It's our innate racism that has kept us out of Africa and South America stupid is as stupid does
If Trump is serious about opposing Russia in Africa, he will reinstate & enforce Russia sanctions & restore all the cuts he has made to foreign aid. We should be greatly ramping up foreign aid, not cutting it.
3
I like to read about the nefarious activities of Russia and the like - I get a lot of information about the current state of affairs in the world.
But I wish that whenever NYT publishes such articles, it accompanies it with a similar article from another country, may be even Russia, detailing how 'they' see the west's, military activities, possibly beneficial, around the world. This will let us understand, just intellectually, what 'they' are up to versus what we are up to.
1
Sadly , though I love my country , I see the US and Russia increasingly as two sides of the same coin, two great powers , East and West , however both arm and support and have security agreements with autocratic regimes - though the regimes maybe against the great powers principles ,if they are subservient and genu- flex then all is ok as realpolitik of operates . In this sense Canada , Germany , the Scandinavian counties seem to operate with a higher level of integrity.
Recently it was reported that we had trained many of the actors in the Saudi hit squad that took out Kassoghi .
The Saudi / Wahhabi Regime is about as autocratic and despotic as you can get . When Netanyahu tries to bring in the extreme small political party of Meir Khanne’s followers, that has been labeled terrorist , our current leadership ( Republican Admin) doesn’t bat a eyelash but can only praise him and reward him with Jerusalem, the Golan — and the administration get unlimited funding for next election cycle .
Russia support for Maduro of Venezuela and Asad of Syria is not unlike our support of Salman of S. Arabia and others
1
The article states that, “Some two dozen states abstained” from voting against Russian annexation of Crimea. Some two dozen is nearly 50% of all the states in Africa. How many voted in favour, and how many against, the motion? Cherry-picking statistics! This is how the science of Statistics gets a bad name.
By the way, Crimea is either Russian or Turkish, it has nothing to do with Ukraine. As the peninsula was better connected by road to Ukraine, Khrushchev the Soviet Premier transferred the peninsula to improve the state-provided services to the residents. NOTE(1): it was an administrative expediency; NOTE(2): Ukraine itself was a Constituent Republic of the Soviet Union. Thus, it was not the case that Russia, sold (or gave away as a freebie), in perpetuity a part of its territory. Crimea is RUSSIAN.
Before the Russian conquest, the inhabitants of Crimea were Kipchaks and Tatars. Tatars adopted Islam and the area was referred to as the KHANATE of Crimea, which in 1475 became part of the patrimony of the Ottomans.
Could it be that the Africans know the history of the Crimean region better than the American FO, and this explains their voting pattern.
From my youth, I do remember the poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, memorializing the Suicidal Charge of the Light Brigade (mostly Irish, in the service of the Crown of England) in the Crimean War, in which Britain was on the side of the Turks fighting the Russians.
"Military Mission Creep"! Stones in glass houses. US/UK have troops in at least 150 countries.
1
It is rather weird that that while America even has a standing Army (Africa Command) totally devoted to keep Africa subjugated, Russia is being depicted as malignant, unwanted, player in Africa.
It is rather weird that while America has around 20 companies providing PRIVATE ARMIES to Africa, Asia, South America (in fact, to all and sundry), quite often referred to as Private Contractors in American Press (including NYT), the activities of Russian Wagner group seems to be rattling the Pentagon.
It is rather weird that while American dep. Secretary is informing Angola about “Russia often utilizes coercive, corrupt, and covert means … to influence … their and economic security partnerships”, while Uncle Sam destroys and then installs probably the most corrupt individuals to directly run Afghanistan and Iraq, and to have its surrogates splinter and run Libya, Ukraine, etc.
It is indeed weird!! But then we live in weird times. It is an age of discoveries, it is an age of foolishness (A tale of two cities: Moscow and Washington)
3
In addition,Brazil and Iran remain important trading partners with Africa,with Iran providing serious logistical support to Islamic groups.
It would seem to be a normal development that Russia, after two decades of retreat, would seek to re-establish its influence in Africa. The problem for Russia is that it is a pygmy fighting giants. China has far more to offer Africans in economic terms than Russia does, and the United States, once it comes out of its current diplomatic trance, will also renew its activity in Africa on a scale that will be impossible to match.
So, Russia will be left competing for the scraps: propping up pariah states with military assistance and taking payment in the form of precious metals and other resources. It's one way of reasserting influence, but it is not a particularly promising move on the geopolitical chessboard unless one is motivated by feelings of grievance and revenge for imagined slights.
In the end, Russia's efforts will end up where its last "great game" in Africa ended: lost in the jungle and mired in quicksand.
All groups involved are 100% proof of the total ignorance of the human animal.
