France Can Only Be An Independent Power If It Learns To Push Back
The AUKUS deal was an illogical strategic submission of Australia as it will bankrupt the country by buying U.S. nuclear submarines. They are only nominally for Australia's security but will stay at least informally under U.S. command.
A major point of the deal was that it screwed France which had a big contract with Australia to build conventional submarines for it. The French Foreign Minister said it was "a stab in the back". France wasn't even informed of the deal but learned of it from the press.
That the U.S. would screw France, a big European NATO ally, for its own political and economic purpose is not necessarily unprecedented, but to do it as publicly and open as the AUKUS deal did should have been a big wake-up call.
Unfortunately the French President Macron and his government went back to sleep and gave the U.S. the opportunity to screw France again.
It did so with AFRICOM, the U.S. instrument to undermine African countries through military 'cooperation'.
France has big interest in Africa where some of its former colonies, Françafrique, are bound to it by using a currency, the CFA Franc, that is solely under French government control.
bigger
[S]ince 2008 U.S.-trained officers have attempted at least nine coups, and succeeded in at least eight in five West African countries alone: Three times in Burkina Faso; three times in Mali; and once each in Guinea, Mauritania, and the Gambia.U.S. training and support to the region flows through the State Department and Africa Command, an arm of the Department of Defense, in charge of military operations across the continent.
Since the above was written Niger has followed:
Brig. Gen Moussa Barmou, the American-trained commander of the Nigerien special operations forces, beamed as he embraced a senior U.S. general visiting the country’s $100 million, Washington-funded drone base in June.Six weeks later, Barmou helped oust Niger’s democratically elected president.
For U.S. military officers and diplomats, it’s become an all-too-familiar — and deeply frustrating — story.
Niger is one of several West African countries where U.S. military-trained officers have seized control since 2021, including Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali. Some coup leaders have had close relationships with their American trainers, whose mentorship included lessons on safeguarding democracy and human rights along with military tactics.
Ohh - please spare me the 'safeguarding democracy' crocodile tears. They are really over the top. The U.S. has a big military base in Niger and that, and the influence it brings with it, is all that counts.
After the coup the French military contingent in Niger and its ambassador were told to leave while the big U.S. drone base is likely to stay.
Is that a bad outcome for the U.S. or the result of a plan?
The U.S. has strategic interests in Africa and, as the former RAND and CIA analyst and senior fellow of the Atlantic Council Michael Shurkin writes, it wants France to move out:
I have cheered French efforts to help the countries of the Sahel — most notably Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — to defend themselves against jihadist insurgencies affiliated with Al Qa’eda or the Islamic State.And yet, the only reasonable conclusion to draw now is that France should close its bases and go.
The problem, as has been made clear by recent events in Niger, is that whatever France does, good or bad, provokes an allergic reaction from populations long conditioned to be suspicious of French motives and assume the worst.
Whether this anti-French sentiment is fair or not is entirely beside the point. Ties with France have now become a kiss of death for African governments — a phenomenon demonstrated by the fate of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum.
Oh well. Who has created Al Qa’eda and the Islamic State? Who has moved them from west-Asia into Africa?
Yes, France has kept some of its colonial bad habits and influences and some people really do hate it for that. But who's propaganda has pushed them into that direction?
The plan is obvious. France has to be pushed out so the U.S. can walk in:
Meanwhile, the threat of Russia filling the vacuum is overstated and should not justify [France's] further involvement. Indeed, part of of Russia’s appeal is that many Africans see it as a sort of anti-France. And the less France lives “rent-free” in the popular imagination, the less Russia’s symbolic appeal will become.Another part of Russia’s draw is that some African governments, Mali among them, are frustrated by France’s reticence to assist them in a strategy that all too often involves targeting certain ethnic communities — above all Fulanis but also Arabs and Tuaregs. And if that’s what they want help for, then France and other Western powers are right to refuse.
The fact that the U.S. and other European partners like Germany don’t provoke the same reaction does provide them an opening, a way to help fill the vacuum to keep Russia out and help African states defend themselves. But that will require them to care, and to exercise a greater degree of creativity than they have shown thus far.
It will also mean that France will have to trust them in its former Empire. This was a stumbling block as late as the 1990s, but at this point, Paris is ready.
And, really, it has no choice.
Poor France. It is told to leave and let the U.S. take over its former colonies. It has no choice.
It took a long time for the French to wake up to that plan. But it is finally sinking in. The leading French geopolitical magazine, Conflits, discusses the Shurkin piece and asks:
Pourquoi l’Amérique veut-elle chasser la France d’Afrique ?
Why does America want to drive France out of Africa?
It concludes correctly:
Americans want to sacrifice the French presence to replace and sustain them.
Since France rejected the U.S. invasion of Iraq the U.S. has done its best to deny France any independent international role. The magazine discusses various global places and plans where and how France can reasonably prevent that. It concludes (edited machine translation):
What is at stake is not simply the presence of France in the Sahel or in Africa. It is maintaining it as a global sovereign power or its reduction to a power in Europe. By extension, is its natural relation to be one of the major U.S. dependent democracies, which form a rigid frame, imperial, behind the United States, or will it be able to form a loose alliance in a multilateral framework, a much better position to defend its interests and values?Without a doubt, America and the Europeans, they need a voice to remind them of the dangers of the respective hubris or of their weakness. Undoubtedly, the world has a need for medium stand-alone powers and for France to find a new balance, helping emerging nations, supporting them without stifling the fragile states and avoiding the logic of direct confrontations between the blocks.
I agree. An independent multilateral France with global influence will be good for balancing the world.
But to reach and stay in that place France needs to counter further U.S. plans to push it out from where the U.S. wants to be.
Will France finally learn how to do that?
Posted by b on September 2, 2023 at 17:11 UTC | Permalink
next page »Macron is weak..end of story.Until the French manage to push him and his Jewish backers out, France will be submerged by 3d worlders and probably go down the drain...
Posted by: pyrrhus | Sep 2 2023 17:21 utc | 2
that's kind of a running gag for US to replace France since Indochina at least ^^
anyway, it hardly passes a single month without official or unofficial US-engineered humiliation these last years, and it certainly didn't stop with AUKUS, did you see the 1+billion Naval group cancelling last month ?
https://www.reuters.com/article/roumanie-france-defense-idFRL8N39Q1ZV
Posted by: rototo | Sep 2 2023 17:22 utc | 3
France would have to do something radical to demonstrate a radical change of policy, to underscore its desire to change the nature of its relationships with African states. It would, at the least, have to demonstrate that it has abandoned not only its dependence on the US, but also its entire colonial tradition. A good start would be applying to join BRICS and announcing plans to wind down from NATO after Ukraine. Impossible, right? But it cannot avoid multipolar alignment. nothing else says "under new management" better than a committment to partnering instead of dictating.
Posted by: Tom Paine | Sep 2 2023 17:24 utc | 4
Will France finally learn how to do that?Sooner or later, they will. But it might be too late. France does not care about the independence of countries in Africa, they need to start cleaning up at home:
"Without France, there would be no Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger" - Macronhttps://t.me/Slavyangrad/61453The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, assured that these countries continue to exist thanks to the interventions of the French army in the West African region.
