Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is visiting Africa to explore options for maintaining a U.S. presence in West Africa after Niger decided to expel the U.S. military in favor of partnering with Russia. Brown mentioned opportunities to work with countries in West Africa to possibly relocate capabilities from Niger to other locations. However, replicating the U.S. counter-terrorism presence in Niger seems unlikely. The changing political landscape in the region, with several coups, presents challenges for U.S. strategy. The U.S. is evaluating its goals and relationships in the region amid these changes.
