Contemporary World Issues Name

Contemporary World Issues Name Article Analysis 10/30 5 Points Period

 CNN o Take 6 notes 1.

6. o Write a paragraph summary below. When finished, complete the article analysis

United States Troops in Niger The big picture: Niger and what we know about what happened to U.S. troops By Allison Graves, Angie Drobnic Holan, Sophie Kaplan Politifact | 22 October | 3:44 p.m. An attack in Niger that left four American military members dead has triggered a fight between President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla. Wilson said that Trump’s words of condolence to one of the widows were insensitive. Trump and chief of staff John Kelly in turn attacked Wilson for publicizing Trump’s call. “Wacky Congresswoman Wilson is the gift that keeps on giving for the Republican Party, a disaster for Dems. You watch her in action & vote R!” Trump tweeted Oct. 22. Behind the name-calling and tweets, there are still unanswered questions regarding the ambush that sparked the political controversy. Niger—the background Niger is a landlocked, west African country bordered by Libya, Algeria, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad. Since its independence from France in 1960, it has experienced military rule, coups and now a democratically elected government. The current president of Niger is Issoufou Mahamadou. According to the CIA World Factbook, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. Food production isn’t keeping up with the population growth due to the arid climate, the lack of farmable land and the high fertility rate. Recent terrorist attacks near the uranium mines in Niger have also hurt its economy. Uranium is a main source of income for Niger, in addition to agriculture. What terrorist groups operate in and around Niger? Groups linked to both ISIS and al-Qaida are active in and around Niger. Niger shares a border with many countries where terrorists groups operate. For example, at one point, al-Qaida affiliated groups and other Islamic groups took control over northern Mali. In Libya, ISIS is regrouping. And in Nigeria, a militant Islamist group known as Boko Haram has wreaked havoc in the region. These groups promote a strict form of Sharia Law. Boko Haram, which was founded in 2002, encourages a type of Islam which says it [is] forbidden (“haram”) for Muslims to participate in activities related to Western society. Al-Qaida, another militant Islamist group, was formed in the late 1980s against the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. Now, thousands of troops fight for al-Qaida affiliated groups in North Africa, [Somalia], Yemen and elsewhere. ISIS started as an al-Qaida splinter group and is known for trying to create an [Islamic] state across Iraq and Syria and for setting up terrorist attacks across Europe. Why were U.S. troops in Niger and when did they get there? U.S. troops started arriving in Niger in 2013. During this time, extremists were on the rise in northwest Africa. The French had intervened in Mali in 2012 when an al-Qaida affiliated group and other tribal groups took control of the northern part of the country. In addition, Boko Haram continued its assault on Nigeria through bombings and killings. Former President Barack Obama deployed 40 U.S. military personnel to provide support to the French forces. This brought the total number of troops in Niger to 100 in 2013. Since then, the number has grown to 800. “This deployment will provide support for intelligence collection and will also facilitate intelligence sharing with French forces conducting operations in Mali, and with other partners in the region,” Obama said in a letter to the House speaker. Currently, troops are assisting the U.S. Embassy in Niger’s capital of Niamey, while others are working on construction efforts at Air Base 201 in Agadez, according to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

What has the military said about what happened? Four soldiers died in Niger [on] Oct. 4; the Defense Department said that it was “as a result of hostile fire while on a reconnaissance patrol.” The first three identified were Army Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Wa.; Army Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; and Army Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Ga. The fourth soldier identified was Sgt. La David T. Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Fla. He died Oct. 4, but his body was recovered by U.S. personnel Oct. 6, according to the Defense Department. Military officials have provided few details publicly about what happened or how events unfolded. They also have offered no explanation for the reason that Johnson’s body was recovered two days after the other soldiers. (The New York Times reported a detailed account of events that day based on anonymous sources; the report acknowledged there were conflicting accounts.) Defense Secretary James Mattis said at an Oct. 19 press conference that a full investigation was underway but had not been completed. “We in the Department of Defense like to know what we’re talking about before we talk, and so we do not have all the accurate information yet,” Mattis said. Mattis specifically criticized the media for asking questions about the delay in recovering the body of Sgt. La David Johnson. “The U.S. military does not leave its troops behind, and I would just ask that you not question the actions of the troops who were caught in the firefight and question whether or not they did everything they could in order to bring everyone out at once,” Mattis said. Kelly, Trump’s chief of staff, said on Oct. 19 that more was known about events than has been reported in the press but that he would not disclose it.

