Why Did The Pentagon Mislead Congress About The Existence Of US Bases In Africa

General Faces Criticism for Concealing Key U.S. Outposts and Misleading Testimony In a surprising turn of events, a cadre of U.S.-trained of...

General Faces Criticism for Concealing Key U.S. Outposts and Misleading Testimony

In a surprising turn of events, a cadre of U.S.-trained officers recently aligned with a junta that overthrew Niger's democratically elected president in late July. Since then, over 1,000 U.S. troops have found themselves mostly confined to their outposts in Niger, including the notable Air Base 201 in Agadez, which has been a focus of recent military news.

This base, constructed at a cost of $250 million since 2016, plays a pivotal role as the key U.S. surveillance hub in West Africa. However, what has raised eyebrows is the testimony provided by Gen. Michael Langley, the chief of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), before the House and Senate Armed Services Committees back in March. In his testimony, he described Air Base 201 as "minimal" and "low cost."

Langley's characterization of the base has led experts to believe that he may have misled Congress, downplaying the actual size and significance of the U.S. presence in Africa. A closer examination of AFRICOM's posture on the continent reveals a network of at least 18 outposts, in addition to the well-known Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti and the logistics hub on Ascension Island in the south Atlantic Ocean.

Of these 18 outposts, Langley seemingly omitted mentioning six "contingency locations" in Africa, including a long-established drone base in Tunisia and other outposts used in U.S. shadow operations in Niger and Somalia. While the U.S. military often portrays these locations as minimal and transient, the reality is more complex. Such bases can be critical to sustaining operations and may even be semi-permanent, according to the joint chiefs of staff.

Stephanie Savell, co-director of the Costs of War project at Brown University, commented, "This is a case of the U.S. military showing a marked lack of transparency by using technicalities to avoid conveying an accurate understanding of the extent of U.S. bases in Africa."

The recent developments have prompted a coalition of 20 progressive, humanitarian, and antiwar organizations to call on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to include Rep. Jamaal Bowman's cost of war amendment in the 2024 defense spending bill. This amendment would require greater transparency regarding the cost and footprint of U.S. military presence overseas.

Annee Lorentzen of Just Foreign Policy emphasized the importance of transparency for Pentagon accountability, stating, "In a democratic system, voters and their elected representatives should not be in the dark about where their money and military are sent."

AFRICOM has declined to provide further clarification on Langley's testimony, leaving many questions unanswered.

In the midst of these developments, it's clear that Air Base 201 in Agadez is no mere "minimal" outpost, and questions about U.S. military presence in Africa continue to raise concerns. Readers are encouraged to share their thoughts and insights on this story and consider subscribing to our blog for ongoing updates on breaking military headline news.

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