US Troops In Niger Could Be Caught In Military Effort To Remove Coup Leaders

WEDNESDAY PDB – Will they get involved? Pentagon keeps troops in Niger despite putsch, maintains contact with some military leaders. The Pentagon has suspended security cooperation with Niger due to the political unrest in the West African nation, but U.S. troops are not being evacuated, and some are still even continuing to engage with members of the country's military.

HOWEVER – The US can't use its $110 million drone base in Niger. The U.S. military is unable to fly drones from a base in Niger because the country's airspace has been closed after a coup overthrew the government in late July.

MEANWHILE – What would West African bloc's threat to use force to restore democracy in Niger look like? The stance of West Africa's regional bloc known as ECOWAS in the military takeover in Niger is clear: “We will stand with our people in our commitment to the rule of law.”

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? AND WILL U.S. TROOPS BE INVOLVED, OR GET CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE?

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:

NATIONAL SECURITY

Trump indicted for efforts to overturn 2020 election and block transfer of power. Donald Trump was indicted on felony charges Tuesday for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election leading to the violent riot by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. The Justice Department says it is acting to hold him accountable for an unprecedented effort to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power and ‘threaten American democracy.'

First E-7 Wedgetail AWACS plane can't come any sooner. But maybe USAF can complete its fleet faster. Nothing can move up the 2027 date when the Air Force gets its first E-7 to replace the E-3 Sentry. But officials say that actions taken now could help them acquire the full 26-plane fleet more quickly.

CHINA THREAT

STOP BEGGING – CHINA ONLY SEES FEAR – Pentagon's strategy planner wants China crisis channels. The Pentagon official tasked with implementing the National Defense Strategy called on China to open crisis communications channels with the U.S. as Beijing continues to expand its nuclear arsenal.

China's aircraft carrier forces strengthened as navy shifts assets. China's navy has completed the transfer of most of its aviation units to the air force, a move experts said will allow the navy to focus more attention on its aircraft carriers.

How Taiwan plans to counter drones by mid-2024. It is trying to accelerate the development and production of military drones and countermeasures by expanding two national defense programs and focusing on autonomous swarms.

Taiwan detains army officer suspected of leaking military secrets to China. Taiwan is holding him and several collaborators on suspicion of handing military secrets to China.

House China committee probes investment firm BlackRock. The House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) alleges the investment firm is using its “unwitting” American customers' finances to fund Chinese companies that “develop and build weapons for the People's Liberation Army and advance the CCP's stated mission of technological supremacy.”

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Russia strikes Ukraine's Danube port, sending global grain prices higher. The early morning attacks Wednesday included an inland port across the Danube River from Romania, sending global food prices soaring as Moscow ramps up its use of force to reimpose a blockade of Ukrainian exports.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 525. The Russian military said anti-aircraft units thwarted a Ukrainian “terrorist attack” and downed drones targeting Moscow, but one drone struck a high-rise again already hit earlier in the week.

Ukraine war causes birth rate to slump. The war in Ukraine has caused the country's birth rate to fall by 28%, official statistics indicate.

IRAN THREAT

Buildup of American forces in Persian Gulf a new signal of worsening US-Iran conflict. Thousands of Marines backed by advanced U.S. fighters and warships are slowly building up a presence in the Persian Gulf. It's a sign that its conflict with Iran over its advancing nuclear program continues to worsen.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) runs drill on disputed islands as US military presence in region grows. The IRGC launched a surprise military drill in the Persian Gulf, as the U.S. military presence grows over recent ship seizures by Tehran.

Iran's navy unveils new vessels equipped with 600-km range missiles – Tasnim. This, as tensions rise with the U.S. in the region.

Defense Dept. confirms North Korea responded to outreach about Travis King. Private King crossed into the DPRK in July. This marks what appears to be the U.S.' first public acknowledgment of Pyongyang's response to King's situation.

HOMELAND SECURITY

The Pentagon is pulling 1,100 troops from the US-Mexico border mission. DoD deployed them earlier this year as the government prepared for the end of asylum restrictions linked to the pandemic.

More Republican governors deploy National Guard troops to Texas border. Oklahoma, West Virginia and Nebraska this week joined a growing list of those deploying National Guardsmen to the U.S.-Mexico border to bolster the ranks of the Texas National Guard's mission.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Warsaw sends troops to border, accusing Belarus of violating its airspace. The Polish military says army helicopters crossed its eastern flank, adding to tensions caused by proximity of Wagner fighters.

Israel buys tens of thousands of 155mm shells as global demand jumps. The $60 million deal with Israel's Elbit Systems comes months after the US reportedly pulled 155mm shells from pre-positioned stocks in Israel.

El Salvador sends 8,000 troops, police to rural province in gang crackdown. President Nayib Bukele said 7,000 soldiers and 1,000 police officers have been deployed to Cabanas to hunt down gang members.

US MILITARY

13th MEU Pacific deployment expanded Marine F-35 operations, tested contested logistics. The Marine Expeditionary Unit's recent deployment across the Pacific started out with the Marine Corps' first operational deployment of a full squadron of F-35B stealth fighters and closed out with a sinking of an old warship during an exercise in the South China Sea.

US Army readies new artillery strategy spurred by war in Ukraine. A new conventional fires strategy is expected by the end of this year, according to Army Futures Command.

Army Futures Command honing in on ‘human-machine integration,' beyond a ‘bolt-on' capability. It is one of several research and development (R&D) “seeds” the service is planting.

Lizard Force might be the most elite military meme unit. A 2013 study found that an astonishing segment of Americans believes lizard people oversee the government. Maybe such reptiles have also infiltrated the ranks of the military? Lizard people would be cold blooded killers in combat, after all.

3 Marines were poisoned in a parked car. How that might have happened. North Carolina deputies had found the Marines unresponsive in a privately owned Lexus sedan.

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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