It appears Russia is taking advantage of the anti French sentiment and is creating a proxy war of her own on the margins against Western Europe. There is a large NG and oil pipeline being built from Nigeria to Algeria that is now at risk. Nigeria is on track to become the 3rd most populous nation by 2040. The United States has one of the largest UAV bases in operation anywhere in Niger.
African warlords who love raspberry berets are asking why is France exploiting African treasure and people are listening to the question.
Add in the coming food insecurity due to Ukraine war, and it’s a shitshow coming.
"Downside: Russia expands their influence, instability grows, migration increases in to Europe. A lot more non-French blood flows."
Spend French blood in the streets of Mali, or spend French blood on the Rue de Rivoli, a few years later suppressing the losers of another war on the streets of Mali.
Not many good choices when 21st century values meet waves of penniless immigrants. The French no longer stomach a 'whiff of grape" and order another batch of belts from Mr Maxim.
That would match the Roman and Soviet pattern of using soldiers from one ethnicity to put down those of another ethnicity. My memory is that that was not a good long term solution.
US and NATO use Ukraine as a proxy against Russia and Russia returns the favor by creating instability around the US and NATO. Who would have thought? It's time for diplomats not Blinken or Kerry.
IMO, the only country that we have an interest in is Liberia. However, even though our host dismisses China? The amount of gold being mined and the BRICS desire for a new gold back currency also puts our system at risk. I wouldn't discount a Chinese presence.
And let's not forget the President of Guinea-Bissau was just in Moscow a few days ago.
France IMO, should go where she is asked to go. And leave the rest to the new Colonial overlords at the risk of Chinese and Russian control of the natural resources of the country. We will pay for the benign neglect of Africa by our elite.
Our elites have not performed the managed decline of our country and Western civilization, they have created it.
Well gee... never seen this strategy before by the Russians. They aid and help open up a can of worms by propping up some genuinely detestable tyrant-in-chief dirtbag types in Africa (See their handiwork WRT Idi Amin of Uganda during the '70s). France is going to have to determine just how much blood and treasure they want to sink into this knowing fully well Wagner is going to be stirring up all kinds of grief.
Hmm... The U.S. spends $500 million (per the U.S. embassy) in security aid for Niger and their military overthrows the democratically elected govt. Is there some point where we start think that maybe we're not up to the task of helping other countries steer things towards a "brighter future"????
Spending 3 months in Panama shortly after Noreiga was "invited" to leave... I got a clearer picture of what it means NOT to be a native - can't just spend some time "in country" and expect to soak into your DNA a host country's traditions and customs. I can't say that I have better answers than others who do foreign policy for a living but I would posit that our track record regarding our foreign interventions these last few decdaes hasn't been entirely inspiring... along with no small number of unforced errors.
Is Russia actually able to project power in Western Africa, or are they merely stirring poo? Because they seem to have more than sufficient trouble with their ability to keep their ships afloat at the dock. much less go 10k km away.
As far as the former French (and Belgian) colonies, well....using Corporal Hick's solution may be the only thing that works, but we cannot exercise it today. That part of Africa has always been a disaster, and nothing the west has been able to do in 300 years has changed that
The Chinese already swoop in with bags of money for international airports that cannot support 5 flights a week, ports ditto, railroads that cannot be maintained.....
And when the loans come due, they will try and take possession the old fashioned way: By force.
Private Vasquez: [after barely surviving the alien surprise attack] All right. We got seven canisters of CM-20. I say we roll them in there and nerve gas the whole fuckin' nest.
Corporal Hicks: It's worth the try, but we don't know if that's gonna affect them.
Private Hudson: Look let's just bug out and call it even, okay? What are we even talking about this for?
Ripley: I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Private Hudson: Fuckin' A!
Burke: Hold on, hold on just a second. This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it.
Ripley: They can *bill* me.
Burke: Okay, I know this is an emotional moment for all of us, okay? I know that. But let's not make snap judgments, please. This is clearly... clearly an important species we're dealing with and I don't think that you or I, or *anybody*, has the right to arbitrarily exterminate them.
Ripley: [laughs feebly] Wrong.
Private Vasquez: Yeah. Watch us.
Private Hudson: Hey, maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just got our asses kicked, pal!
Burke: Look. I'm not blind to what's going on, but I cannot authorize that kind of action. I'm sorry.
Ripley: Well, I believe that Corporal Hicks... has authority here.
Burke: *Corporal* Hicks has...
Ripley: This operation is under military jurisdiction and Hicks is next in chain of command. Am I right, Corporal?
Corporal Hicks: Yeah... yeah, that's right.
Burke: Yeah... Look, Ripley, this is a multi-million dollar installation, okay? He can't make that kind of decision. He's just a grunt! Uh, no offense.
