As the planet teeters on the brink of World War III, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly against legislation that would have forced President Biden to bring home U.S. troops stationed in Niger, where the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was overthrown by the country’s military leaders in July.
“We must be brave enough to debate whether America’s national interest in Niger is of such vital importance that we ask our young men and women to fight and potentially pay the ultimate sacrifice for it,” said Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who introduced the legislation, ahead of Thursday’s vote.
We must be brave enough to debate whether America’s national interest in Niger is of such vital importance that we ask our young men and women to fight and potentially pay the ultimate sacrifice for it.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) October 26, 2023
“If we’re going to send somebody’s son or daughter to a foreign country, if they’re going to risk their life, Congress should vote for it to be there,” he argued.
If we’re going to send someone’s son or daughter to a foreign country, if they’re risking their life, Congress should vote for it to be there. https://t.co/LooLDwcrfE
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) October 26, 2023
In a speech to the Senate, Paul questioned the “sense” of having US troops in the West African nation.
“With the Middle East on fire, what’s the point of having more than 1,000 troops in Niger? Does it make sense to station more than 1,000 troops in a country ruled by a military junta?” he asked, according to Reuters.
Ultimately, however, the Senate rejected Paul’s measure in a vote of 86-11.
After much pressure, the US State Department finally declared the military takeover in Niger a coup d’état, a move many felt could affect America’s ability to work with the nation. Niger is considered a vital partner of the United States against terrorism in the region.
According to Reuters, “Over the past decade, US troops have trained Nigerian forces in the fight against terrorism and operated two military bases, including one that conducts drone missions against Islamic State and an al Qaeda affiliate in the region”.
While the coup designation means that assistance will officially be suspended, US officials made it clear that there were no plans to withdraw all US troops from the nation.
“There are about 1,000 Defense Department personnel in the country,” Reuters reports.
The Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Ben Cardin (Md.), warned that an American withdrawal would potentially open the door for mercenaries from Russia or Wagner to rush in and fill the resulting vacuum.
“We don’t pay enough attention to this part of the world,” he said. “We certainly don’t want to signal that we’re abandoning this part of the world.”
After the disappointing vote, Paul took to X and expressed his frustration: “86 of my colleagues chose to sit idly by while the president sends the sons and daughters of his constituents into harm’s way, to fight against wars without a clear objective, without a definition of victory, without an exit strategy and without constitutional authorization”.
86 of my colleagues chose to stand idly by while the president endangers the sons and daughters of his constituents, to fight wars with no clear objective, no definition of victory, no exit strategy, and no constitutional authorization . https://t.co/dUYVC9H9JO
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) October 28, 2023
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots and Poker
Digest magazines. She’s a UCLA grad, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan Currently, Melissa lives with her dog and two cats in a small town in the Sierra
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