Strategic Implications of the Ambush in Niger

The October jihadist ambush in Niger that left four American soldiers on a combined patrol with Nigerien forces dead has raised questions about the extent to which US military personnel should advise and assist local military operations overseas. It has also produced controversy about civil-military relations in the Trump administration. As a result, Congress's post-9/11 Authorization of the Use of Military Force, delegating broad powers to the president to initiate counter-terrorism efforts, may be curtailed.