This week the West African country Niger in no uncertain terms told the United States they had overstayed their welcome. Tensions have been high in this often-forgotten yet vitally important region, with elected governments falling to coups left and right.
Niger is one of three countries in the region whose elected leader fell after a coup removed him from power. A U.S. delegation met with the new leaders, and the impression they made was less than favorable.
Is this latest in a long list of Biden administration foreign policy missteps an indicator of a regional power shift? Russia, China, and Iran are undoubtedly relishing the moment regardless of their actual level of influence.
Is it true?
Since the last year’s coup, the U.S. has been increasingly concerned with the nation’s alleged partnerships with Iran and Russia. To dissuade Niger from cozying up to the two countries, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Molly Phee, senior Defense Department official Celeste Wallander, and the head of U.S. Africa Command, General Michael Langley, visited Niger’s new leaders.
Officials described the meeting as very tense, as any meeting between African military men and white American women would be. Furthermore, the accusations that Niger has agreed to allow Iran to obtain uranium were met with not just denial but outrage.
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The Nigerien government was quick to recall when they were wrongfully accused of supplying uranium to Saddam Hussein during the Bush administration. Junta spokesman Amadou Abdramane said:
“This cynical approach, usually used to discredit, demonize and justify threats against states, doesn’t pass without recalling the example of the second Iraq war.”
Touching on the steadily increasing distrust of American intelligence over the last few decades, Mr. Abdramane goes on to say:
“Indeed, Nigeriens and the entire international community still remember the false evidence brandished by the American secretary of state before the Security Council to justify the American aggression against Iraq.”
Tense doesn’t begin to describe the feelings after that trip down memory lane.
Get out
After being accused of dealing with Iran, the Nigerien government very publicly cut its counterterrorism alliance with the United States. Furthermore, Mr. Abdramane stated:
“American presence on the territory of the Republic of Niger is illegal.”
The U.S. has a $110 million base in Niger that houses between 600 and 1,000 American troops. The base is used primarily to surveil Islamist insurgent activity in the area via drones.
It’s interesting to note that U.S. troop strength in Niger has grown 900% over the last ten years. In 2002, the number of terrorist-related deaths in the region was 23.
Last year, 11,643 people died due to terrorist activities in the same region, a whopping 50,000% increase. An unnamed Nigerien security analyst pointed out to The Intercept that:
“This security cooperation did not live up to the expectations of Nigeriens – all the massacres committed by the jihadists were carried out while the Americans were here.”
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The data doesn’t lie and begs the question, is Niger just doing what is best for Niger? And in this case, is it best for Niger and other similar countries to follow suit?
The irony
The ruse of American foreign policy in Africa is up. As usual, the U.S. is left without a backup plan.
Mr. Abdramane said in his statement:
“Niger regrets the intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and types of partnerships truly capable of helping them fight against terrorism.”
The lived reality of Nigeriens and countless other African nations that have felt little to no relief from violence since the U.S. has inserted itself makes selling a partnership with America tricky. Mr. Abdramane continued to describe the tone-deaf U.S. delegation:
“The government of Niger forcefully denounces the condescending attitude accompanied by the threat of retaliation from the head of the American delegation.”
On the one hand the Biden administration preaches forced acceptance of divergent cultural groups within its borders. On the other hand it pays little attention to the cultural differences of its “partners” and “allies.”
Maybe next time, don’t send white women to scold African military coup leaders while simultaneously begging them for cooperation.
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