Hello everybody and thank you for tuning into the weekly report. Why are we in Niger?

The July military coup in West African country of Niger has once again brought attention to the fact

that the U.S. government runs a global military empire that serves Washington's special interests

and not the national interests. Before the coup made news headlines, most Americans,

including many serving in Congress, had no idea the U.S. government maintains more than a

thousand troops stationed on several U.S. bases in Nigeria. But it's even worse than that.

A recent report in the intercept suggests the Pentagon repeatedly misled Congress

about the extent and the cost of the U.S. presence in Niger.

According to the intercept, the testimony before the House and Senate Armed Service Committee

in March, the chief of U.S. Africa Command describes Air Base 201 in Niger as minimal and low cost.

In fact, the U.S. government has spent a quarter of a billion dollars on the base since construction

began in 2016. So when the Congress declared war, so as to legalize U.S. military operations in

Niger, they did. But as Kelly Blahos writes in the responsible statescraft, the U.S. troops have been

training the military in Niger since 2013 and the U.S. government has constructed a number of

military bases to fight terrorism in the country and region. Does that mean that the Pentagon is

operating in Niger under the 2001 authorization for the use of military force meant to track down

those who attacked the U.S. on 9-11? It's a good question and thankfully, one being asked by Senator

Rand Paul in a recent letter sent to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Senator Paul first

pointed out in the letter, the administration's limitless interpretation of the 9-11 AUMF

and frequent use of the title 10 authorities results in military operations abroad,

conducted with little congressional oversight and even less public scrutiny.

Such actions undermine our constitution, he writes, as he asks, in how many countries are U.S.

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