Posted by: Norwegian | Sep 2 2023 17:26 utc | 5
A pox on both their houses. The global American empire hurts everybody except the top few who loot it continuously.
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Sep 2 2023 17:31 utc | 6
Anything that puts an end to the strip mining of African resources by France is a good thing in my opinion! The fact that so much revenue is extracted from that area and into French coffers is despicable.
Quite how the US think they can just roll in and replace the French influence is laughable, given the geopolitical changes that are occurring at the moment. If anything, they will be placeholders during this phase of great transition.
Good luck in Africa, you’re going to need it. Meanwhile China will continue to do the business that matters while America plays with its drones.A billion dollars for a runway and base to fly drones to keep an eye on the terrorists you created, only America could come up this!
Posted by: Mark A | Sep 2 2023 17:38 utc | 8
So not quite like Vietnam but kinda. Even the Russian "threat" is there, dominos and all. Here's hoping Africa can kick both colonial imperial powers out without having to be carpet bombed like Cambodia Laos and Vietnam.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Sep 2 2023 17:39 utc | 9
What's happening in Africa seems to be a pattern as the overwhelming majority of all military coups in Latin America after 1945 have been carried out by officers who were educated at School of Americas in Panama(today renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, Fort Moore, Georgia)
Posted by: On the roof | Sep 2 2023 17:46 utc | 10
I agree that the US empire is screwing France like it's screwing Germany for its own diplomatic, military and economic benefit but in my view the loss of French influence in its "former" colonies can be attributed to its waning strength and influence. If we look a bit further back in time starting with let's say Central African Republic one can't really say it was to the benefit of the US empire because Russian influence increased. The same for Mali. France has had a parasitic relationship with its colonies where all the wealth has been siphoned off to France. This is reaching its end with Chinese trade and influence that provides projects and investments without as much strings attached and are a lot less costly. The French are also know for their arrogance while Chinese are more humble. The military coup in Gabon seems to be a US orchestrated coup pre-empting an organic one. With Burkina Faso, Guinee and Niger it's not so clear. Mali and CAR benefited Russia. Let's see how long the certified French stooge Ouatarra will hold out who got his post thanks to direct French "democratic" military intervention when it abducted the Ivory Coast president Gbagbo at gun point and jailed him at the neo colonial kangaroo court called the ICC.
Posted by: xor | Sep 2 2023 17:46 utc | 11
Just last night I read Pepe Escobar's latest at The Cradle
No respite for France as a 'New Africa' rises
A little bit different perspective from b but additive to the discussion of the geopolitical war going on
Posted by: psychohistorian | Sep 2 2023 17:47 utc | 12
yup. what if the u.s. bought the niger coup leaders. i heard they are not expelling the americans, just the french. well, we screwed the germans hugely and they are asking, "what else may we do to please you?" looks like the french, too. time will tell, but the west is so sick that's it so maddening and yet so utterly sad at the same time for those of us that love the country as a whole. i'm not sure how we recover from this rotten, spied upon, manipulated core. maybe rfk jr.
Posted by: polarbear4 | Sep 2 2023 17:50 utc | 13
it seems to me france is experiencing an identity crisis... either it is going to be a servant to the west and let usa bully it around with nato, or it is going to figure out how to have some type of independent identity... as it presently stands, they are just ''a hanger on'... the other missing feature in many western countries is a vision for the future in combo with real leadership... that is sorely missing on both accounts.. it is like they have read from the wef recipe book, or other such numskulls with regard to the future... meanwhile it seems the country and people themselves are quite unhappy about their present state of affairs.. reading aureliun, i get the impression many of the ideas he tries to work out are based off his french nationality, although he speaks more generally..
Posted by: james | Sep 2 2023 17:50 utc | 14
oops. posted too fast. well they did buy them. let's hope niger is taking the money and has a plan to get them out. prigozhen may have promised too much and they may have felt betrayed. in walks uncle sam. but a drone base is never a good thing. too bad..
Posted by: polarbear4 | Sep 2 2023 17:53 utc | 15
Both Macron and his PM demanded the restoration of the previous lackey government(s). If they had more than just an Ecole Politechnique education, they would have at least some smarts to demand the return to civilian rule as soon as possible.
Where do they find these idiots?
Posted by: Choderlos de Laclos | Sep 2 2023 18:03 utc | 17
The map is wrong.
Guinea-Bissau, aka Cacheu, was never French: it was Portuguese.
Guinea-Conakry (Guinée) was French.
Azawad, the Tuareg name for their country, is the only real popular movement with an identity. Unfortunately it was hopelessly split in that drawing-room in Berlin in 1888. It covers the southern third of Algeria, the northern triangle of Mali, and northwestern Niger. They were well on their way to achieving liberation and founding a truly native African state about a decade ago but, ironically, the French and Americans brought in the Muslim nutters from destroyed Libya - AQ, ISIS, Boko Haram, etc. - and the terror they wrought drove the governments there to appeal to the French/Americans - which was, of course, the plan.
The Tuareg barely survived the twin assault of the Muslim terrorists and the French proxies, but they fight on.
Posted by: John Marks | Sep 2 2023 18:15 utc | 18
i wish for a delete button to hide my not reading carefully. sry.
Posted by: polarbear4 | Sep 2 2023 18:19 utc | 19
Macron is weak..end of story.Until the French manage to push him and his Jewish backers out, France will be submerged by 3d worlders and probably go down the drain...
Posted by: pyrrhus | Sep 2 2023 17:21 utc | 2
############
Chef Macron, like Biden, Schultz, whoever leads the UK at the moment, are all the same. Weak leaders and people with undistinguished pre-government careers.
Exactly the kind of "leader" that the PTB wants in power. Easy to manipulate, able to absorb criticism from the public.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Sep 2 2023 18:23 utc | 20
Posted by: Mark A | Sep 2 2023 17:38 utc | 8
#############
Creating the demand to provide the supply is one thing that America has elevated to an art form.
Too bad it is an evil approach to relationships. Like a guy who can only get a girl by using roofies.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Sep 2 2023 18:24 utc | 21
Always. follow. the money.
Here is The EU Gulf of Guinea Strategy and Action Plan 2022.
...In 2014, the EU adopted an EU Strategy for the Gulf of Guinea, in line with the objectives of the 'Yaoundé Process' – the inter-regional commitment between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) as well as the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) signed at the Yaoundé Heads of State Summit (June 2013) to tackle maritime crime in its widest sense. The EU Action Plan 2015-2020 was consecutively launched to guide the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Gulf of Guinea. It is to be noted that a joint staff working document on elements for an update of the strategy is under preparation to reflect the evolution of threats.And here is MAP of the EU planning new Africa mission [off] Gulf of GuineaAs part of the EU's comprehensive approach to West and Central Africa, a set of Programmes and Projects focused on capacity building, funded through the instrument contributing to Security and Peace (IcSP) and the European Development Fund (EDF) are geared towards implementing the Strategy for the Gulf of Guinea and its rolling Action Plan. At the same time, since early 2021, the EU Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) has boosted the collective engagement by enhancing coordination of the existing Member States naval and air assets present in specific areas at a voluntary basis to increase the EU’s capacity to act as a reliable partner and maritime security provider in the region....
