On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding answers regarding U.S. troops deployed in Niger and the additional dangers the over 1,000 servicemembers stationed there face amidst a military coup.
Dr. Paul writes in the letter:
“Congress never voted to authorize U.S. combat operations in Niger. The tragic deaths of four U.S. soldiers–Staff Sergeant Bryan Black, Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Johnson, Sergeant La David Johnson, and Staff Sergeant Dustin Wright –should have served as the catalyst to end our operations there. Yet, the Biden Administration continues to cite the 9/11 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which was narrowly tailored to bring justice to those who played a role in the 2001 terrorist attacks, to justify the presence of approximately 1,016 U.S. troops in Niger.”
You can read the full letter HERE.
