The arrival of 100 Russian soldiers in Niger this month was the final death knell for the presence of US forces, who have been based in the west African nation since 2013 — and underscored Niger’s determination to diversify its security partnerships beyond the west.
A wave of anti-France sentiment in the European nation’s former colonies has led to the rejection of French forces, while thousands of people have joined protests in Niger, where the junta took power in a July coup, calling for US troops to leave.
Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim, senior Sahel analyst at the International Crisis Group, said Niger’s main reason for embracing Moscow was “protecting the regime”, particularly from France, which it has repeatedly accused of plotting its demise.
“One thing they fear is an attack from the air,” he said. “A country that will provide them with anti-aircraft defence — that’s where Russia comes in.
“It makes a lot of sense for [Niger] to embrace this new phase opening in the Sahel.”
The withdrawal of US troops from Niger was set in motion in March when a junta spokesperson described the military deal between the two as illegal and said it “violates all constitutional rules”.
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@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
Do you believe that the presence or withdrawal of foreign troops in a country can significantly impact your daily life and sense of security?
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
Do you think countries should be able to choose their own partners for defense, even if it means aligning with nations that have controversial reputations?
@9LT3GNH2yrs2Y
Yes. We aren’t the world police. If we didn’t exploit Africa then they wouldn’t side with Russia and China. But they’re sovereign nations who are free to decide what’s best for them
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
How would you feel if a foreign military force was present in your own country, supposedly for your safety?
@9LT3GNH2yrs2Y
Not that safe but then again the U.S. government seems parents who speak out at PTA meetings as domestic terrorists
@WelfareQuail2yrs2Y
Our interest is in Islamic terrorism (and rightly so), but we cannot reign in the chief financiers who sit in Riyadh, in UAE and Qatar. We cannot stop arms sales (some of the arms we are shipping to Ukraine are mysteriously reappearing in African markets - so what were we thinking).
It is an ungodly mess. France has done this to us before; they looted, swindled and slaughtered Indochine (after WWII), and left the mess of Vietnam to us. They will do so now; leave and let us do the fighting.
I strongly urge this administration to pull out all troops. Let Francophone African nations take care of themselves. DC does not need another wall.
@L1ber4lPeacockDemocrat2yrs2Y
It's unfortunate that Western interests like uranium (Niger is France's first supplier) are not even mentioned. Instead, the US seems to be just interested in fighting the bad guys (namely terrorism in general), without considering the read interests at stake.
Why coup supporters support the coup? What is the justifying narrative of the military? Which are Russian interests?
@J0intResolLeahGreen2yrs2Y
The US and other Western powers are however complicit in all these. Through various private firms they profit from mineral resources at almost no cost or under the pretext of training the military. All of this must stop. Africa (or at least west Africa) is waking up. No one cares about any Islamists when they have no access to the most basic Power, Housing or Healthcare facilities. The US/West should impose sanctions on corrupt leaders.
@PridefulTealRepublican2yrs2Y
we should absolutely let russia and china bankrupt themselves on these African countries: in the 60-70 years since independence, not a single country on the African continent has managed to build a thriving high trust society that is nice to live in, and I don't think any of them ever will, with political turmoil and regular coups meaning no investments or assets are ever secure there, even in some of the seemingly better established democrcies like South Africa.
Just spend the money enforcing impermeable European borders instead and let Africa and the ME deal with their own regional problems by themselves - it's literally what they wanted and fought for for decades until they obtained independence, and it's not our job to engage in nation building or secrity maintenance there anymore
@NiftyUnanimousPatriot2yrs2Y
Best of luck to Niger. Please send the subsequent refugee flows and aid bills to Moscow.
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