4
Where as Putin wants to make Russia great again, Trump wants to make Trump great again. By removing country aid to the Central American “triangle countries,” Trump is exacerbating the economic and social problems in those countries. BTW, Russia is in Venezuela as well, so Trump has given away global primacy. Further, how come GOPrs aren’t angry that Trump’s misusing the military budget for a nonsensical wall that will never be. Doesn’t that make the military weak?
Keep an eye on the parallel faux logic used by Israel vis-à-vis the Palestinians and the US approach to Central American asylum seekers. In both cases, what passes as “leadership” is conflating and making up lies to legitimize disgusting policies.
2
Citizens would be wise to question why the Establishment and its Media are constantly encouraging us to hate and fear Russia.
They work so hard at promoting hate and fear. WHY?
Putin is an extraordinarily skilled diplomat.
If US citizens knew much history, even recent history, they might remember that President GHWBush promised Gorbachev that NATO would not move one inch eastward if Gorbachev removed hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops from East Germany and agreed to the reunification of Germany.
Gorbachev believed GHWBush to be a man of his word.
It was interesting to watch that GHWBush said nothing as NATO immediately began rushing to include countries right up to Russia's border, Russia said not Ukraine and Georgia, and became understandably belligerent.
Jeez, the US is going ape over Russia being allied with Venezuela, and who wants to prevent the US from doing regime change there...
So much hypocrisy and mendacity!
We really could get along, but wisdom is not a US virtue.
And it is embarrassing to see most Democrats leading the charge of fear and hate.
2
We're Imperialists, folks.
We see this as a threat to US hegemony in the world.
1
So, the US's "increasing arms sales, security agreements and training programs for unstable countries or autocratic leaders" shouldn't alarm anyone? I think I'll worry about health care delivery in the US rather than what a country with a GDP somewhere around that of Portugal is doing. Or is this all about US arms manufacturers maybe losing market share?
2
"Mr. Bolton said at the time, “continues to sell arms and energy in exchange for votes at the United Nations — votes that keep strongmen in power, undermine peace and security and run counter to the best interests of the African people.”
The pot calling the kettle black.
1
As an African, I don't understand why cooperation between African countries and other world powers such as Russia or China should been as a threat to US's national security. It looks like we are still in the the times during which African countries cound not decide for themselves without their colonial masters.
19
Mr Chodaton,
Please understand that there are millions of Americans who share your calm, rational, completely understandable point of view.
Please recognize that Americans these days - including, or even especially, educated Americans who read the NY Times - are in the grip of a kind of collective mania, a fevered mindset that distorts their judgment on anything remotely related to Russia.
In short, they're not thinking straight.
They've been deluded by one of the biggest lies, a ridiculous conspiracy theory, that we've seen in modern US history. They are still trying to process the fact that there was no such conspiracy, no "collusion," and no coordination with Russia or the Russian government.
I'm sorry that your nation and your neighbors have been caught up in this collective American madness.
Best regards,
tb
4
@T-Bone
Regardless of whether DJT conspired with the Russians or not, the fact remains that 17 different US intelligence agencies, including all the majors, and Mr. Mueller's team found that the Russians HAD IN FACT CONSPIRED among themselves to CORRUPT the 2016 US presidential election, in DJT's favor.
That is among the understandable reasons why scores of millions of Americans are understandably cautious about Russian intentions, in the US or elsewhere.
7
@Alfred Chodaton
Don't listen to that T-Bone guy. We're Imperialists. Always have been.
In an accompanying article, David E. Sanger berates the Trump administration for not drawing a “red line” in Venezuela against Russia which has a had a fairly long economic and military relationship with that South American. Russia today, of course, is neither the weak and vulnerable state struggling against an existential threat after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Nor is it a hapless former colony of the West in the ME. Russia is a nuclear power with, like the US, the ability to extinguish, by accident or design, human life on this planet.
During and long after WWII, American presidents of both parties met and kept in constant touch with Soviet leaders for the sake of both sides. Now Trump is derided for any meetings with the Russian President and Russia and Putin are relentlessly demonised, battered and belittled by the American MSM and the ridiculous accusation of a compromised president is held onto by many even after it has been debunked when there can be no winners in that conflict.
5
@Alfred di Genis
Thank you for this.
Millions of Americans agree with your well-reasoned, balanced, calm assessment of the facts.
This latest fever of American Russophobia will pass in due course.
I get disturbed when the writer refers to Mauritania and Mali (whose people often share genetic ancestry with Algerian Berbers and the Tuaregs ) Burkina Faso and Chad referred to as “sub Saharan” countries we know race is a social construct developed by the Europeans to control wealth and power. It’s an attempt of racial classification and devaluation of the fabric that ties Africans together. Frankly, Westerners and Europeans’ objectives are to destroy the continent’s cohesiveness, control the wealth and divide the people- that is what history has taught us. Unfortunately Africans haven’t completely learned that lesson. I was born in the 1950’s so indelible to my hippocampus is a Russia that is the archenemy of the USA. So I understand the threat of having Russia in Africa . However, how are we Americans going to help these African nations in their sovereignty and not make it a competition to reap the benefits of taking advantage.
