Last year, Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) grilled US Africa Commander Michael Langley about two coups perpetrated by American-trained soldiers in Guinea and Burkina Faso. In July, the Nigerien government was also overthrown by US-trained troops. Since then, American troops have been all but stranded by President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as detailed in a report published by the Florida Congressman, which he also spoke about on the House floor recently.
Titled "Unwelcome in Niger," Rep. Gaetz's report described how the Department of State has intentionally suppressed intelligence reports from American troops stationed at Air Base 101. Additionally, since the takeover of Niger by a group known as the "National Council for the Safeguard of the Fatherland" (CNSP, in French), negotiations between the United States and Niger have broken down severely.
As a result, diplomatic clearance overflights have stalled, leaving American troops unable to access "mail, necessary medical supplies, blood to replenish the blood bank (which requires constant turnover due to expiration windows), equipment and repair supplies; and other routine materiel from the United States. Personnel rotations for service members have been halted, leaving our troops stranded without any indication of relief or return home, as replacements aren’t authorized to enter Niger," said Rep. Gaetz's report.
More egregiously, the Biden Administration supposedly lied about the number of personnel stationed in the West African country, telling Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in December there were approximately 684 Americans in Niger when, in truth, there are about 1,100.
On the House floor, Gaetz expressed concern that "the conditions may be forming to create another Benghazi-style attack," referencing the infamous 2012 incident which saw the death of US Ambassador Chris Stevens.
"The only reason it is happening is because Blinken and Biden are humiliated that their plan failed, that they poured half a billion dollars into this country. We are now being thrown out by the scruff of our neck," the Florida Congressman said on the House floor. In his concluding remarks, he vowed to fight for the personnel stranded in Niger, viciously condemning the President and Secretary of State further with, "Just because Blinken and Biden cannot say, 'oops' does not mean we should abandon our troops."
🚨 The U.S. State Department is engaging in a deliberate COVERUP on the conditions of U.S. Forces in Niger, leaving our troops in harm’s way.
My office has conducted an investigation into this coverup, and we have learned that our troops in Niger have been pleading for help.… pic.twitter.com/RvYS7L5tvb
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) April 17, 2024
