Sen. Graham tells Defense Sec. Esper he could 'make your life hell' in battle over idea to withdraw U.S. troops from part of Africa.
While the U.S. military presence in the region fluctuates, about 1,000 American troops are usually deployed in the Sahel, some at a new drone base near Agadez, Niger. The troops train local forces, provide aerial refueling to French military planes and collect and share intelligence.
"Isn't this the exact model the Trump administration is encouraging? Another nation leads while the U.S. supports?" a person present at the meeting asked afterward."Does the U.S. want to leave a place where it's actually working?"several months ago, leaving the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces behind to fight ISIS and the Syrian regime. Trump reversed the decision soon afterward and kept a smaller U.S. military force in Syria in a more condensed area.
"I give the French credit for what they've done in Africa, particularly in the Sahel. They've been the real leaders. They've been reaching out aggressively to get more European partners on board with mixed success, and I fully support that effort," Esper said. After initially telling the lawmakers in Munich that U.S. troops could be withdrawn to comply with the National Defense Strategy priorities, by the end of the meeting Esper reassured the group that he would factor their concerns into the decision-making process and would not make any sudden decisions.
In December, Trump signed into law legislation co-authored by Coons and Graham to help stabilize fragile regions and conflict-affected areas. In their letter to Trump last month, the senators said the Sahel and the Horn of Africa were"ripe for U.S. engagement," as laid out in the new law.The debate over troops in Africa comes as Trump prepares to face voters in November having fallen short of his promises to end wars and bring troops home.
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