The EU is set to launch a new mission in West Africa in the fall, a German newspaper has reported. The combined military-civilian operation will aim to prevent instability triggered by jihadi groups. European Union member states have agreed to begin a mission in the Gulf of Guinea [off] west Africa, with police and soldiers deployed to Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast, German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag reported on Sunday, citing diplomats. According to the paper, the mission will aim to train and advise local security forces, help prepare for anti-terror operations, give technical support and implement confidence-building measures in the security sector.
[...]
The EU also wants to counter Russian influence in the region which has been spread through Wagner mercenaries who have supported military regimes in the Sahel.[...] The situation was further complicated for the EU after Mali kicked out French and German forces that had been training Malian soldiers and police.
[...]
diplomatie.gouv.fr sez,
...In reality, the term "CFA franc" refers to three different currencies and is the source of some confusion—and sometimes even the subject of falsehoods...Measure the EUR spreads by CFA Zone.
BJ, BF, CI, GW, ML, NE, SN, TG
WAEMU (XOF)
CG, CF, CM, GA, GQ, TD
CAEMC (XAF)
CFA archipelago
Comoros (KMF)
The EU stands to lose considerable "value chain" advantages, should captured "former" colonies (led by DEFIANT MILITARY JUNTA) take "critical materials" to open market in exchange for everything-but EUR. True or false?
Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 2 2023 18:34 utc | 22
It ought to be simple to see the Outlaw US Empire's goal in Africa as its policy to dominate the world is still #1. But if it doesn't help the nations it seemingly controls via the military connection to develop, it will have a very difficult time retaining its presence--and given Neoliberal doctrine and its Super Imperialistic methods, helping with development seems extremely unlikely. As I wrote in my article about events in Niger, France was operating a similar plan to that of the Outlaw US Empire in exploiting its former African colonies, which is why France is seen as enemy #1. The Outlaw US Empire's bullshit over the years has convinced some that it aims to help, but close observers know that's not the case. The Empire in its relations with Africa acts like a pedophile giving a piece of candy to a child to entice it into its grip. Russian diplomacy has long told Africans of that ploy, but it's difficult to tell how many have listened. The huge difference in policy approaches by Russia and China are very clear as is their stated reasons. I found Bhadrakumar's aticle, "Russia inherits Prigozhin’s African odyssey" helpful in filling out part of the Big Picture, although b's article is more to the point of the actual geopolitical conflict that's actually ongoing.
What happens in West Africa will depend on what Russia/China/BRICS can accomplish in Ethiopia. Egypt IMO is not the big African question development-wise. The key for Ethiopia and its region is the establishment of peace so greater development can occur, and that's going to be a huge task given the Outlaw US Empire's policy of continuing to destabilize that region. We see the failure of the Empire's policy in Ukraine but forget it has many other projects that aren't failing, which perpetuates its global danger because it tells the Neocons they're doing something "right." It was quite right for b to note what entity brought the terrorists to Africa for that's how it runs its protection racket. As I've written before, the SCO, EAEU, BRICS+, and CSTO focus on anti-terrorism is actually aimed at the Outlaw US Empire for it's the world's #1 Terrorist. How those organizations finally craft joint policy to actively combat the #1 Terrorist has yet to be seen but at some point must emerge, and IMO can't wait much longer.
Which reminds me - any recent news about Gonzalo Lira?
I am reminded because last time I listened to him he was talking with Pepe Escobar and Brian Berletic and amongst other things they were talking about Macron's visit to Beijing. Gonzalo referred to Macron as "Rothschild's twink" and this had Pepe roaring with laughter and replying with "yes, we need to go harder in talking about them!"
Posted by: Ново З | Sep 2 2023 18:38 utc | 24
Which reminds me - any recent news about Gonzalo Lira?
I am reminded because last time I listened to him he was talking with Pepe Escobar and Brian Berletic and amongst other things they were talking about Macron's visit to Beijing. Gonzalo referred to Macron as "Rothschild's twink" and this had Pepe roaring with laughter and replying with "yes, we need to go harder in talking about them!"
Posted by: Ново З | Sep 2 2023 18:38 utc | 25
sln2002 | Sep 2 2023 18:34 utc | 22--
Clearly, one of the goals in weakening the EU economically via the proxy war against Russia was to limit its ability to act imperially in Africa and elsewhere--to remove it as a competitor.
I have to say that this is the first place I've seen that has described the Niger coup as "pro American".
Posted by: Inkan1969 | Sep 2 2023 18:51 utc | 27
What happens in West Africa will depend on what Russia/China/BRICS can accomplish in Ethiopia.Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 2 2023 18:35 utc | 23
I rather think that the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the key. They have the most remarkable geology were minerals can be collected without hard rock mining.
To the topic of b's US push into Africa everyone should be aware of the recent installment of the dual American/Nigerian Harvard educated Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the WTO's Director General.
Okonjo-Iweala serves Brookings Institution as a non-resident distinguished fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative in their Global Economy and Development Program.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngozi_Okonjo-Iweala
Posted by: too scents | Sep 2 2023 18:59 utc | 28
NATO's partner countries, France and Germany foremost, are children of a selfish and self-centered Parent, who knows who and when to administer a bare-bottomed spanking to get attention.
American folly in their clumsy foray into the World's squabbling unwashed countries, ongoing for decades, is slowly but certainly coming to an end as the World Currency counterfeiter privilege ends with over-reaching money printing and military adventures.
The French, like the British, are a sideshow. Perhaps some Americans are wanting to get even for De Galle handing them the burning batton in Indochina.
Posted by: kupkee | Sep 2 2023 18:59 utc | 29
The AUKUS deal wasn't the first time France has been bullied/ tricked into abandoning a shipbuilding contract by its 'good friend' the US of A.
3 Sept 2014 — France is to suspend delivery of a state-of-the-art Mistral warship to Russia in protest at Moscow's continued role in unrest in Eastern Ukraine.
When Uncle Sam says JUMP French poodles ask "How high, Master?"
IIRC there were 2 Mistrals and Egypt purchased them.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Sep 2 2023 19:02 utc | 30
I've been following the demise of the French neo-colonial African Empire (aka Françafrique) for well over a decade and the Americans have been screwing over the French in this theater for a long time.
Taking over the former French foreign legion base Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti in 2002 was arguably the start of this abusive African relationship between Washington and Paris.
The core problem is this; France has been unable to keep total control of Françafrique and Paris has had to turn to the US for military aid more and more frequently over the past 20 years. But by doing so the US has taken over many of the privileges that France once enjoyed in Françafrique.
France can't save Françafrique but the US can't take over Françafrique either. These African nations are not simply going to replace one decaying geo-political power for another that is just as bad.
Posted by: Vincent Tayelrand | Sep 2 2023 19:09 utc | 31
So not quite like Vietnam but kinda. Even the Russian "threat" is there, dominos and all. Here's hoping Africa can kick both colonial imperial powers out without having to be carpet bombed like Cambodia Laos and Vietnam.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Sep 2 2023 17:39 utc | 9
----------------------------------------------------------
Come on Tom, you know we have to fight the Russians, the Chinese, the French, and the Africans in Africa, Ukraine, and Taiwan, so that we don't have to fight them in the USA!