Corporal Hicks: [coldly] None taken.
Corporal Hicks: [into headset] Ferro, do you copy?
Corporal Ferro: [on comms] Standing by.
Corporal Hicks: Prepare for dust-off. We're gonna need immediate evac.
Corporal Ferro: [on comms] Roger. On our way.
Corporal Hicks: I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit.
"African warlords who love raspberry berets are asking why is France exploiting African treasure and people are listening to the question.". Soon to be followed by countries mining cobalt, platinum, manganese, aluminum, bauxite, and that nifty stuff called lithium. Let's hope they don't adopt the South Africa mindset of "kill the Boers". The "French" will soon be the minority in France with muslims and Africans having greater numbers. We've already seen the "no-go' zones in France, the young muslims rioting, and en masse migrations from Africa will surely lead to large scale social disorder. No matter what Macron does, within 5 years he is screwed.
Sal, West Africa is a critical piece on the chessboard but many central African countries which control strategic metals are being sold out by corrupt leaders as well. Sooner or later Wagner Group must be removed from play. They are amassing wealth that will allow them to continue playing the game for some time to come.
Would it not be easier and less costly for France and other countries affected by African migration to simply close their borders? The cost of having a hostile population of welfare demanding, crime committing economic migrants far outweighs any benefit from lowering labor costs. The more unchecked migration, the more crime and violence from nations that do not share Western values. The same of course is true for tge US but unfortunately Americas nomenklatura seems determined to commit national suicide to spite her white population.
It appears Russia is taking advantage of the anti French sentiment and is creating a proxy war of her own on the margins against Western Europe. There is a large NG and oil pipeline being built from Nigeria to Algeria that is now at risk. Nigeria is on track to become the 3rd most populous nation by 2040. The United States has one of the largest UAV bases in operation anywhere in Niger.
African warlords who love raspberry berets are asking why is France exploiting African treasure and people are listening to the question.
Add in the coming food insecurity due to Ukraine war, and it’s a shitshow coming.
"Downside: Russia expands their influence, instability grows, migration increases in to Europe. A lot more non-French blood flows."
Spend French blood in the streets of Mali, or spend French blood on the Rue de Rivoli, a few years later suppressing the losers of another war on the streets of Mali.
Not many good choices when 21st century values meet waves of penniless immigrants. The French no longer stomach a 'whiff of grape" and order another batch of belts from Mr Maxim.
If France could convince the Europeans to have a sane immigration policy, those would not be the only choices
Niger should send troops to France to help put down the riots and restore stability.
That would match the Roman and Soviet pattern of using soldiers from one ethnicity to put down those of another ethnicity. My memory is that that was not a good long term solution.
US and NATO use Ukraine as a proxy against Russia and Russia returns the favor by creating instability around the US and NATO. Who would have thought? It's time for diplomats not Blinken or Kerry.
Funny, Luzhkov was screaming for the return of Ukraine and Crimea long before the Obama Administration meddled in the elections.
IMO, the only country that we have an interest in is Liberia. However, even though our host dismisses China? The amount of gold being mined and the BRICS desire for a new gold back currency also puts our system at risk. I wouldn't discount a Chinese presence.
And let's not forget the President of Guinea-Bissau was just in Moscow a few days ago.
France IMO, should go where she is asked to go. And leave the rest to the new Colonial overlords at the risk of Chinese and Russian control of the natural resources of the country. We will pay for the benign neglect of Africa by our elite.
Our elites have not performed the managed decline of our country and Western civilization, they have created it.
https://www.ft.com/content/0c73f10e-f8aa-11e0-ad8f-00144feab49a
Well gee... never seen this strategy before by the Russians. They aid and help open up a can of worms by propping up some genuinely detestable tyrant-in-chief dirtbag types in Africa (See their handiwork WRT Idi Amin of Uganda during the '70s). France is going to have to determine just how much blood and treasure they want to sink into this knowing fully well Wagner is going to be stirring up all kinds of grief.
In a perfect world? The Wagner bivouacs will mysteriously light up at night from thousands of pounds of napalm.
I believe that would satisfy the definition of "escalation"...
Only of they knew where it came from.
Hmm... The U.S. spends $500 million (per the U.S. embassy) in security aid for Niger and their military overthrows the democratically elected govt. Is there some point where we start think that maybe we're not up to the task of helping other countries steer things towards a "brighter future"????
Don't forget us flying GAY Lib flags at these embassies where everybody is either a bible thumping old school Christian or a Quran quoting Haji
Spending 3 months in Panama shortly after Noreiga was "invited" to leave... I got a clearer picture of what it means NOT to be a native - can't just spend some time "in country" and expect to soak into your DNA a host country's traditions and customs. I can't say that I have better answers than others who do foreign policy for a living but I would posit that our track record regarding our foreign interventions these last few decdaes hasn't been entirely inspiring... along with no small number of unforced errors.
