An honor guard carries the coffin of U.S. Army Sergeant La David Johnson, who was among four special forces soldiers killed in Niger, at a graveside service in Hollywood, Florida, Oct. 21, 2017.
John Vandiver, Task & Purpose/Stars and Stripes: Niger Ambush Probe To Call For More Scrutiny On US Missions
A military investigation into an ambush last year in Niger in which four U.S. soldiers were killed is expected to recommend tighter oversight of elite forces on the ground and higher command approval for dangerous patrols in the region.
A draft of the U.S. Africa Command report on the Oct. 4 attack by ISIS-affiliated militants calls for reducing the number of U.S. ground missions in Niger and stripping field commanders of authority to dispatch troops on risky missions, The New York Times reported Saturday.
Operations will be subject to more scrutiny and may require approval from senior leaders at AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart and the Pentagon, the Times reported, citing unnamed military officials.
Commanders in Niger currently have the authority to make decisions on when to launch reconnaissance patrols.
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WNU Editor: I do not know if stripping field commanders of authority to dispatch troops on risky missions in favor of higher command approval is the way to go. Field commanders will always have a better understanding on what is happening on the ground rather than a higher ranking officer thousands of miles away .... especially when a quick decision is required. The report has yet to be released, and it is apparently 1,000 pages long. But here is an easy prediction .... when the report is released there will be a debate, and I am sure that there are going to be some changes.