Posted by: Ed | Sep 2 2023 19:15 utc | 32
When it comes to Africa, all we get is worthless and paternalist drivel masquerading as analysis. Apparently, we Africans have no agency and cannot live without another white master. Nevermind that we've been organizing for years to end the France-Afrique système of monetary nazism and hegemonic french imperialism. This weak analysis totally skirts over the current rumbles of building a new fédération which would include Guinée, Faso, Mali and Niger that will serve as a springboard for a sovereign United States of Africa as was envisioned by Gaddafi before he was murdered by France and NATO. Should Cedeao and NATO attack Niger, it will only accelerate the process. Apparently, europeans lose all logical faculties when it comes to Africa. Why should we ask the USA to leave first ? You first attack the weakest amongst the hyenas and move on to tougher task... We will not continue to subsidize racist négrophobes who openly call for our recolonisation on French TV (Bolloré-Cnews their version of Fox news) financed by our blood and money. Africans are no longer willing to subsidize the far night in France and Europe anymore. Period. Let them build their white union with baltic nazis, hungarians and poles.
https://twitter.com/HeryDjehuty/status/1697475516482117755
Posted by: Im Lesage | Sep 2 2023 19:22 utc | 33
@ too scents | Sep 2 2023 18:59 utc | 28
Meanwhile, in the Less Than Six Degrees of Separation contest, Okonjo-Iweala’s son Uzodinma is a physician in NYC, and novelist of some talent … and was McKinseyboy Mayo Petebot’s roomie at Haahvud.
Posted by: malenkov | Sep 2 2023 19:23 utc | 34
What happens in West Africa will depend on what Russia/China/BRICS can accomplish in Ethiopia.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 2 2023 18:35 utc | 23
No.
What happens in west Africa depends on when Nigeria d/b/a ECOWAS and AFRICOM (d/b/a EUCOM and USAF) decide to assault the rebellious states ML, NE, BF, and TD of the "G5 Sahel," created 2014 by NATO's GWOT trolls in the UNSC. Furthermore, they've got to offer new incentives to African Union members that have not been "suspended" as well as a UNGA majority to reverse (given RU and CN would veto such UNSC resolution)the scheduled termination of MINUSMA forces. Do you know who is the current chair of the African Union? Do you know whether or not that person attended the Russia-Africa plenary?
Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 2 2023 19:25 utc | 35
The end result will be even more chaos in Africa. Once the French are out, Africans will learn how to hate Americans, even more vividly than they ever hated France. The Americans simply cannot do better than the French, because that would be against their goals, i.e. exploitation. There is a quite anti-France campaign going on in the Anglosphere and their puppets right now and that is partly because France has a mildly indipendent foreign policy. Something that Germany or Scandinavian countries have not.
Posted by: SG | Sep 2 2023 19:29 utc | 36
France brought it upon itself.
The last honourable thing France did in Africa was undermining the genocidal US proxy Ugandan invasion of Rwanda aka Operation Turquoise. Since then, France has been repeating the US/Ugandan lies about Rwanda 1990-1994.
Habyarimana was murdered by American proxy Kagamé.
Posted by: Johan Meyer (2) | Sep 2 2023 19:29 utc | 37
If you want to understand why Macron's France seems asleep to the American plan to drive it out of Africa, you have to start by understanding that Macron wasn't elected.
At least, not any more than Biden.
Macron is part of the plan and part of the clan.
The natural candidate who would have been elected is François Fillon, rather neutral or pro-Russian like Sarkozy and sovereignist as a legacy of the Gaullist party. A far cry from Macron, the enforcer of Anglo-American interests.
Fillon was eliminated by a legal conspiracy just a few weeks before the election, and has been in meltdown ever since.
Posted by: La Bastille | Sep 2 2023 19:30 utc | 38
Let me help you.
SUDAN is not spelled Ethiopia;
ETHIOPIA's effective BRICS membership occurs 1 Jan 2024;
and
here @ 00:30:00 Interim President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso pointedly rebukes the old guard of the African Union.
Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 2 2023 19:35 utc | 39
too scents | Sep 2 2023 18:59 utc | 28--
Yes, the DRC is a key player as is the African Union, both of which I omitted for brevity. It's the sea change in Persian Gulf relations and how that will interact with Horn of Africa events I see as being more strategic. In a way, it's reminiscent of the Scramble for Africa of the late 19th Century, but the dynamics are much different as Russia/China/BRICS+ seeks to build nations up not keep them down and exploit them. The game is just now emerging from the shadows of the Ukraine and China conflicts that ought to provide more information for us to analyze.
I remind barflies of the link I provided to the eight-volume series on African history published by UNESCO which is here and only takes patience to download.
I don't see why the fact that there are US trained officers among the coup protagonists necessarily leads to the conclusion that the takeovers of government were US sponsored to benefit US interests by ejecting France.
How does that follow, when there is no evidence of that, at least not for now. And nothing the transition government in Niger has done so far points to any special favors to the US.
In response to speculation in the western media that the coup will lead to closer ties with Russia and Wagner, the transition PM replied in the negative.
We have yet to see how the foreign policy of the transitional Niger authorities will develop. But, we do know that they have the open and firm support of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea which are not particularly US inclined. Burkina Faso has just authorized the deployment of a military contigent to Niger. It is doubtful that they would do that if Niger was now leaning towards the US, as a replacement for France, because the three coup regimes have proclaimed a desire for independence and relations on an equal footing, including with France.
Here is a good piece by Vijay Prashad written a bit earlier:
https://consortiumnews.com/2023/08/16/niger-is-far-from-a-typical-coup/
A response on 1 August 2023 by the Niger coup leaders to remarks by Macron: (in French)
http://www.anp.ne/article/propos-de-macron-sur-le-niger-le-cnsp-denonce-le-paternalisme-francais-et-reaffime-son
Posted by: JB | Sep 2 2023 19:37 utc | 41
Even though france is relatively small it got dealt quite a good hand.
Its (more or less) energy independet due to nuclear technology), it got its own nukes, it kept a distance to nato, it got a part of the world that was looking to Paris for a path to the future.
In short: the french leaders of the 20th century acted to keep France an independent power in the world.
When Chirac denied Bush obedience in 2003 and the short lived Paris-Berlin-Moscow axes formed, it seemed as if France was ready to be a counterweight to the anglosaxon dominance and able to form coalitons to keep its independance.
Unfortunately hollande, sarkozy and macron threw it all away.
I think the main failure in the french conception was to think that they needed to take over the EU in order to keep its position. They wanted to use the EU as a vehicle to enforce french interests.
If so, they were oblivious of the globalist influence on the European Institutions.
All the initiatives to build an eurpean army independent of NATO, and all the initiatives to make the EU an indipendent pole in the world came out of france. They lost all the battles over Europe. Maybe they thought that Brexit would finally give them a way to dominate the eu institutions.
It all crushed.
They could have build an axis of francophone countries instead but all they did was proping up corrupt leaders and a tiny elite class in the poorest countries in the world.
Now what are they going to do? Every african leader going to paris will realize within 10 minutes that macron itself has to go to brussels to beg for german money and the us puppets in the eu commission for allowance to do anything. Why would you put your faith in Paris?
If Paris wants its global influence it must get rid of the EU and form coalitions with other powers whenever necessary. Its not enough to send your single aircraft carrier around the world every 10 years or so. Do you think polynesians are impressed by watching charles de gaule passing by every 10 years while china is about to create coalitions?