"Berber" is a colonialist, derogatory term.
"...alarming Western officials with increasing arms sales, security agreements and training programs for unstable countries or autocratic leaders"
You're kidding.
Western leaders, especially our own, make careers of abusing and abandoning South America, Africa, any number of regions.
At the same time they actually believe expressing "concern", "disappointment", mouthing empty threats backed by a demonstrably woeful, if very big, force will bring their targets to heel.
The egos rampant in Washington make us a laughingstock, produce nothing so much as eyes averted to hide bemused laughter and expectations of easy pickings for China and Russia.
Despite our claim to be the richest, smartest, advancedest country, under the freak show that is Trump and his cabinet the very people they mock and seek to dominate with their words are eating our lunch.
Add suicidal attacks on friends and trading partners, two-year-old intransigence and bully-boy threats (empty as our President's head), and America has lost opportunity and prestige that will take us decades to recover.
If there is sanity in this world we will be without reliable military allies for a long, long time; no-one with a brain or any interest in self-preservation will trust us any time soon.
One wonders how China and Russia, over which we continually trumpet our superiority, build islands, develop desert and jungle, create global networks when we can't design a decent turnpike bridge, let alone pay to get one built.
4
Again, slippery use of the word "Western" - get a new descriptor.
@G I
Mt "Western" is a quote from the article. My comment is clearly narrowed down to "American"
Still, I'm interested in the reason for your objection to "Western", the sense of which seems pretty clear and reasonably specific to me in this context.
Would you elaborate, please? What is your concern?
Well, for me, the lesson here is that at least one world leader cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. Guess who I am thinking about? And the first 8 or 10 guesses don't count.
2
Both Russia and China are filling voids left by the US withstood aid in Africa, Europe, and Central and S America. Trump’s hate for Canada and Mexico and his planti shut he US Mexico border will only harm the US. Asylum seekers at the southern border are at historic lows so any “increase” is a numbers game. The drumbeat of crisis is politics - a justification to grab money to build a wall that already exhists.
1
The tragedy with Africa is that many of its countries are suffering a resource curse, prompting thuggish state and non-state actors to lay their hands on the vast natural resources. Russia backs pariahs that the West seeks to shun. As always, the civilians bear the brunt of violence perpetrated by regime forces, mercenaries and Islamist groups.
Russia has the world’s 8th largest oil reserves, but its interests in Africa are mainly geostrategic – to regain the influence the former Soviet Union wielded.
The problem with the US policy in Africa is that the Pentagon plans to slash 10% of its presence there, with some 7.000 troops and personnel being stationed. Its priority is mainly fighting Islamists. Apparently it’s not enough.
Now Mali wants extra help from the US. Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga visited Washington last week to ask for more support to fight the influx of ISIS fighters, after the fall of the IS in Iraq and Syria. Last year Mali sought help from Moscow too, to combat terrorism, despite the 4,500 French troops and 15,000 UN peacekeepers stationed in the country.
Maïga said Mali is “not demanding a massive presence of American soldiers” but wants the US to supply training and equipment to help its military counter violence that has claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians this year.
Realistically, neither the US nor Russia have the financial means to sustain their presence in Africa. But Russia's mercantilst polices seem pay off.
2
The 'Russian mission creep' and the Chinese infrastructure investment program in Africa both underline the fact, that the world isn't unipolar, no matter how hard the US establishment (both political and military) denies it.
As for calling Egypt 'a staunch US ally' Neil must have been drinking something very strong so early in the morning.
It isn't and hasn't been, ever since the 'Arab Spring' democracy-export venture's total failure.
2
"The United States military has a relatively light footprint across Africa.
About 6,000 United States troops and 1,000 Defense Department civilians or contractors work on a variety of missions throughout Africa, mainly training and conducting exercises with local armies.
Moscow cannot compete with American foreign aid....."
The USA have an Africa command and permanent 7000 defense military and civil staff there. They are following the French example in ensuring security protection to former colonies.
Around 150 years ago, the then Western powers pushed strongly and cruelly to divide the Africa continent among them and colonize the resulting countries, exploiting material and human resources regardless of the actual intentions of the local populations.
In the last century 60s and 70s, the USA governments smartly and successfully pushed for the African decolonization.
Instead of increasing the aid to developing local nations, the USA have decided to go back and emulate the old European policies with military presence, keeping Russia and China off the most precious African resources.
So we are assisting to another wave of African colonization by world powers.
Such a relevant issue is worth enhanced, critical analysis coupled
with thorough assessment of the sources, both gone missing here.
2
And American mercenaries aka Blackwater are all over the Middle East and from what I can see, we’re propping up our strong men over there. What’s the difference exactly?
