No, Niger Isn’t ‘Trump’s Benghazi’

I think it is funny that people have forgotten that US troops have been in Niger almost continuously since November 2002 as part of the Pan Sahel Initiative, and then as part of Operation Enduring Freedom Trans Sahel and other named operations to counter radical Islamic extremism in various forms. It is also not the first time US grounds troops have engaged hostile entities on the ground in that country. I also think it is funny that people also seem to forget that Special Forces often lacks "readily available air support" in most countries they deploy to in advise and assist operations (remember Kony 2012!!!). It is also funny to think that people are truly astonished by the lack of information being released about a SOF mission involving US Army Special Forces, as opposed to Navy SEALs who would already have written 12 books and have 2 movie deals in the works. As to why they didn't have armor? Ever seen how well an uparmored HMMWV does in sugar sand? Not very well and Niger has lots of desert terrain that is not they typical rocky desert most people are used to. That's why everyone in West Africa uses light pickups with narrow tires because it is the only practical transportation for long range movements in those countries.