Are We Mishandling the War on Terror in Africa? By Brian D'Haeseleer – Washington Post
Just over a year ago, four U.S. Special Forces soldiers, outgunned and ambushed, lost their lives in Niger fighting against members of the Islamic State.
These American troops, ostensibly there to train and assist a foreign military, found themselves engaged in combat. Their deaths represent a troubling continuation of the perpetual war in which America has found itself since 9/11 — with no end in sight. Tellingly, this war is as old as some of the recruits who are about to fight….
Aggressive commando raids, military training and drone strikes have failed to prevent the spread of radical networks across the globe. Despite expanded U.S. military activity in Somalia and elsewhere, Washington is no closer to defeating its nebulous enemy than it was 17 years ago. All of this means that the answer might prove shocking.