144
It’s incredibly frustrating that the difference between the US and Russia still needs to be explained to grown adults.
26
@Sipa111
None really. Just a more recent event. But unlike Vietnam are first failed military attempt at colonialism was successful in the Middle East at least so far.
2
@X
Indeed. Maybe you could sit "trump" down and explain it to him.
10
So is Donald Trump going to let Vladimir walk all over him? It's safe to say that he will. Mr. Trump claimed that he speaks with his friend Vlad often over the phone. No doubt Putin wants to see him beg.
1
Wait,
I thought the USA had its army in Africa and was expanding its "military" influence?
Are we not in Yemen, and a few other countries?
So, if we are role modeling the behavior, expect everyone else to join the party.
We are not the only country that can make a lot of money selling weapons.
The US really has to wake up. Other countries doing exactly the same thing as us, but, with less death, are expected outcomes of our own feeling of military freedom around the world.
Honestly, it is good that there are other countries moving in place to check US aggression now.
Hopefully, we are not so dumb that we think getting in a war so we can be the only ones selling weapons and killing Africans is a good idea.
2
Russia appears to be doing the same thing the US has been doing for years. Why did the US bomb Libya? Why were US troops killed in a battle in Niger? And why does the US bomb Somalia all the time? Perhaps all should just stay out. I know... what a silly thought.
3
" Russia is courting arms deals across Africa by promising timely deliveries and flexible terms"...
In Geopolitics Russia won. Not only Africa. As of this year, Russia has troops in our backyard. Bolton et al keep talking about Venezuela but Russia landed a couple of planes with military personnel in Maiquetia. Proves Trump's Bay of Pigs.
1
Was the topic of Russia's desired military expansion in Africa part of the secret conversations Putin had with our Fake President, whose subject matter have yet to be revealed to the American public? Why has this story simply faded away? Does anyone still care about these unprecedented, blacked-out talks between Trump and our most aggressive antagonist?
How refreshing to read an article about Africa that focuses exclusively on the strategic interests of two faraway white powers.
2
Fiscally speaking we are at a decision point. Either we continue to pour resources into military domination of the globe or we take care of American needs at home. Health care for all, attacking the existential threat of climate change (which is global), rebuilding infrastructure, better educational opportunities, and a decent wage and social safety net for all Americans. We can do those things, or we can get involved in proxy wars in Africa.
The military-industrial-congressional complex is pushing for more cyber defense, a space force, and now this in Africa. Yes, there are emerging threats. But what are they willing to give up? Anything? When is it the turn of the average American to get what we need?
2
After the humiliation of the Yeltsin years, it's easy to see why Putin is doing this. We should expect no less. Where it ends, no one knows, especially with John Bolton and a petulant child with no education and no attention span (alternating with an obsessive, compulsive focus on slights to himself) running the show.
I suspect the US will continue its decline no matter the Administration. China and Russia will be the players in this new game of geopolitics in Africa.
Oh, goody! More competition for the Chinese scraping every bit of rare earth elements from the continent.
Alright, you script writers, we need a Hasbro movie story where the perfectly sellable toy-robots face each other in a ''War For the Dark Continent.''
See how easy this is?
The Russians are competing with the Chinese to recolonize Africa because the West has been slowly abandoning it and African rulers are eager to sell their countries to the highest bidder. Everyone wins except the people of Africa; no one cares about them and they always lose.
6
Coincidence that the Russian expansion apparently took off hold during the Trump Presidency? I think not.
2
It's telling that American media is only interested in Africa when America's geopolitical rivals get involved there.
Perhaps if the United States had made sincere attempts improve the lot of Africans in the past century, rather than crassly using foreign aid to buy political influence, then Africans would not have needed to look elsewhere for help to modernize their nations.
You reap what you sow.
4
In the list of major Russian oil & gas interests or importers, one country was curiously left out ...Israel. Right now Israel gets most of it's oil from the Russians & the Iraqi Kurds.
1
Why do you think Trump has just announced that he is ending aid to three Central American nations? Everything Trump does is orchestrated by Putin. Russia just sent troops to Venezuela. Putin will soon send his troops to those three nations. Mark my words.
Again, if you think I'm being paranoid, think about ALL of the insanely unprecedented, treasonous, secret be things Trump has said and done in rapid succession that no one thought was possible. And then it happens -- and it's usually much worse than we imagined.
Russian troops in Central Americans countries is imminent... That's our doorstep, folks.
5
The sad truth, is that the nature of the human animal is not evolving towards decency, harmony, helping their fellow man, but brutality, greed, and ego maniacs gone mad. More guns is not the answer to any country, or cities problems. It just creates more of the same.
3
The lack of self awareness of America is staggering and would be amusing if it was not so dangerous.
