The U.S. has two drone bases in Niamey and Agadez, with the latter reportedly costing more than $110 million to build. In addition to Niger, U.S. forces currently conduct counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations in Somalia. In addition to traditional security assistance, U.S. forces actively engage in combat alongside Somali security forces in the fight against Al-Shabaab, while also conducting airstrikes against the group. Since the launch of the “great power competition” framework, U.S. policymakers seem to have moved on entirely from the war on terror, focusing instead on countering China and Russia—for better or worse—and on maintaining an international order that is favorable to the U.S. and its Western allies. But as the events in Niger demonstrate, it would be a mistake to consider the war on terror as solely in the past.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 07, 2023 13:05 UTC