Niger is slipping away from the West

Washington Post ^ | August 9, 2023 | Ishaan Tharoor

[KC Burke]

For now, the junta in Niger seems to be winning its standoff with its West African neighbors and the West. A Sunday deadline put forward by regional bloc ECOWAS for the generals to step aside and restore democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum to power elapsed, with little sign of countries like Nigeria or Senegal readying a military intervention. Instead, in a dramatic show of defiance, the coup leaders staged a massive rally at a stadium in the capital Niamey, where a top general warned against anyone threatening “Niger’s forward march,” while hundreds in the stands waved Nigerien and even some Russian flags and chanted anti-France slogans. SNIP

[hardspunned]

We are the bully of the world.

[Socon-Econ]

The contemporary “west” is no longer worth supporting. It has become a socialist/LGBT/de-industrializing coalition of nations where elites rule by cancelation, weaponized law enforcement, and vote cheating.

[dfwgator]

The contemporary “west” is no longer worth supporting. It has become a socialist/LGBT/de-industrializing coalition of nations where elites rule by cancelation, weaponized law enforcement, and vote cheating.

You are an old man who thinks in terms of nations and peoples. There are no nations. There are no peoples. There are no Russians. There are no Arabs. There are no third worlds. There is no West. There is only one holistic system of systems, one vast and immane, interwoven, interacting, multivariate, multinational dominion of dollars. Petro-dollars, electro-dollars, multi-dollars, reichmarks, rins, rubles, pounds, and shekels.

It is the international system of currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. That is the natural order of things today. That is the atomic and subatomic and galactic structure of things today! And YOU have meddled with the primal forces of nature, and YOU WILL ATONE!

[Alas Babylon!]

Burkina Faso was Upper Volta.

[Flavious_Maximus]

“...Niger is slipping away from the West...”

Just like a bar of soap in a gay bathhouse. Washington DC was intent on raping Niger until Wagner mercenaries came to defend the natives from the Western sodomites. /spit

[Wallace T.]

Niger's main export is uranium. Russia produces as much uranium as Niger. China produces almost as much. Kazakhstan, a major trading partner of Russia and China, is the world's leader in uranium. Namibia, the second largest uranium producer, is closely tied to South Africa, a BRICS member, economically.

The questions arise: why did the Wagner Group support the coup in Niger, and why have the coup supporters endorsed Russia? France is the nation most hurt by the coup. Unlike the British, the French remained heavily involved in their former colonies. There is strong resentment of the neo-colonial role of France, which the Russians have exploited. France is also the weakest link in NATO. DeGaulle withdrew from NATO in the 1960s, and while France rejoined, there is a streak of nationalism among the French that even leftist parties share. I suspect the Russians supported the coup in order to further peel France off from the NATO alliance.

[bert]

Russia isn’t

The gambit will fail. Niger is African, Black

[xp38]

As one can see it's landlocked in west Africa. Population 25 million and change. Hot and arid for the most part. One neighbour is Chad. Should have used the name Jeremy to distinguish itself from Nigeria and avoid confusion.

[KC Burke]

My understanding is there is a push to unbuckle all the middle belt nations in Africa from their western alliances or western paymasters. As corrupt as they all are playing into western corruption it is aw miracle we are there still at all.

The military has not been heard from and they were our partner as much as the former government.

[Wallace T.]

The Chinese and Russian grand strategy is to reduce or eliminate Western influence in Africa. The Sahel region borders the more prosperous nations on the Atlantic coast, such as Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria, all of which are members of ECOWAS. The Chinese already have a large presence in the Ghanaian gold mining industry, some on an illegal basis. The Chinese are also increasing their investment in the Nigerian oil and natural gas business, traditionally dominated by Shell and ExxonMobil, investing $15 billion in that country, more than the CCP is investing in South American energy. Ivory Coast is an agricultural giant, specializing in coffee and cocoa, which China's population could well use.

If the Chinese and their Russian allies succeed, the West will lose much of their access to the mineral and agricultural resources of Africa. It may be a worse deal for Africa, but at least these countries will not have to bear with Western harangues about LGBTQ "rights" and "sustainable development".

[Vermont Lt]

I don’t disagree. But the US lost most of its influence there decades ago. China is running their show.

[mo]

Biden “dropped Niger” as soon as Putin flashed Hunter’s laptop....

[JimRed]

“We are the bully of the world.”

An America-hater back in the 60s said something similar...

Cops of the World

Come, get out of the way, boys
Quick, get out of the way
You’d better watch what you say, boys
Better watch what you say

We’ve rammed in your harbor and tied to your port
And our pistols are hungry and our tempers are short
So bring your daughters around to the port
‘Cause we’re the cops of the world, boys
We’re the cops of the world

We pick and choose as please, boys
Pick and choose as please
You’d best get down on your knees, boys
Best get down on your knees

We’re hairy and horny and ready to shack
We don’t care if you’re yellow or black
Just take off your clothes and lie down on your back
‘Cause we’re the cops of the world, boys
We’re the cops of the world

Our boots are needing a shine, boys
Boots are needing a shine
But our coca-cola is fine, boys
Coca-cola is fine

We’ve got to protect all our citizens fair
So we’ll send a battalion for everyone there
And maybe we’ll leave in a couple of years
‘Cause we’re the cops of the world, boys
We’re the cops of the world

Dump the reds in a pile, boys
Dump the reds in a pile
You’d better wipe of that smile, boys
Better wipe off that smile

We’ll spit through the streets of the cities we wreck
We’ll find you a leader that you can’t elect
Those treaties we sighned were a pain in the neck
‘Cause we’re the cops of the world, boys
We’re the cops of the world

Clean the johns with a rag, boys
Clean the johns with a rag
If you like you can use your flag, boys
If you like you can use your flag

We’ve got too much money we’re looking for toys
And guns will be guns and boys will be boys
But we’ll gladly pay for all we destroy
‘Cause we’re the cops of the world, boys
We’re the cops of the world

Please stay off of the grass, boys
Please stay off of the grass
Here’s a kick in the ass, boys
Here’s a kick in the ass

We’ll smash down your doors, we don’t bother to knock
We’ve done it before, so why all the shock?
We’re the biggest and toughest kids on the block
‘Cause we’re the cops of the world, boys
We’re the cops of the world

When we butchered your son, boys
When we butchered your son
Have a stick of our gum, boys
Have a stick of our bubble-gum

We own half the world, oh say can you see
The name for our profits is democracy
So, like it or not, you will have to be free
‘Cause we’re the cops of the world, boys
We’re the cops of the world

Songwriters: Phil Ochs. For non-commercial use only.

[Ann Archy]

WTH kind of name is NUDELMAN?? Victoria NUDELMAN??

[Jim Noble]

Her parents changed the name before she was born.

[Ann Archy]

WOW!! How did you find that out?? Is she Jewish?

[Tea Party Terrorist]

Will the Russians force the LGBTQ cult onto Niger?

[Jim Noble]

Is she Jewish?

Is water wet?
Is the Pope Catholic?
Does a bear poop in the woods?

[Texan4Life]

Niger closes border

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20230821-trade-hit-hard-as-nigeria-s-gateway-to-niger-is-cut-off-by-coup