The US global military footprint is 800 bases and includes drone killings in several countries, which are illegal under International Law. This does not take into account the dozens of military invasions and coups staged by the CIA.
Just think, instead of spending a trillion dollars a year on military and intelligence activities; the USA could have healthcare and free education for all and do something about the 40 million in poverty.
2
Presenting a strange paradox of rich natural resources and extreme poverty resulting from the centuries old Western exploitation Africa appears to be a low hanging grab for any nation willing to help revuild and secure the African society. Sensing opportunities Russia is trying to spread influence through a combination of military and non-military strategic moves, while the US and its allies are bombing Somalia, Yemen and other African nations.
At times examples of semantic surrealism can confuse. Consider, in trying to understand arms sales:
Russia is accused of sales to“ unstable countries or autocratic leaders.” Do America, France, stable UK, Germany and Israel, agents of democracy, sell their arms ONLY to politically stable countries, led by democratically elected personally-accountable leaders, invested in menschlich values, norms, processes, and ethics?
“are arming some of the region’s weakest governments and backing the continent’s autocratic rulers.” Ditto, once again re America, France, stable UK, Germany, and Israel…amongst others.
An addendum, as the US government’s military-industrial complex increasingly funnels military- type-arms, and knowledge, to local and state civilian police forces, does it consider the types, levels, and qualities of racism, and other WE-THEY parameters and processes in the targeted city, state?
Russia and China are, quite logically, eagerly gathering up the many low-hanging spheres of influence that have been left for plundering by the ‘Great American Retreat’ from global leadership.
The Trump Administration: Doing to America in two years what the Soviet Union couldn’t accomplish in fifty years of trying.
1
It's not yet clear as to where the Russian quest for returning to its mighty Soviet past will lead it,but after outmanoevering the US in the great game of power and global influence the Putin ruled Russia has certainly emerged as the crucial power in the changed international situation. However, displacing the US from its traditional spheres of influence, like West Asia, Africa,and Eurasia, or flexing military muscle is not enough for Russia to replace the US in world affairs unless it also simultaneously develops its commensurate economic prowess. Viewed against this imperative, it is the weak economic underbelly that will ultimately frustrate Putin's ambitions to dominate the world.
3
Very interesting article indeed. I must say it is written from the perspective of the country in which the paper of record is produced. I am also sure people in Russia have their own opinions about it as well. In terms of the African perspective, I am sure they are divided as well because some of them see strategic value in dealing with 3 different world powers (China, Russia and the USA); while other Africans don’t appreciate being courted by foreign powers that have their own agendas. But on the whole, because of the Cold War, both Russia and the US, are less liked in the continent, while China is given the benefit of the doubt because it doesn’t have a bad history with the people of Africa. In fact, many Africans have very favorable views of the Chinese given their recent interest in having economic relationships that focus on infrastructure and light industrial development. These are very interesting times for those following the future of Africa but the examination needs to be conducted without the obsession with Cold War politics. This time around, it is not about us, it is about them. Thanks for reading my input.
11
What do you expect? Do you expect Russia and China to behave any differently than the U.S.? Russia had a bloodless coup in Crimea, but at least they didn't kill two million people in just the past 15 years through invasions and bombings in pursuit of naked commercial interests.
China and Russia are achieving, with soft power, what the U.S. failed to achieve by force.
11
@Hamid Varzi Is that what Russia is deploying in Crimea and eastern Ukraine: soft power? The dead there will be glad (and no doubt, mystified) to learn that.
4
"Thirteen percent of Russia’s total arms exports in 2017 were sent to Africa, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute." Bloodless!? Where is the BDS movement? For those who are always at the ready to blame the President for any and everything where is the outrage? Or do they really don't give a flying you know what unless it can't be tied to the current administration?
Does the WH Know?
If it does, does President Grifter-Russia? He May Need to Be Told so he can continue to know more than our generals!!
1
With the stable genius as his best pal who defends his every action, why wouldn’t VVPutin think that he had mastery over the planet? In investing in Trump and the Grand Old Putinestas, Vladimir ensured that his interests will be maintained, whether “annexing” Crimea, invading Eastern Ukraine, interfering and manipulating Brexit and American elections, supporting Madura and al-Assad.
No matter where there is trouble in the world, Putin is there rubbing his hands in glee at a new front to control.
Trump is fully accountable to Russia undermining democracies everywhere.
10
Very welcome. We must be neutralized by Russia and China. Our foreign policy and regime change wars have untold damage world wide. Ironically it will be Russia and China will same us from ourselves.
We are an impotent evil nation now in a downward spiral. Thank you Trump.
4
Jan. 27, 2010
NYT - Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism
"... the Cold War--which, because of leaders like Ronald Reagan, ended in victory for the forces of freedom."
-- Lee Edwards, Ph.D. - Distinguished Fellow in Conservative Thought at The Heritage Foundation.