This was a huge unforced error driven by people (State) who are supposed to understand the world for us, but somehow have not the slightest clue.
Is Russia actually able to project power in Western Africa, or are they merely stirring poo? Because they seem to have more than sufficient trouble with their ability to keep their ships afloat at the dock. much less go 10k km away.
As far as the former French (and Belgian) colonies, well....using Corporal Hick's solution may be the only thing that works, but we cannot exercise it today. That part of Africa has always been a disaster, and nothing the west has been able to do in 300 years has changed that
Stirring poo, the Chinese will then swoop in with bags of money.
The Chinese already swoop in with bags of money for international airports that cannot support 5 flights a week, ports ditto, railroads that cannot be maintained.....
And when the loans come due, they will try and take possession the old fashioned way: By force.
They don't need the Russians for that.
Merely playing a variation in a different key.
The Ripley Solution in some circles?
Cpl Hicks said it first...
Ok...so that IS what n who youre referencing...LMAO...
do you have an earlier quote for Hicks?
---------------
Private Vasquez: [after barely surviving the alien surprise attack] All right. We got seven canisters of CM-20. I say we roll them in there and nerve gas the whole fuckin' nest.
Corporal Hicks: It's worth the try, but we don't know if that's gonna affect them.
Private Hudson: Look let's just bug out and call it even, okay? What are we even talking about this for?
Ripley: I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Private Hudson: Fuckin' A!
Burke: Hold on, hold on just a second. This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it.
Ripley: They can *bill* me.
Burke: Okay, I know this is an emotional moment for all of us, okay? I know that. But let's not make snap judgments, please. This is clearly... clearly an important species we're dealing with and I don't think that you or I, or *anybody*, has the right to arbitrarily exterminate them.
Ripley: [laughs feebly] Wrong.
Private Vasquez: Yeah. Watch us.
Private Hudson: Hey, maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just got our asses kicked, pal!
Burke: Look. I'm not blind to what's going on, but I cannot authorize that kind of action. I'm sorry.
Ripley: Well, I believe that Corporal Hicks... has authority here.
Burke: *Corporal* Hicks has...
Ripley: This operation is under military jurisdiction and Hicks is next in chain of command. Am I right, Corporal?
Corporal Hicks: Yeah... yeah, that's right.
Burke: Yeah... Look, Ripley, this is a multi-million dollar installation, okay? He can't make that kind of decision. He's just a grunt! Uh, no offense.
Corporal Hicks: [coldly] None taken.
Corporal Hicks: [into headset] Ferro, do you copy?
Corporal Ferro: [on comms] Standing by.
Corporal Hicks: Prepare for dust-off. We're gonna need immediate evac.
Corporal Ferro: [on comms] Roger. On our way.
Corporal Hicks: I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit.
[looks to Ripley]
Corporal Hicks: It's the only way to be sure.
[Ripley smiles]
Ripley: This operation is under military jurisdiction and Hicks is next in chain of command. Am I right, Corporal?
~ reminds me of some discussion years ago about 'the strategic corporal'. Something to do with the three block war, if I remember
I am not sure anything can be done in Africa. As you note above, it has been a disaster since time began.
"African warlords who love raspberry berets are asking why is France exploiting African treasure and people are listening to the question.". Soon to be followed by countries mining cobalt, platinum, manganese, aluminum, bauxite, and that nifty stuff called lithium. Let's hope they don't adopt the South Africa mindset of "kill the Boers". The "French" will soon be the minority in France with muslims and Africans having greater numbers. We've already seen the "no-go' zones in France, the young muslims rioting, and en masse migrations from Africa will surely lead to large scale social disorder. No matter what Macron does, within 5 years he is screwed.
France will be a nuclear armed Islamic republic in 5 years. They are already dead.
Yer just a bundle of joy today.
It is my super power skill
Indeed. 8^)
Time to avenge the Emperor, boys!
Sal, West Africa is a critical piece on the chessboard but many central African countries which control strategic metals are being sold out by corrupt leaders as well. Sooner or later Wagner Group must be removed from play. They are amassing wealth that will allow them to continue playing the game for some time to come.
Would it not be easier and less costly for France and other countries affected by African migration to simply close their borders? The cost of having a hostile population of welfare demanding, crime committing economic migrants far outweighs any benefit from lowering labor costs. The more unchecked migration, the more crime and violence from nations that do not share Western values. The same of course is true for tge US but unfortunately Americas nomenklatura seems determined to commit national suicide to spite her white population.
"unfortunately Americas nomenklatura seems determined to commit national suicide to spite her white population."
And you think Europe's nomenklatura is different because.....?