Conclusion: all the efforts to keep France indepedent up to chirac have been thrown away within 15 years. It wouldnt be too late to reverse course since the basic infrastructure is still there. But Macron wount do it.
Posted by: Orgel | Sep 2 2023 19:45 utc | 42
Two obscure contributions to this really great discussion:
Montreal’s La Presse went to great efforts to translate a New York Times article. Most read in their International section last I saw.
Canadian satire news site the Beaverton re-posted a piece from 2018. “Local fly is certain THIS window is the way out.”
https://twitter.com/TheBeaverton/status/1698047896082657312
From that, “ “We’re all rooting for him, that’s for sure,” said local corner spider Charlotte (no relation). “He’s had some very public setbacks. The mirror incident, those two days he thought a light bulb was the sun, the other mirror incident. But the kid’s got heart and I think he’ll eventually persevere. And if he doesn’t, he knows he’s always welcome to kick back with me in my parlor.””
(I just note the use of Charlotte and kick back in there, that’s all.)
Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Sep 2 2023 19:46 utc | 43
Posted by: JB | Sep 2 2023 19:37 utc | 41
Here is "Joint press release following the official visit to Niger of His Excellency Mrs. Ragnaghnewende Olivia Rouamba, Minister of Foreign Afairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabe people outside Burkina Faso and His Excellency Mr. Abdoulay Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs and international cooperation fof the Republic of Mali (25 Aug) in English.
lesahel.org is the only window that I know of to CNSP transitional government, official gazette, and civil society participation. Bookmark it. tHE nine heads of the G7 are dying to foment chaos where none exists.
Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 2 2023 19:56 utc | 44
one of the goals in weakening the EU
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 2 2023 18:47 utc | 26
WHOSE goal is that? And how taf does that one "goal" inform the independence of African popular opinion and political sovereignty? Surely you've read all eight volumes of UNESCO's history of Africa—which volume describes Africans' history of Africa?
Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 2 2023 20:05 utc | 45
France is typical for Western Europe: a country, not in free fall but in managed decline.
I'm confident that if yellow vests and the June "Nahel Merzouk" riots had happened in Russia, the press would be talking about civil war.
Posted by: Passerby | Sep 2 2023 20:05 utc | 46
If the French wanted France to become a real country, instead of a US lapdog like Oz, they would have elected Marine Le Pen as their Prez.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Sep 2 2023 20:06 utc | 47
France has nobody to blame but herself: France has exploited African "former" colonies so vulgarly that their people hate anything french now! US is not their first enemy, so the coup leaders will deal with the french first! Coup leaders popularity is not a coincidence!
Posted by: Jimmy A | Sep 2 2023 20:06 utc | 48
France can't save Françafrique but the US can't take over Françafrique either. These African nations are not simply going to replace one decaying geo-political power for another that is just as bad.
@ Vincent Tayelrand
I was surprised to see that in neither Niger nor Gabon, the secret access from the presidential palace to the French embassy has not been used. Instead the former leaders are being held in-situ inside those presidential palaces. This direct access is well known in some circles and that's why the mob was trying to crash the security building gate of the French Embassy in Niger.
BTW: Robert Bourgi has not been very active since the defeat of Sarkozy and the affaire Fillon - so FrancAfrique is quasi dead!
Posted by: Yul | Sep 2 2023 20:20 utc | 49
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Sep 2 2023 20:06 utc | 47
############
Like the money, the elections are not real my friend. There is no savior politician who is going to ride in on a white horse and save the nation. Some of these countries will have to go through something similar to what the Russians did in the 90s to discover patriotic leadership willing to rebuild the country after the governmental structure has been burned to the ground.
I've thought for some time how childlike it is for so many Americans to worship their Presidential candidates like the coming of a Messiah, when whoever gets elected, will inherit hundreds of thousands of bureaucrats who all pursue their own personal agendas over serving the nation and citizens, with no genuine loyalty to the CiC or the Constitution.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Sep 2 2023 20:25 utc | 50
IIRC there were 2 Mistrals and Egypt purchased them.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Sep 2 2023 19:02 utc | 30
And. Then Egypt was bullied to hand them over to Ukraine?
Egypt refused IIRC. Probably a reason its now won a ticket to board the BRICS train.
Posted by: Melaleuca | Sep 2 2023 20:27 utc | 51
Leider nur auf deutsch:
Die Amerikaner sind richtig schlau.
"Europa ist fertig."
Erst kam der Brexit und die Briten waren raus, dann hat man die Russen und die Deutschen getrennt und jetzt kommen die Franzosen dran.
Besser kann es doch gar nicht laufen.
Posted by: Mischmi | Sep 2 2023 20:28 utc | 52
Hoarsewhisperer | Sep 2 2023 20:06 utc | 47
Cmon m8. No adult “believes” in tooth fairies, easter bunnies, santa clause or fair elections.
Posted by: Melaleuca | Sep 2 2023 20:30 utc | 53
Russia has a major training base in Central African Republic:
https://english.pravda.ru/world/157551-central_african_republic_berengo/
Posted by: The Rev. David R. Gr | Sep 2 2023 20:31 utc | 54
Si les américains veulent le Mali, le Niger et le Burkina, c'est parfait. Ces 3 pays ont une population qui double tous les 20 ans et aucune ressource. En plus, c'est des dioulas ingrats. Donc, si ils peuvent apprendre l'anglais et aller aux USA foutre la merde, plutôt qu'en France ou en côte d'Ivoire, c'est vraiment bien.
Posted by: Koui | Sep 2 2023 20:38 utc | 55
It is clear that the US only wants France as a vassal, and without any possibility of having any individual policies. In Europe, the destruction of industrial ability in Germany, is now followed by the destruction of French foreign "interests". So all these coups in Africa, with or without US backing are only plus points for it's "one US Empire" ambitions.
However, the Chinese and Russians, who are alternative examples of how things could be, may give a new orientation to erstwhile "captive" countries. We will see in time.
**
A problem I see, similar to South America, is the frailty of ethical standards by "leaders". How many cannot be bought?
This happens in many other countries - perhaps nearly all of them. The "joke vote" by which leaders claim authority through PR-democratic means, (Ballot stuffing and the like followed by multiple media massaging for the proles) has become "de rigeur" in ALL countries. "Lawfare" is also aimed at the same control over candidates.
Macron himself is a NWO placed candidate, so he must be split between an US-centric viewpoint and a Soros/Rothschild/Schwab option. After a long battle with the French people (Yellow vests) and now dictating Pensions reform by decree, it is simply a continuation in Africa of a wannabe emperor's desire to be the sole source of authority. Obviously he is simply not capable of it.
****
From a brief stay in Rwanda, I learnt that the Africans have a tendency to see International Aid as a chance get rich one at a time.
*****
Which leads me to a last point; an ad for Leaders who like to think ahead.
"Bongo bags", specially designed and shaped to carry all your spare cash whatever the source. Helicopters are an optional extra.
https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/1697003725531779096
Pepe Escobar yesterday on this very matter, more broadly taken:
https://new.thecradle.co/articles/no-respite-for-france-as-a-new-africa-rises
Posted by: The Rev. David R. Gr | Sep 2 2023 20:46 utc | 57
On the roof 10
The really declining nation is not France, who refused the USUKIS attack on Iraq, but Britain with its Islamist brainwashed nutters, which is really scraping the bottom of the barrel of Alt-right wing politics. At least the Azov Nazis are not into raping and enslaving terrified women who are under constitutional government protection.