Thank you Ronald Reagan and all the wonderful 'Conservatives' for ending communism and establishing freedom. Now the entire world, including Russia and China and North Korea are more than willing to spread their versions of Capitalism around the globe. You taught them well.
3
In Africa, the American military operates for a political purpose (the fight against the violent extremism that kills hundreds of Africans every day) while Russia seeks financial and material rewards from the highest-bidding strongmen. The trillions of dollars America has wasted in the Middle East goes to show that, misguided as we may be, we don't go to war for profit.
4
Huh??? We lost trillions going to war for WHAT.? Of course it was for profit.
15
Why should it be a surprise that both Russia and China are seeking to expand their presence on what is 'their' side of the world when the US has over 800 worldwide bases, boots on the ground in over half the world's countries, has relentlessly pushed to encircle Russia with NATO states, has bombed or droned over half a dozen countries in one year, and is the world's premier merchant of weapons? Why is it OK when we do it, but an outrage when they do it? Why are our actions described as promoting democracy, while their actions are 'destabilizing?' Why do we give ourselves a pass after a brutal invasion and occupation of Iraq, but scold Russia for a far less bloody acquisition of Crimea? Who gives us the moral authority to impose sanctions on Russia? Who is going to sanction us? What we see as the unacceptable behavior of another country is simply our own chickens coming home to roost.
106
@ikalbertus
Bang on. Totally correct.
10
@ikalbertus Russia realized years ago in Afghanistan, that it was their "Vietnam"--cost them hundreds of millions of dollars, cost them thousands of lives, caused turmoil within the country not wanting to send their young men to die, and bankrupted their country. Putin is now figuring out where his country has the best chances of winning. Unfortunately, the US since WW2, hasn't been able to get this figured out--or maybe they choose not to?
5
While I`m inclined to agree with you, I`m also inclined to thing that I`d rather live in a world where US military power is ascendant rather than one in which Russian or Chinese military power is. Just have a look at the way the citizens of the US live compared to those of the other 2 countries. I`ve been to both, and would want to live in neither.
14
"Egypt, a staunch American ally, is also becoming a solid customer of Russian weaponry. Egypt signed a deal in late 2018 for $2 billion worth of Russian SU-35 fighter jets .."
Could price be a factor, not politics? A Sukhoi-35 costs about $100 million; an F-22, $150 million. Should we castigate Egypt for buying a cheaper plane if it does what they need?
Maybe some of these African countries would prefer to buy American, but they find our prices too high. That issue needs to be addressed in the article.
4
What surprises me about CAR turning to someone other than France is what has taken so long. France has been exploiting Central African countries for a very long time. People in these countries know they are pawns, sacrificed daily to the economic, military, and political interests of distant France, but they feel powerless to do anything about it. If France wants to maintain influence in these countries, it needs to do a far better job of considering the needs and concerns of average Central Africans. Instead, it unapologetically pursues its own interests in this part of the world, extracting cheap raw materials, exporting its own goods to these countries at massively inflated prices and propping up kleptocratic regimes that are willing to close their ports to non-French goods and host French military bases. I expect nothing good to come from cozying up to Russia, but for people living second-by-second in grinding, hopeless poverty and insecurity year after year and decade after decade with no significant improvements in sight, the status quo may seem worse. I would expect, though, that ultimately Asian countries, and particularly China, will hold more sway in Central Africa than Russia.
7
Is this a "whats good for the goose is good for the gander" scenario, bearing in mind the US presence in Africa as reported by NYT Feb. 9, 2018:
"There are roughly 6,000 American troops spread across Africa, the Pentagon said. This number can fluctuate for several reasons, including large training exercises and specific operations. Most of the forces, around 4,000, are at Camp Lemonnier, in Djibouti, the continent’s primary base of operations for Africa Command.
Countries in Africa where small teams of American Special Operations forces are deployed include Nigeria, Niger, Somalia, Libya, Mali, Chad and Mauritania."
1
Sometimes there isn't Russian collusion and sometimes there is. And maybe the coin toss comes down on African corruption and homicidal pathos verses stable governments. Maybe they think stability comes from being armed, while losing their mineral rights and increasing the homicide rates. Somalia seems to be the template there. Chaos.
1
Poor Africa and the peoples of Africa...Russia wants Natural resources resources.USA has a military presence to get Natural resources..Might just as well as stayed w Colonialism..The Natural creatures are going extinct Humans are immoral and greedy beyond imagination..and Human religions supports it all
1
Good thing for Vladimir, that his puppet, Donald Trump, was placed in the White House by Russian GRU Military Officers!
1
@Steven of the Rockies
Can you explain why a known agent of Russia was allowed to stay in the US in secrecy and sign a huge contract for a Manhattan building with Trump?
They just didn't think it conceivable he could become president and therefore their boss.
The best we can do is correct our system and try to lead again by providing a better model.
