Our Glorious 5th Estate is so focused on Trump’s insults to the grieving families of our soldiers that they’re ignoring why those soldiers died in the first place.
What REALLY Happened in Niger
An explanation of what really happened to American soldiers in Niger and why Congress should investigate. To read this in Storify or just read my transcript below. All content below from the Twitter feed of @laurasessions10
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3.you ‘re all missing the important part of that story…the part about what happened that night in Niger.
5. but the same GOP Congress that investigated Benghazi with a fury seems to have little or no interest in this story.
6. Here’s what we know so far…These soldiers went to a meeting in an area near the border with Mali a well known hot spot for ISIS
7 Our soldiers were not backed up by US Military air support- backed up by the French, who were not authorized to intervene or even fire
8. Our soldiers were given faulty intel… that said
9 “it was unlikely that they would meet any hostile forces.” Of course, they walked into an ISIS ambush-chaotic and they took three lives
11. So, a dozen of our Green Berets fought a battle with more than 50 Isis fighters, without help, for 30 minutes.
12 Finally, a rescue helicopter arrived, but it was not a US military helicopter.
13 No, we apparently outsourced that job to “private contractors.”
14 So, these contractors landed and loaded the remaining troops, the injured and the dead. Here’s where this gets really bad…
18 They recovered his body 48 hours later but are refusing to say where.
19 According to his widow, she could not have an open casket. This means that he was mutilated after being left behind on the battlefield.
21 As usual, you’re allowing it to be about Trump’s distraction, but this is Benghazi on steroids
22 The Trump Pentagon gave these men bad intel, no support, outsourced rescue people and then,,,
24 He tweeted attacks on many but never mentioned this Only after pressure from the media did he acknowledge these men and their service.
Ms. D. Ranged In AZ 
Interesting how people are simultaneously saying we are focused on his response to the family as a distraction from what really happened because he ‘wants us distracted’ to cover his arse, or because we are too interested in being ‘outraged’ about the response to care about the facts. It doesn’t really matter, when this real story is barely being told. I’m seeing it more and more, and that is a good thing. I wish it came without bias on either side.
This is a truly appalling story. Thank you for highlighting it.
Because they were not military, they never did a head count. That is how Sgt. La David Johnson was left behind.
Anyone who thinks outsourcing military functions is a good idea should have those two sentences tattooed on their forehead so they see them every time they look in a mirror. They’re incapable of shame, so it wouldn’t change their beliefs or behavior, but at least everyone they meet would know they were encountering scum.
And all the Rs—and Righties generally—who jumped up and down and shook their fists and howled with barely-coherent outrage over Benghazi! Benghazi!! Benghazi!!! should be required to explain exactly why this incident is unworthy of their attention.
Also, Kevin Drum had a post a couple of days ago (http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/10/condolencegate-shows-yet-again-that-donald-trump-is-a-terrible-human-being/) with a title that explains everything: Condolencegate Shows, Yet Again, That Donald Trump Is a Terrible Human Being. That’s true, whether or not Donald Trump is trying to distract from the larger story.