When there is as much evidence available about USUKIS chemical brainwashing of Ukrainians as there is about USUKIS chemical brainwashing of Muslims in the War on Islam , I might say that USUKIS desperation in Ukraine is equal to its desperation in Syria.
But for now , USUKIS wants to still create an Islamic State in North Syria while Russia is distracted by Jellybaby in Ukraine, and an Islamic State in Africa which China will have to cope with in rhe long term.
Whoever helps USUKIS build a second Empire in Africa is teaching us a history lesson about how France Britain Low Countries , Germany and Belgium built the first ones. The Islamists are always the ones who sell their own country in exchange for bangles and a few coloured stripes on their military uniforms. Plus sha change, plus sh'est la meme chose. So much for the true message of Islam
Posted by: Giyane | Sep 2 2023 20:49 utc | 58
Is this a surprise? The USA is the ONLY country I know of that has consistently stated that its goal is complete world domination. France can continue to be a vassal state or not--but it has chosen over and over again to remain a vassal and so it will be. The fact is the US National Security State now controls the media in Europe almost completely so it is difficult for politicians to color outside the lines of whatever Overton Window is set in Washington--this is a far cry from Europe back in the day. Le Penn is the only Euro politician that might be different but I doubt she can ever take power.
Posted by: Chris Cosmos | Sep 2 2023 20:54 utc | 59
I agree. An independent multilateral France with global influence will be good for balancing the world.
Posted by b on September 2, 2023 at 17:11 UTC | Permalink
I dont think so.
Power corrupts, global influence is not used to create balance, see USA. A stronger France, independent, would look after its interests (whose exactly, actually).
France's global influence consisted of neo-colonialism, the USA cannibalizes its allies in the struggle of dominating other peoples.
France could have decolonized completely. Then many African states would be owners of their raw materials, currency, etc. and independent with a stable social system. France could have made fair trade agreements with such governments for uranium, etc.
Were the French actually against the US military bases in their sphere of influence?
I suggest to read "Shake Hands with the Devil" from Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire of the Canadian Forces, to find out, if you really wish for french engagement in africa in 21st century.
Of course the US is not the solution for the people in africa.
Interesting article concerning concerning coups in africa in last years. A lot of facts, but look for your own conclusion. Maybe in some points they did not look into too deep, like foreign interest. But still a base for further research.
African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2023.1077945/full
Posted by: 600w | Sep 2 2023 21:00 utc | 60
Count me out on the theory the Niger coup was US-generated. Next door the Nigerian president is out of Chicago and his CV is US puppet via a bogus election. Why would the USA DS want their puppet in Nigeria to invade Niger over a coup they started?
I do not see Niger not expelling the USA as complicity. Rather as Niger's way of not provoking the USA - Nigeria will now be less likely to invade. It could be as simple as that. Plus ordering the hated French to leave while telling the USA they can stay is giving the finger to Paris. Or maybe a plan to force the French to offer a much bigger commission than the erstwhile 5% on uranium.
Posted by: JustSomeOldGuy | Sep 2 2023 21:03 utc | 61
You’d think the US would have learned in Indochina about trying to pick up after France.
Posted by: Cato the Uncensored | Sep 2 2023 21:14 utc | 62
The military rebels who carried out the coup in Niger may have had US training and may still have personal connections with their trainers in the US State Department and the Pentagon, but does that background necessarily mean they will be inclined to follow US orders and allow US interference in their politics and economies?
After all, they did give the Nuland Cookie Monster a hard time when she tried to tell them to release the deposed Nigerien President. In the end she returned to the US, presumably to scoff her cookies by herself for comfort. Didn't the coup leaders also advise she needed to go on a weight loss plan?
And now of course the pro-US ECOWAS is threatening to send in troops (mostly Nigerian, I imagine) to restore the deposed government if the coup leaders don't restore it themselves.
I would be surprised if the Nigerien coup leaders were ignorant of the US role in overthrowing Colonel Gaddafi in Libya back in 2011, and in continuing to keep that country unstable. After Gaddafi's downfall, the consequences of NATO's intervention were felt in several west and central African countries, with increased US and European direct interventions in Mali and the rise of jihadist groups like Boko Harem. The Nigerien coup leaders are surely aware of who is or has been funding terrorist groups in the neighbourhood. Their US trainers may have been boasted about funding these terrorists to their Nigerien students.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Sep 2 2023 21:17 utc | 63
Re my comment @ 63: stupid spellcheck messed up my Boko Haram reference and mangled my last sentence about US military trainers possibly boasting about US funding of terrorist groups among ethnic minorities (such as Fulani and Tuareg) in western African nations - to their students from these countries.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Sep 2 2023 21:21 utc | 64
Niger is still a fairly weak country (colonial imperialism does that to a vassal), so perhaps they have to pick their fights. They can handle kicking the French out right now, but kicking the American empire out will take some more time and maybe a little finesse. Let's not write them off just yet as trading in one asshole boss for another asshole boss.
Posted by: William Gruff | Sep 2 2023 21:23 utc | 65
I agree. An independent multilateral France with global influence will be good for balancing the world.But to reach and stay in that place France needs to counter further U.S. plans to push it out from where the U.S. wants to be.
Will France finally learn how to do that?
Very funny.
Unless France exits NATO, sanctions the US for war crimes in ...(pick one from a long list) and rebuilds alliances with BRICs-11 as a reborn country, France will always be looked at for what it is: A US vassal.
Posted by: FieryButMostPeaceful | Sep 2 2023 21:23 utc | 66
See more.....
Maybe the US isn't trying to control Africa. But in just a few years, with the help of well-chosen European governments, the European Commission and NATO, they have completely cut off Western Europe from any independent access to any source (Africa, Russia or the Middle East) of energy and most raw materials.
Conclude for yourself
Posted by: La Bastille | Sep 2 2023 21:25 utc | 67
While I agree that France (and all other nations) needs to stand up for itself, I have a sneaking suspicion that the minute France says, "NO!" to the US occupying its African interests some bright lad in Washington will discover there is a malignant human rights problem in Africa (all France's fault, of course) that will require immediate and overwhelming military intervention. We have to save the poor African children from the clutches of those cigarette-smoking, wine-drinking, cheese-eating surrender monkeys, you know.
Posted by: John S | Sep 2 2023 21:34 utc | 69
I have a better idea. How about the African nations appeal to China for help and show both France and the US the door.
Posted by: Jeff Harrison | Sep 2 2023 21:36 utc | 70
Under the living organism who's currenctly clinging to the walls of the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris, there's zero chance that "France will finally learn how to do that". Almost everything he does is meant to hurt France, that's his personal goal, so he'll just pretend to defend French interests in Africa (whatever these are, legitimate or otherwise), so as not to provoke too much opposition to his policies in France itself, all the while making sure France keeps losing positions in Africa. That's a certainty. His visits to the continent as president were disasters, and I believe they were meant to be. First thing to happen is for the French people to understand they have a traitor as head of state. Right now, only a small minority seem to understand that.
