Caitlin Chandler talks to Violet Lucca about the nature and purpose of the largely unremarked U.S. military presence in Niger. They discuss the history of the conflict in Niger and the way that U.S., European, and Russian interventions in the region have exacerbated the problems left behind by colonial borders. Chandler explains what the U.S. military’s increased reliance on remote warfare after the Iraq War has meant for Nigeriens. She also shares the difficulties of reporting the piece, including the need to hire an armed guard to travel outside the capital. Chandler’s letter appeared in the December 2022 issue.

Read Chandler’s report: https://harpers.org/archive/2022/12/niger-the-next-frontier-in-the-war-on-terror/

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