But push come to shove, if the Russian military is moving in to territories, they really need to be met by UN forces in equal or greater numbers.
Rising oil prices should help Venezuela. Trump was stupid to suggest military involvement! He needs a much better staff!
We may have encountered the biggest pitfall of the US system, and it is that any US citizen can become president. I wouldn't change the system, but if we get through this we had better shape up!
3
Russia was emboldened for one simple reason: The US and Europe failed to correct the financial collapse in a robust, popular way. Putin saw an opening and he took it.
We had the chance to prove Western economics and politics superior in their ability to serve citizens fairly, and we failed!
I probably sound like a broken record at this point. I've been saying it for roughly 11 years now. We messed up.
Why bring it up? Is this a "I told you so" moment. No. This is a moment to say, you can't possibly blame this all on Russia!
It is interesting to me personally that given new DNA evidence, I'm apparently part Eastern European and/or Russian.
I wish I had some good advice in how to deal with this situation. I'm afraid the whole thing is unavoidable because of our current political catastrophe, given Trump's ties to Russia, our intelligence services encouragement of that tie, and its subsequent outrage that he became president and hit them back. What a mess!
The best we can do is try to become a pillar of democracy, fairness and social justice for the world. We have no other way to prove our superiority to the world's citizens, because in no other way than these can we possibly be superior to our brethren. Only by chance of fate and good fortune do we have any recent history of wisdom and virtue for the world, and we're blowing it big time!
5
The US is still the same country that let Exxon-Mobile (formerly Texaco) and the Texas oilmen provide all the oil Fascist Francisco Franco needed in 1936 to overthrow the democratically elected government of Spain. Without that oil the Fascists could not have won the war or gone on to murder hundreds of thousands of Spaniards. With Trump and the Republicans in power that same sentiment in support of Fascists still exists exactly as it did then. American oligarchs are no better than the Russian ones.
10
The Central African Republic is selling mining rights to Russia at a fraction of what they are worth?
Says who?
4
Hilarious! So we're supposed to condemn Russia for what the US has been doing in Africa, in spades, for decades. It's the usual Imperial hypocrisy. Check out what Africom's recently been up to.
13
The US has a small military footprint in Russia, but Russia still has smaller. Russia is taking those regimes that the US shooed or put under sanctions, and basically employ the same strategy: send instructors, sell weapons, and take resources for payment. It is, however, amazing that African countries beg Russia for help. Even Mali, despite being helped by French troops already.
2
We’re probably going to regret proclaiming ourselves the winner of the Cold War. Something about Southern Hemisphere continents, like they don’t exist?
2
Given history, western colonoial powers, past and present, have nothing to say to any country about what nefarious actions they undertake. Beyond that, isn't Russia just staying in the game, making a few bucks? Not a "superpower", however aspirational their gestures. Yet, given the self-interest of all major powers in dealing with Afica, what is the concern? It can't be moral.
"Russia is seeking to ensconce itself on NATO’s southern flank by helping a former general in Libya fight for control over his government and vast oil market."
Oh come on. That guy was a long time US resident, a CIA asset, who was sent back to Libya by the US, for the explicit purpose of doing what he is now doing.
Apparently is has been somewhat disobedient. How dare he fail to follow CIA orders!
That however does not amount to a Russian plot to take over Libya.
How about the American sent to be President of Georgia, who launched a neocon-encouraged attack, and who then moved on to run a key part of Ukraine in its war with Russia. Who is doing what to whom?
The Russians are hardly sweethearts, but they are also playing catch up from far behind the US in these things, with few resources and little chance of even coming close.
The "threat" is manipulation of the American voters. It is rather more like WMD than it is anything real.
7
Russia grows bolder and bolder throughout the world because its leadership has come to the conclusion that neither NATO or the United States will militarily face Russia directly. Indeed, President Trump seems to have a rule "we will not ever kill a Russian soldier"--the proof being the US always gave Russia warnings about US action in Syria that endangered Russians.
This past week Russia inserted 100 troops into Venezuela. Trump has acted by telling them that they should leave. He knows they won't listen. Why should they, given that they are in no danger.
40
>>> "Russia grows bolder and bolder throughout the world because its leadership has come to the conclusion that neither NATO or the United States will militarily face Russia directly."
Well, Michael, you'd better hope -- just as hard as you know how to hope -- the *no one* decides to "militarily face Russia directly. Russia, you see, has about 4,300 nuclear warheads, more than anyone else in the world.
>>> "Indeed, President Trump seems to have a rule 'we will not ever kill a Russian soldier.'"
If you think that's a bad idea, you seriously need to reexamine your thinking.
>>> "This past week Russia inserted 100 troops into Venezuela. Trump has acted by telling them that they should leave. He knows they won't listen. Why should they, given that they are in no danger."
Why should they be in danger? Why should they be expected to listen to instructions from the US?
