War on I.S.? or War on Terror? Or permanent wars that are waged outside of law and public oversight, all in the name of assuring extra-legal "access" to places rich in resources or transit zones? U.S. Kept Silent About Its Role in Another Firefight in Niger

Wars are to be waged with congressional and public oversight.  We are a democracy, not a military state (at least in theory).  So have our special forces and intelligence agencies turned into a parallel war-making machine, in service of interests that could hardly be said to be those of our people here at home?  The gentlemen in the photo below are lying to the US Congress, by not being forthright about their actions in places like Niger.
U.S. Kept Silent About Its Role in Another Firefight in Niger (via Ny Times)

Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, right, the head of United States Africa Command, with Gen. Joseph L. Votel, who leads Central Command. General Waldhauser did not mention the December gun battle in testimony to Congress this month. CreditAaron P. Bernstein/Reuters