Article

2004-09-22 Africa: Subsaharan

US training initative in Niger has supporters and skeptics

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Posted by Dan Darling 2004-09-22 2:16:42 AM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Interesting article.

"Some suggested more intelligence was needed instead."

That's very perceptive of them. Although I always wonder about "some". What a cop out word.

"If there are terrorists in the north of Niger Republic, the answer could not be the violence, could not be the weapons, but the soft power, the negotiations, the dialogue, thatâs the best way,"

The guy quoted doesn't quite understand what's really behind "soft power". Sounds like the French concept. Not very useful in the real world.

Posted by beer_me 2004-09-22 3:56:39 AM|| 2004-09-22 3:56:39 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 One shopkeeper, Maman Iro, says he fears that if Nigerâs military becomes too strong, it might unleash a crackdown on Islamist activists like himself.

Which is exactly what I want to happen.

Posted by Edward Yee 2004-09-22 11:43:05 AM|| [http://edwardyee.fanworks.net] 2004-09-22 11:43:05 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 It was a good article, but I had to smile at the "too strong" observation. The training was to last seven weeks. That's barely enough time to make the Niger troops' skills 'adequate' and if they don't keep it up, their skills will deteriorate. Then again, any move toward improvement is good.

As for the intelligence portion, I suspect that'll be done as well, but not made public.

Posted by Pappy 2004-09-22 9:43:53 PM|| 2004-09-22 9:43:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 --That's barely enough time to make the Niger troops' skills 'adequate' and if they don't keep it up, their skills will deteriorate. Then again, any move toward improvement is good.--

Adequate by US or African standards?

Posted by Anonymous2u 2004-09-22 11:36:33 PM|| 2004-09-22 11:36:33 PM|| Front Page Top

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