You're reading a website published by ISW, founded by Kimberly Kagan (sister-in-law to Victoria Nuland and Robert Kagan). Please do not be under the impression that it's a neutral source of information.

Robert Kagan is a "leading advocate of liberal interventionism", and everything ISW publishes is colored with the intent to make US intervention appear to be a good idea (or at least not a bad idea). As you may be aware, that hasn't worked out very well for the U.S. or foreign nations the past 24 months. Which by the way is probably a major factor in Niger's decision to kick the U.S. out