Various events in the Middle East and Africa have recently raised questions regarding the counter-terrorism strategy President Donald Trump is employing.
The main concern now is the long-term goals the U.S. has in terms of combating militants. The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John McCain criticized the administration, saying the United States “has no strategy” and has to develop one. His comments referred to Iraq, but they were also aimed at the president’s approach around the globe.
The recent ambush in Niger, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers, brought the counter-terrorism operations in Africa at the center of attention and posed a much more important question – whether the U.S. has a larger strategy there. The Pentagon is currently investigating the ambush.
The Niger attacks also prompted McCain to accuse the administration of not providing his committee with information, threatening with a possible subpoena. McCain demanded that answers be provided as to what the strategy is there.
“We want to know everything,” McCain said.
Senator Lindsey Graham showed his support for the operation in Niger so that a similar event to 9/11, this time coming from Niger, can be prevented. According to him, Congress needs to be informed about the mission, and the public must prepare for “more operations.”
“We’re going to build on what President Obama did in some of these countries. We’re probably going to go to other places because that’s where the enemy is taking us. We’re going to be aggressive. So that means that the Congress has to be more informed so we can decide whether or not we buy off on all this,” Graham said.
Congress also expressed its concerns following the clash between government forces with Kurds in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, as well as after the United States victory over ISIS in Raqqa. This win raised questions regarding the U.S. stabilization plans in Syria, which is still very much engaged in war.
Be the first to comment