Rand Paul questions American training of the leader of the recent coup in Niger

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Sen. Rand Paul sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday asking the Pentagon pointed questions about American training of the leader of the recent coup in Niger. POLITICO obtained the letter, which has not yet been made public.

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Details: The Kentucky Republican, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, referenced Brig. Gen Moussa Barmou, the American-trained commander of the Nigerien special operations forces who helped oust Niger’s democratically elected president. “Under what authorities, and or what purpose did U.S. forces provide training to Moussa Salaou Barmou or any other Nigerien forces and coup leaders who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum,” Paul wrote in the letter. He also asked for descriptions of which forces in Niger received security aid and support, which legal authorities were used and what steps the Pentagon is taking to ensure U.S.-supplied aid equipment and training isn’t being used in human rights violations. “Is the Department of Defense concerned that any current recipients of funds, training, equipment or other kinds support ... is currently engaged in human rights violations or engaged in human rights violations in the last ten years,” Paul wrote. Coup or not: The letter comes a month after a junta in Niger which overthrew an elected government. It’s sparked a tough choice for the Biden administration: whether to cut off a military partnership considered critical for fighting terrorists in a growing hotbed, or find some way to work with the junta. Paul, who’s long argued that presidents of both parties abused the 9/11 war authorizations, also pressed for answers over the 2017 deaths of four U.S. soldiers in Niger.

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