Niger has been seen as the West’s last reliable counterterrorism partner in a region where coups have been common in recent years. Juntas have rejected former colonizer France and turning toward Russia. Wagner operates in a handful of African countries, including Mali, where human rights groups have accused its forces of deadly abuses.
One can’t say there’s a direct Russian implication in Niger’s coup, but “clearly, there’s an opportunistic attitude on the part of Russia, which tries to support destabilization efforts wherever it finds them,” French foreign affairs ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre told broadcaster BFM on Friday. For days after Niger’s junta seized power, residents waved Russian flags in the streets.
So, from the west coast of the continent to the eastern half of the DRCongo, an area largely sponsored by Gina. That’s all massive modern and green economy land.
I was thinking before, I wonder being a French ruled area makes difference? (See Haiti vs. DR, they also left Vietnam in bad shape and only recently has become better) The only well off French colony was Canada?
well French has not helped at all, so need look elsewhere. In short why should they look to France for help?
In Vietnam, after the Japanese left they did some really bad things (1945-50 or so, Japanese also were bad too). from wiki: During the war, there were many instances of rape against Vietnamese civilians by French soldiers First Indochina War - Wikipedia. Americans came to Vietnam and left (and now back in peace). In short why should they look to France for help, they have a history of leaving places in disorder?
Niger’s top two exports are oil (which will only become more valuable due to decreased supply) and uranium/thorium ore, which are rising rapidly as people look more to nuclear plants as possible alternative energy sources.
Is the Sahel area finally going to escalate into a Western sponsored war?
The corporate fascists have been lauding its natural resources for years (War maniac and WEF gopher Tony Blair wrote in 2017 of the opportunities in the area). Probably one of the reasons Gaddafi was murdered.
The migrant crisis in the area is never reported. An equal number of migrants going to Europe also travel south as the area is cleared of people. Funny how Islamic terrorism conveniently appeared in the area around the same time.
And don’t forget those evil Russians:
Yeah, you can name drop all you want, cake. IDK where or how big/important the Sahel is.
If by Western you mean a US led proxy boxing contest with Russia in a effort to entice China to do something stupid and then we all get what we want: a proper shootout, like a western.
To continue:
I read a book about it last year. It is horrible in Libya and on any road going towards it. Bad news.
He was rectally violated with a bayonet on the end of a rifle, says the same book.
So, you think weak spots in domestic terrorism policies of EU countries are being taken advantage of by terrorists? And you have proof of this via whose data? Not busting your balls here, just doing my dd.
I was watching some videos of everyday Russians after a drone hit somewhere near them. “WTH, bro,” seemed to be the general response.
He was groomed for and placed in power by Western interests and supported in that role until he stopped cooperating.
So, yeah, none of this is “new”, it’s just the Great Game v2, (or v3 or v500 or whatever depending how far back in time you go and whose map you’re looking at).
I saw some airlines add flight time because of this, but does not affect me. The one that affects me is the Russia airspace closure add hours on Japan to Finland flights, they almost (or maybe do) fly over Alaska.
American service members deployed to Niger will stay there for now amid diplomatic efforts to restore the democratically elected president to power in the West African country, the Pentagon has decided.
Diplomacy is better than war, but if we’re going to be nice it would be nice know what we’re playing for.
Hundreds of U.S. troops are assigned to Base 201, a $100 million drone site in Agadez, in central Niger. In addition, Army personnel routinely carry out training elsewhere in the country, which is being ruled by a military junta following a reported coup July 26.
There we go!
We’re here supporting the last coupers, so do they hand over power and live or fight and die? As for letting Wagner or Russia swoop, not hardly gonna happen with those drones there.
Not much of a moral quandary. The coup leader is an old friend.
American officials are hopeful that the nearly 30-year relationship with Barmou, which included his attendance at National Defense University in Washington, will help restore democracy,
The revolutionary government of Niger has responded to the suspension of US aid by telling the US: “We don’t want your money, use it to fund a weight loss program for Victoria Nuland.”
