is a very difficult place to operate," said Gen. McKenzie.

This is the part where I interject, "Oh goody...another General." And this comment is why I interject it in this precise location.

Defense Secretary James Mattis met with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to discuss the Niger raid.

Of the two in that particular conversation, the one with brain cancer is the one we trust the most.

McCain said the committee had not been provided with the information about the Niger mission that it "deserves."

Which, I presume, starts with "any information at all".

 

[mongo18]

The entire USA is suffering a massive intelligence failure...

(someone had to say it)

 

[Jack Davenport]

Well, at least we're not calling this kind of shit a success anymore. Progress!

Jeezus Tapdancing Christ, what in the everlasting fuck are they doing "ROUTINE" patrols in AFRICA for? The Free French made a smoldering mess of "routine" German patrols. If there is any place where there's no such thing as "routine", it's Africa. I say again, Jeezus Tapdancing Christ.
Really? We're wondering this? Could the Pentagon be possibly humping the proverbial goat...in Africa? Say it ain't so!
BEST EQUIPPED MILITARY IN THE WORLD! GOD BLESS US, EVERYONE.
OK slackjaws, I'll cut you some slack on this one. What they meant to say was that the French took one look at the enemy and ran screaming into the ocean. Anything else is fake news. It was American Exceptionalism and only American Exceptionalism (and our groovy military budget) that got 4 Americans killed. Yee-GawdblessAmerica-Haw!
Hey....ya think?
Hey! This is the Pentagon we're talking about. They wouldn't do shit like this? Would they?
Not unless someone was planning to ambush them.
So, the thousands of pictures and years of video footage showing light, improvised military vehicles — and rocket-propelled grenades was somewhat accurate. I can really see where the RPG's would take them by surprise since it's common knowledge that there's been as many "billions" sold as McDonalds hamburgers.
Which brings us, seamlessly back to: House and Senate armed services committees have questions about the scope of the U.S. mission in Niger, and whether the Pentagon is properly supporting the troops on the ground there.

Yup. Jus' speculatin' my ass off over here.
Ok, I'll just let you conjure your own horse-laugh here. The possible replies to this one are spinning around in my head like a nuclear powered Rolodex.

Yeah, but a lot of them do. Y'know...like this one. Oh no the fuck you won't.
*Ahem* - pardon me for this - THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE WE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY ON?!?!?!
This is the part where I interject, "Oh goody...another General." And this comment is why I interject it in this precise location.
Of the two in that particular conversation, the one with brain cancer is the one we trust the most.
Which, I presume, starts with "any information at all".

Always good to read the perspective from a "veteran" in matters such as this.

 

[Jack Davenport]

The entire USA is suffering a massive intelligence failure...



(someone had to say it)

How are those internment camps working out for ya?
Many same sex weddings down your way nowadays?

(someone had to ask it)

 

[sean miguel]

Not the way I understand it. But then we've only had 8 or 9 Benghazi hearings so perhaps the situation is still rather murky.
As I understand it relief didn't arrive in time because it was logistically impossible for relief to arrive in time. As I recall even Clinton's grand inquisitor Mr. Gowdy stated that as a fact, along with a whole slew of military bigwigs.

And though countless information deficient right wing parrots still squawk about it, I'm sure you know Hillary did not roll over at 3AM, say "fuck it", then go back to sleep. Gotta love some of the complete bullshit the right comes up with, though. It would be funny if it wasn't so disturbingly delusional, and yet so doggedly embraced.

Like the White House and State Department arguing whether a Marine FAST team should go into Libya wearing uniforms or not. They had to change in and out of their uniforms 4 times while the bullshit in Washington carried on. That narrative though.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Niger Attack Was Likely a Set-Up by Terrorists, Officials Say

WASHINGTON — An emerging theory among U.S. military investigators is that the Army Special Forces soldiers ambushed in Niger were set up by terrorists, who were tipped off in advance about a meeting in a village sympathetic to local ISIS affiliates, three U.S. officials who have been briefed on the matter told NBC News.

The group of American Green Berets and support soldiers had requested a meeting with elders of a village that was seen as supportive of ISIS, and they attended the meeting at around 11 a.m. local time on Oct. 4, after a long night of patrolling, the officials said. Such meetings are a routine part of the Green Beret mission, but it wasn't clear whether this meeting was part of the unit's plan.

Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not address that theory when he briefed reporters on the incident Monday. He said the troops had been on a reconnaissance mission.

Three weeks after a deadly attack that has become a political flashpoint, the U.S. military is grappling to get a handle on the basic facts of what led to the deaths of four service members — and the growing chorus of questions about the U.S. mission in Niger and other parts of Africa.

Among the questions, Dunford said, was whether the mission changed; whether the intelligence was good enough, and why one of the fallen soldiers was separated from the rest of the unit.

"We owe you more information; more importantly, we owe the families of the fallen more information," Dunford said. "Did the mission change? It's a fair question."

Investigators are leaning toward a conclusion that local militants used the meeting in the village of Tongo Tongo to mount a sneak attack, officials said. Villagers sought to delay the troops as they tried to leave the village, according to officials. Once they departed, in unarmored vehicles, militants attacked them with small arms and machine-gun fire, the officials said.

he solders dismounted and began returning fire, and were soon facing mortars and rocket-propelled grenades launched from "technical" vehicles — light military vehicles — the officials said.

The soldiers got back in their trucks and retreated about a mile before they were ambushed again. The attackers had trapped the Americans in a kill zone, the officials said, where they could envelop them in fire.

The two separate ambush sites could explain why Sgt. La David Johnson's body was found more than a mile from the coordinates from which the other dead and injured troops were evacuated by helicopter.

 

[sean miguel]

Not to dismiss this, but how often has this scenario played out in Afghanistan and Iraq - where our forces are set up for ambush? Or green on blue attacks?

Newsflash: our military is sent into harm's way. That's kind of the whole point.

Two direct family members are in special operations. From what they're able to divulge, they are often left out, asses hanging in the wind if something goes down at that moment.