Military Coup In Niger Rocks Key US Ally In West Africa

THURSDAY PDB – Niger soldiers declare coup on national TV. Soldiers in the strategic, uranium-rich West African country of Niger said they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the nation’s borders.

Niger President Mohamed Bazoum has been held by troops from the presidential guard since early on Wednesday.

Bazoum is a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militancy in West Africa. He was promised Washington’s “unwavering support” in a call from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

UN Secretary General António Guterres also said he had spoken to the president and offered the UN’s full support too.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DAILY BRIEFING – the PDB:

PENTAGON WOKE WATCH

DOES THIS BAN CRT AND ‘DIVERSITY’ PROGRAMS? – Bill would ban discrimination in military 75 years after racial integration. Policies barring discrimination in the military based on race, gender and other innate characteristics would be enshrined in law under a bill being introduced by a Democratic lawmaker Wednesday.

NATIONAL SECURITY

UFO whistleblower claims he’s under threat for revealing secret ops. The former airman told lawmakers that he’d learned of the clandestine UFO program while working at the National Reconnaissance Office.

PODCAST: Are UFOs and aliens real? A whistleblower testifies. A whistleblower claims that people at the highest levels of government have concealed UFO retrieval programs from Congress.

House advances AUKUS authorizations amid sub, export control debate. But broader concerns over submarine industrial capacity and export controls are muddying the waters. 

Gen. Milley’s bureaucratic proposals could lose us the next war. Mark Milley, the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is about to retire after a four-year term and a 43-year career of military service. It is therefore telling that a man with such a long career would, to cement his legacy, recommend establishing a “Leader of a Joint Futures Organization” — that is, a sort of “future jointness czar.”

CHINA THREAT

Air Force shows off its Rapid Dragon cruise missile system on China’s doorstep. Mobility Guardian 2023 reportedly included another demonstration of launching a cruise missile from a cargo plane.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Main thrust of Ukraine’s offensive may be underway, US officials say. After holding back many units, Ukraine is now committing them, the officials said, but it remained unclear whether a full-scale assault was taking place. 

Ukraine launches new push, claims gains against Russians in south. Kyiv’s goal is to reach the Sea of Azov, severing Moscow’s land bridge to occupied Crimea, a key conduit for moving Russian troops, equipment and supplies into Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 519. Two people were killed in Russian attacks on Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. One person was killed in Avdiivka and another in Kostiantynivka.

NORTH KOREA THREAT

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Russian defense minister to discuss military cooperation. Kim Jong Un met with Sergei Shoigu to discuss military issues and the regional security environment, state media said Thursday.

IRAN THREAT

F-35s arrive in CENTCOM amid threats from Russia, Iran. A dozen Air Force F-35s have arrived in the Middle East to beef up U.S. Central Command’s airpower in the region and deter Iran from seizing oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.

SPACE THREAT

Marine pilot, astronaut to lead NASA’s next space station mission. Her hands shook when she got the call, the excitement so overwhelming it briefly kept her from calling her parents to give them the news.

Lockheed, BWXT to build nuclear-powered spacecraft, engine. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and NASA selected the two firms to develop an experimental nuclear propulsion system that could provide a more efficient power source for future in-orbit maneuvering and Mars-bound spacecraft.

HOMELAND SECURITY

Former Illinois National Guardsman and brother charged in Jan. 6 riot at US Capitol. The two were arrested Wednesday for breaking into the U.S. Capitol and assaulting a police officer inside.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Russian fighter jet strikes another American drone over Syria. It’s the sixth reported incident this month and the second in the past 24 hours.

US special forces train troops in Western Africa to fight war on terror. Correspondent Courtney Kube reports from inside the training mission in Niger.

US Defense Secretary meets with Papua New Guinea leaders about boosting security ties. They met on Thursday to discuss developing the Pacific Island nation’s military strength and deepening defense ties.

Israel’s judicial overhaul sparks military crisis as number of refusing reservists grows. After the country’s parliament passed the first bill of a controversial judicial overhaul, thousands of Israeli army reservists – the backbone of the Israeli military – are threatening not to show up for work.

WHY? – US officials to meet Taliban representatives in Doha. The meeting in Qatar this week will be rare, direct talks between Washington and the ruling Afghan group.

Biden is welcoming conservative Italian Prime Minister Meloni for White House talks. Meloni has won praise from the U.S. administration for her strong backing of the U.S.-led effort to assist Ukraine.

US MILITARY

Congress may stymie Air Force plan to start retiring F-15Es.The service aims to save $2.9 billion by getting rid of 119 fighters.

Air Force gas stations in the sky are aging, with replacements hamstrung and a capacity crunch looming. Aerial refueling is a crucial part of American military strategy, a low-profile task that makes many of the flashier components possible. 

END of PDB

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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