REP LIEU CALLS FOR HEARING ON ATTACK ON U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES IN NIGER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles County) sent a letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Ed Royce (D-California) calling for Administration officials to testify before the Foreign Affairs Committee on the Oct. 4 attack in Niger that resulted in the deaths of four members of U.S. Special Operations Forces.

In the letter, Mr. Lieu writes:

• I am deeply concerned that over two weeks later, basic facts about the attack against U.S. and Nigerien forces still remain unclear. Sen. John McCain indicated the Administration has not been upfront about the circumstances surrounding the operation or the attack, and has reported at times conflicting information. One of the ways to honor the sacrifice of our four fallen soldiers in Niger is to ensure that they did not die in vain, and that more service members do not fall because we failed to conduct basic oversight of U.S. strategy.
• Meanwhile, the Trump Administration has not articulated its strategy for the U.S. counter-terrorism mission across Africa, nor has it devoted the necessary resources to empower democratic governments to make progress sustainable, combat radicalization and protect human rights. Four years after the U.S. significantly scaled up our military presence in the Sahel region, it is clear that we're fighting the wars but we're not finding the peace.
• As a Veteran, I firmly believe one of Congress' most fundamental duties is to conduct oversight over war powers and operations, especially when Americans have died. In light of recent events in Niger, I request that our committee will take action.

THE FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER CAN BE FOUND HERE

###