What questions does Congress want answered about Niger? Nearly two weeks after the deaths of the service members, members of Congress said they are still seeking answers about what happened. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told reporters recently that Congress could use subpoena power to compel answers if necessary. “We did not know about Niger until it came out in the paper. We need to have a process of communications, which I’ve had with other administrations, of exchanging information and knowledge,” said McCain, who serves as chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, on Oct. 19. McCain’s Democratic counterpart on the committee, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, said the same day that he and McCain hoped to receive a classified briefing on the incident, and that it was “dismaying” that the defense secretary didn’t seem to have all the facts yet, either. “The secretary of defense and national command should be able in this time—we’re talking about days, not hours—to be able to assemble a good picture of what happened,” Reed said on CNN. Reed said he specifically wanted to know about intelligence, air cover, evacuation plans, and why the United States seemed to have a slow response when events in Niger went wrong.

Is Niger like Benghazi? There are many differences between the recent events [in] Niger and the attacks that happened in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012. Most notably, one was a military endeavor while the other was diplomatic. Those who died in Niger were members of the U.S. Army. In Libya, the U.S. ambassador and a colleague, as well as two security contractors were killed. The events are broadly similar in that administration officials have struggled to explain to Congress and the public exactly what happened, and that security lapses may be to blame. In Benghazi, independent investigators faulted the State Department for not taking more security precautions in Libya. McCain suggested in remarks on the Senate floor that a lack of funding for the U.S. military means that troops are being sent into situations without sufficient resources. “We are sending our young men and women into hazardous situations without their being completely equipped and capable of defending themselves. That is wrong,” McCain said Oct. 19. “Four just died in Niger. How many of the 100 Members of this body knew that we even had an operation in Niger? I will not go into the details, in deference to the family, but this is wrong, what we are doing. We saw it in the 1970s, and now we are seeing it again.” Overall, though, it’s far too soon to tell if there are any real similarities between the two events. Questions using Close Reading and Critical Thinking skills: 1. The first section of an article should answer the questions “Who?”, “What?”, “When?”, and “Where?” Identify the four Ws of this article. 2. According to the article, why are there troops in Niger?

3. This article mentions another article in The New York Times that provided an account of the late recovery of Johnson’s body. Why do you think the writers decided not to include that information in this article?

4. Explain why the writers may have chosen to include both Senator Reed’s and Senator McCain’s quotes about questions they want answered 5. Your thoughts/opinions on this article

CWI Name Niger 10/31 5 Points Period

YOU MAY WORK BY YOURSELF OR WITH 1 OTHER PERSON ON THE FOLLOWING DEALING WITH THE NATION OF NIGER. Complete the following on computer paper and STAPLE TOGETHER when complete 1. Map of Niger 1. Political & Physical characteristics 2. Politics 1. Form of Government 2. Colonial experience 3. When was nation founded 2. Major Religions 3. Terrorist group(s) working their 1. History 2. Purpose/Goals 3. Tactics/Attacks

CWI Name U.S. foreign policy with Niger 11/2 10 Points Period

FOREIGN POLICY Relationship; Discuss the history of our government’s relationship with the Niger government Military Trading/Natural Resources we get from Niger

Aid to Nigeria; Discuss specific types of aid in terms of $$$, medicine, etc…

What are the major Reasons we are there?

CWI Name Niger Public Opinion/Reaction 11/3 5 Points Period

o Write a paragraph summary below. When finished, complete the article analysis

OVER FOR FINAL ACTIVITY

 Locate a recent article which discusses the controversy over President Trump’s phone calls to the widows/families of the 4 US soldiers killed in Niger. o Citation o 1 paragraph summary of the article

o 1 paragraph opinion/reaction to this issue