Deaths of US soldiers in Niger restart debate about military involvement post-Vietnam (Report)

The United States found itself involved in a lengthy, divisive, military conflict overseas.

A surfeit of controversial incidents besieged the U.S. military and confounded official Washington as to what to do. Leaders at the National Security Council argued that local fighters were improving their military skills. As a result, the U.S. could cede more power to them.

In other words, the war needed to be “de-Americanized.” Instead, the Defense secretary chose another term: “Vietnamization.”

The above scenario obviously isn’t about the four U.S. soldiers killed earlier this month in Niger. It isn’t about President Trump’s decision in August to maintain the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and bolster troop levels there.