Posted by: Christophe Douté | Sep 2 2023 21:42 utc | 71
you forget to mention Alcatel.
at least Chinese were cognizant regarding of the Alcatel story
when it came to Meng Wanzhou (the CFO of Huawei)
Posted by: chris m | Sep 2 2023 21:58 utc | 72
Posted by: polarbear4 | Sep 2 2023 18:19 utc | 19
You want us to read your words? We should enjoy doing it? Well, what about starting with using capital letters and proper punctuation. Is that to much an effort to ask for?
Posted by: Stephane | Sep 2 2023 22:16 utc | 73
If France had some leader like De Gaulle once, she could stir sh. in Quebec and have a liberation movement there on the border to USA... Just thinking.
Posted by: fanto | Sep 2 2023 22:26 utc | 74
And again, the USA has no need to control the stability of the African continent (Europe would).
As defined by the Cebrowski Doctrine, Chaos suits them just fine.
The Rumsfeld/Cebrowski doctrine
by Thierry Meyssan
https://www.voltairenet.org/article213164.html
Yugoslavia, Arab Spring, Syria, Libya and Ukraine.....
Europe is now surrounded by Chaos.
Borell's Jungle made in NATO.
And you know what? France has actively participated in every one of these attacks, in the name of human rights, of course...
Posted by: La Bastille | Sep 2 2023 22:28 utc | 75
@On the roof (10) “ What's happening in Africa seems to be a pattern as the overwhelming majority of all military coups in Latin America after 1945 have been carried out by officers who were educated at School of Americas in Panama(today renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, Fort Moore, Georgia)”
I wish I could find the original source, but I recently read a study of regime change operations involving the United States since 1950. The total came to more than 60, some successful, some not, and IIRC, this did not include some of the more recent ones in Africa.
Posted by: Rob | Sep 2 2023 22:29 utc | 76
I agree. An independent multilateral France with global influence will be good for balancing the world.
Posted by b on September 2, 2023 at 17:11 UTC | Permalink
I dont think so. Power corrupts, global influence is not used to create balance, see USA. A stronger France, independent, would look after its interests (whose exactly, actually).
-----------------------------------------------------
Of course, there could be a world where what is good for other nations and people, could be good for France, and the Franch people; but only in a multipolar world. But I guess it would require a Marxist dialectical view of the world to understand that there are more important things than exploitation and profits.
Posted by: Ed | Sep 2 2023 22:37 utc | 77
Can France make itself the black sheep of Europe and prosper? It certainly lacks financial and military clout on its own. OTOH, what does it gain by being the perpetual punching bag of the US? Furthermore, once the Ukraine debacle is over, there may be other European nations looking to break free of American bullying. Together, they could form a mini-alliance.
Posted by: Rob | Sep 2 2023 22:39 utc | 78
pyrrhus | Sep 2 2023 17:21 utc | 2
*** Macron is weak..end of story.Until the French manage to push him and his Jewish backers out, France will be submerged by 3d worlders and probably go down the drain...***
But if that's a goal of Macron's masters, then surely he is competent rather than weak?
Posted by: Cynic | Sep 2 2023 22:49 utc | 79
@Cynic | Sep 2 2023 22:49 utc |
A French Rottenchild says they always hire the brightest people.
https://rumble.com/v315hpu-full-prank-with-alexandre-de-rothschild.html
(fascinating but I'm not sure what to make of it. Have Vovan and Lexus ever "conversed" with VV Putin?)
.
.
Full prank with the head of the Rothschild Empire
Alexander Rothschild is the great–great-great-grandson of the founder of the dynasty, it was he who became the main one in the family of bankers in 2018, heading the Rothschild & Co holding. Thanks to Frenchman Jacques Attali, the 42-year-old financier was sure that he was communicating with the President of Ukraine.
In a conversation with our "Zelensky", he told without too much modesty that his family plans to make good money on the Western tranches allocated for the restoration of Ukraine: we are talking about an amount exceeding $ 750 billion.
What do the Rothschilds do in Ukraine? What industries are they most interested in? What does the chief Rothschild think about Putin, about Russian elites and ways to fight Russia? And what is G0? The veil of mystery opens in our new prank!
Posted by: Ново З | Sep 2 2023 23:06 utc | 80
kupkee | Sep 2 2023 18:59 utc | 29
*** The French, like the British, are a sideshow. Perhaps some Americans are wanting to get even for De Galle handing them the burning batton in Indochina.***
They were not handed it -- they grabbed it.
Towards the end of WW2 in the Far East, the OSS (ancestor of the CIA) was already deliberately undermining French and UK interests in that part of the world.
Posted by: Cynic | Sep 2 2023 23:09 utc | 81
Posted by: Stephane | Sep 2 2023 22:16 utc | 73
Hear hear. I've been saying that for years on this site. I only read the posts which have been conscientiously edited, proof-read and constructed with clear arguments. Some here do it beautifully. The rest is insulting. b gets a pass because he's a superb investigator and synthesist of material—and because his written English is better than my written German could ever be.
Posted by: Patroklos | Sep 2 2023 23:10 utc | 82
What is missing in this discussion is that the countries, like France and USA, no longer exist for the protection and benefit of their citizens. The owners are the Globalists, and the countries are just shells in their shell game. Transfering assets, like African countries, between "countries," like France and US, is just moving the bean under a different shell. The people under the shells don't matter except for being targets for taking their assets.
Posted by: barstool | Sep 2 2023 23:20 utc | 83
i'm going to reserve judgement about what is happening in Niger, sending Nuland home with weight loss advice doesn't scream "us backed coup to me."
Posted by: pretzelattack | Sep 2 2023 23:22 utc | 84
I wish I could find the original source, but I recently read a study of regime change operations involving the United States since 1950. The total came to more than 60, some successful, some not, and IIRC, this did not include some of the more recent ones in Africa.
Posted by: Rob | Sep 2 2023 22:29 utc | 76
----------------------------------------------------
Maybe this will help! This list does not include Ukraine and Russia. The US was involved in regime change wars in some capacity or the other. After WWII, the CIA was used to effect regime change more than direct military interventions. USAID and NED were used to provoke color revolutions, most were not on the list, if they were, this list would be many times longer.
1887–1889: Samoa
1893: Kingdom of Hawaii
1899–1902: Philippines
1903–1925: Honduras
1915–1934: Haiti
1916–1924: Dominican Republic
1917: Costa Rica
1918–1920: Russia
1948: Costa Rica (again)
1949: Syria
1950–1953: Burma and China
1952: Egypt
1952: Guatemala
1952–1953: Iran
1954: Guatemala (again)
1956–1957: Syria (again)
1957–1959: Indonesia
1959: Iraq (again)
1959–1963: South Vietnam
1959–1962: Cuba (Bay of Pigs)
1959: Cambodia
1960–1965: Congo-Leopoldville
1960: Laos
1961: Dominican Republic
1963: Iraq (again)
1965–1967: Indonesia
1970: Cambodia
1970–1973: Chile
1971: Bolivia
1974–1991: Ethiopia
1975–1991: Angola
1975–1999: East Timor
1976: Argentina
1979–1992: Afghanistan
1980–1989: Poland
1981–1982: Chad
1981–1990: Nicaragua
1983: Grenada
1989–1994: Panama
1991: Iraq
1992–1996: Iraq (again)
1994–1995: Haiti
1996–1997: Zaire
2000: FR Yugoslavia
2001–2021: Afghanistan
2003–2021: Iraq
2005: Kyrgyzstan
2006–2007: Palestinian territories
2005–2009: Syria
2011: Libya
2012–2017: Syria
2022: Pakistan
Posted by: Ed | Sep 2 2023 23:28 utc | 85
Chris Cosmos | Sep 2 2023 20:54 utc | 59
*** The USA is the ONLY country I know of that has consistently stated that its goal is complete world domination. ***
And out of more than 600 pieces of allegedly "representative" shit troughing themselves in the UK parliament, there's not one of them denounces such imperialist megalomania -- far from it, they all want to be that global dictatorship's gauleiters and commissars.
