Looks like ECOWAS will be invading Niger shortly (sources inside) (x-post)
Looks like ECOWAS will be invading Niger shortly (sources inside) (x-post)
cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/285341
Military Junta in Niger has released a statement claiming that ECOWAS has completed its preparations for an Invasion of Niger with at least 2 Members of the Organization
ECOWAS' deadline for the new Nigerien govt to peacefully step down lest they use military action has passed. "A Senior Military Commander with the ECOWAS-Standby Force has told the Wall Street Journal that it’s Forces need more time to prepare before any kind of Military Intervention in Niger, with the “Success” of the Operation being dependent on these preparations"
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs updates travel advisory to Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso (the three nations declared to defend the new Nigerien govt against military intervention) the highest level of caution
Let's put the was in ECOWAS
It does appear that Nigeria is not onboard, and that's one of the biggest militaries in ECOWAS, so that's a hopeful development https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/08/05/as-ecowas-prepares-for-a-western-backed-military-invasion-nigeriens-rally-behind-military-authorities/
At least in Nigeria there is no support for an invasion, the parlament voted against an intervention and the opposition (it's close to election I think) is also strongly opposed to it. Algerian president alsonput out a statement urging against intervention.
Source(though in german) (https://www.jungewelt.de/artikel/456299.krisenregion-sahel-rückhalt-für-putschisten-wächst.html)
Would this amount to anything? AFAIK Nigeria is a Western-Style "democracy", wherein the proles are given an illusion of choice and the responsibility to foot the bill for the bourgeoisie. The ruling class meanwhile just does whatever
Yeah, but those are the representatives of the ruling class voting against it.
Whatever the reasons the ECOWAS Commander says they need more time, this is great because each day that passes the West starves and grows weaker and less able to wage war.
Their usual favorite imperial siphons are being severed, so they are increasingly turning to unsavory contingencies such as Europe proper, Mexico, Africa. Yet the imperial skeleton has osteoporosis, they may be able to make some truly desperate moves in Europe and next door in Mexico but I think they will find that Africa is not as helpless and readily exploitable as they arrogantly think, especially as Russia and China continue to be involved in the continent.
I wonder if anti-imperialist regional powers like South Africa and Iran will be involved in any way. Alone they would struggle to thwart Western imperial ambitions but with their weight all together I think they could turn this from an inevitable Western defeat into a swift and clean one.