But that's ok, since the mass-media won't question such "loyalty" and sense of "duty".
Posted by: Cynic | Sep 2 2023 23:40 utc | 86
Condolezza Rice: 'Who would have known that they would hijack commercial airliners to fly into buildings?' (I'm quoting from memory here so apologies for not having the exact quote). US State Department: 'who would have known that the African generals that we trained would turn against the French?' (cartoon balloon). Yes, amazing that when you go everywhere and arrogantly screw with everybody around the world because you operate under a megalomaniac delusion that bad outcomes just might ensue. You might also think that France, and the rest of Europe, just might take away a message from all this as a logical outcome, but that is not the case. Turns out, Europe is just as fatally delusional as the US.
Posted by: Mike R | Sep 2 2023 23:43 utc | 87
Posted by: Patroklos | Sep 2 2023 23:10 utc | 82
I don't read posts that are incoherent. Maybe the poster actually said something in a muddled post but the odds are against it and it's just not worth the effort to suss out a coherent thought. If the poster can't make the effort to make a statement that conforms to universal rules of grammar and syntax then I won't make the effort to read and comprehend it. And making a post on a dumbphone is not an excuse.
Posted by: Mike R | Sep 2 2023 23:51 utc | 88
Salaam,it would do those African countries well,to recall their history,never to forget it.Never forget those states who assisted you in your struggle for independence. Kick France out,have nothing to take from the USA and do "jhunche" a la North Korea.The Russians and the Chinese are to be held dearly as allies and partners,they were never colonisers and offered assistance
in your struggle for independence.Learn from the Iranians,Cubans and especially North Korea,how they dealt with and survived the demonisation and illegal sanctions,placed upon them by the "enlightened","reformers","exceptionalists" and those of the "garden".Never forget the exceptionalist aide,democracy and freedom,bought to ,Vietnam,Laos,Cambodia,Guatemala,Chile,Argentina,Libya,Syria,and Afghanistan,never,never never forget.
Posted by: 4q8 | Sep 3 2023 0:07 utc | 89
Yankee-poodle came to town
surrounded by his cronies.
He held a white flag in his hand
and said "My name's Macron-i"
Posted by: Rattus | Sep 3 2023 0:09 utc | 90
>>Yes, France has kept some of its colonial bad habits and influences and some people really do hate it for that. But who's propaganda has pushed them into that direction?<<
Africans, and all colonized peoples, don't need propaganda to have a distaste and critical thoughts about colonization and olonizers, old or new. Not a given, but as the wave of independence from colonial legacy becomes more defined and its possibilities become reality through changing conditions and attitudes dialectically, the end times are nigh for the Anti-Life and it supporters. Let us prey. Let us prey on the beast's hubris and weakness of vision so that we may ascend on strange celestial roads to endless heaven. Heaven here on the third stone from the sun.
Posted by: peon | Sep 3 2023 0:17 utc | 91
I kinda get the feeling that the trend of the U.S. replacing France as colonial overseer in Africa began in 1994 with Rwanda.
Posted by: DougDiggler | Sep 3 2023 0:51 utc | 92
Macron is here to destroy France. He is very good at it. He is as much hated at home as France is hated in Africa.
Posted by: Patience | Sep 3 2023 1:23 utc | 93
Posted by: Mike R | Sep 2 2023 23:51 utc | 88
I completely agree. Often the poster is vomiting up stream-of-consciousness nonsense that simply reflects a failure to reflect on their thoughts. That said, there are senior scholars in my field who email me entirely in lower-case as a form of resistance or critique of style formalism. But I see that as different—as Picasso said, one has to study for 25 years before one can paint like a child. What we're talking about is just immaturity and poor education. Language and its elegance in expression is, after all, all we have.
Posted by: Patroklos | Sep 3 2023 1:26 utc | 94
LoveDonbass | Sep 2 2023 20:25 utc | 50
thought i was done, but dang, i'm going to put what effort i can into getting rfk, jr. in. he will have a million bureaucrats against him, but he's can do more to outflank them than anyone else. he's been a pretty successful lawyer against big pharm and corpse polluters. and he's seems pretty fearless. offends right and left, left and right. lots of different walks of life support him if they get the chance to hear him.
really like your thoughts on here, mostly. :o)
Posted by: polarbear4 | Sep 3 2023 1:30 utc | 95
re: Patroklos | Sep 3 2023 1:26 utc | 94
in the begining was the word
Posted by: Ново З | Sep 3 2023 1:37 utc | 96
Posted by: Patroklos | Sep 3 2023 1:26 utc | 94
Language and its elegance in expression is, after all, all we have.
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That and multi-course French meals!
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Since voluntarily deciding to limit post word count to 250, I started to use a word processor which lifts the text out of the little boxes which for some reason give me grammatical dyslexia. I now take more time to write shorter posts more clearly expressed. Feels good.
"Language is a virus" wrote William S Burrough and sung Laurie Anderson.
Posted by: Ново З | Sep 3 2023 2:11 utc | 98
Posted by: polarbear4 | Sep 3 2023 1:30 utc | 95
LoveDonbass | Sep 2 2023 20:25 utc | 50
thought i was done, but dang, i'm going to put what effort i can into getting rfk, jr. in. he will have a million bureaucrats against him, but he's can do more to outflank them than anyone else.
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I expect the Dem super-delegates to block his campaign at the convention having posited Newsome or whomever in Sleazy Joe's stead.
I also expect the GOP to take Trump off their ticket once a show trial guilty verdict is rendered (to be reversed on Appeal but long after the intended damage has been done).
Then:
wouldn't it Make America Great Again if RFKJr and DJT and VK got together to lead the 'reasonable middle' from left and right - and unquestioned majority - into a Radical ‘Save Our Republic’ Reform Movement that sweeps to victory in a historic landslide in so doing brooming both R's and D's into the long-deserved dustbin of history?
Then:
America could inspire other nations to reclaim their own sovereign independence and we all push back against this ghastly, technocratic one-world zombie-materialist globalism once and for all.
Then:
we can all go back to our multi-course meals in ordinary, befuddled human, if slightly hobbit-like, delight!
silly australia had to pay out the french contract then go on to buy us subs , so essentially pay twice.
Posted by: hankster | Sep 3 2023 2:39 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
A pox on both their houses.
Reminds me of the scramble for colonies that led to World War I.
Posted by: bart | Sep 2 2023 17:19 utc | 1