We have more than enough scary jingoists here in the US. We'd like to think our Canadian neighbors generally have a saner view of world affairs.
9
@Michael Anasakta "Face Russia militarily"? Two thousand nuclear warheads pointing at us and you want to face off? You're are cheer leading an extinction of life on this planet.
13
@Michael Anasakta
Perhaps you could write your MP and demand that Canada finally meet its NATO funding commitments after decades of underspending and sponging off other NATO nations that meet theirs.
As for Syria, the US and Russia have for good reason sought to prevent incidents between our two militaries. Of course, that did not prevent US Special Forces from annihilating upwards of 200 Wagner Group Russian mercenaries when they and Syrian forces attacked US positions.
5
I have worked in a number of these countries for years. I fear that they may well be the political battlefield upon which democracy battles authoritarianism with significant consequences for us all.
This is tragic on two counts. I think that the citizens of these counties would prosper were their leaders to follow a democratic pathway. Also, American democracy can only be strengthened, MAGA fruit cakes aside, by having democracy flourish among these potential partners. It is unfortunate that, America seems to be ceding these people and their amazing potential to the alternative.
4
Thanks to the New York Times for bringing this to the attention of the Trump administration.
I'm guessing that the last time Trump met Putin, Putin strongly denied that Russia had any designs on expansion (other than owning the President of the United States).
8
Last I checked Russia's GDB was about
1.5 trillion. The US about 20 trillion.
China about 12 trillion.
How does Russia plan to fund it's so
called military creep? It makes nothing
the world wants and its primary earnings
source, oil, will soon enough go with the
dinosaurs who made it.
I would just wait Russia out. All of Putin's moves are the same-act badly in hopes
of being rewarded for not acting badly.
It's just a bigger version of North Korea's strategy but with a lot more nukes.
We need to respect them and take them seriously for arms control. Beyond that
why bother.
35
The article states that mineral rights are sold below market value to Russian interests. So the Russians can use revenues from those mines to subsidize their military aid. It could even be a net profit in some cases.
8
@Rob
Thanks Rob. Not sure it would get them anywhere near the 700 billion a year the US spends on defense. The Russians are not particulary good at making money. But hey you never know.
2
So, what are the worries? If they could not fund their adventures, they will stop. So, what is the harm? Tell me again why is the US with 20 trillion economy afraid of Russia with 1.5 trillion GDP so bad, that American media needs to vilify every Russian step?
2
This is beyond seizing the spoils. This is the Republican Russian New World Order in which people at the highest levels of the great powers have knowledge of a future of chaos in the World of a religious origin and have been methodically instilling military power throughout the world's nations in a concerted effort. Nixon, Reagan, and Herbert Bush were aware of the new strategy and it resulted in peace and cooperation as they made peaceful cooperation among the nations of China, Russia, and America in anticipation of that chaos.
The latest iteration of that international cooperation is known to Trump, whose man, General Flynn is the only player other than himself to have met with Putin in an intimate setting. Flynn was sidelined early on and was an early focus of the F.B.I. in this big Russian interference investigation. It's a Republican Russian thing.
This article could have been written about any of the three great nations. Herbert very Honestly and through a great Christian soul taught us about the New World order. It was an act of honesty by a leader of skullduggery.
So you are all left with a quandry; do we live in a world of freedom with all it's chaos, or do we accept living in a world ruled by military force and repression. I'll leave it to you.
1
You have to know what I told you.
I choose freedom and endure chaos.
What a blizzard of "what-aboutism."
Russia's nasty so what about the US? Putin's bad to the bone so what about Trump?
There's no moral compass that's calibrated with Trump and Putin.
While I'm against the US imposing itself on nations with no or weak governance (through domestic conditions or foreign intrusion) I'm equally if not more concerned about Putin who stirs up Russian chauvinism in part through foreign conflicts indicative of a global superpower competing for dominance.
It's a tired formula but so far has worked for Putin: a shortage of butter but a surfeit of muscular weaponry for parading past the Kremlin on May Day.
Russian citizens have little prospect of challenging Putin or removing him from power but Americans can -- and will -- evict Trump and his Neanderthals from the White House.
My animus towards Putin stems not just from the blood on his hands for the death of dozens of dissidents and outspoken critics, including journalists, reformers and opponents. But also for his active armed belligerence against adjacent states to recolonize now sovereign nations and rebuild Russian Empire.
And while Trump's corruption is still under investigation, Putin deploys his billionaire boy-oligarchs to seed economic chaos and political sabotage against perceived enemies.
But the most compelling reason for opposing Putin is Trump.
They're either in cahoots or Putin has mesmerized Trump who now wants to be as bad as Vlad.
Despise the leaders, not the country.
13
If this were a Russian newspaper, I guess the Americans would be seen as a threat to world Peace.
4
Oh please! Who are we kidding?! Replace the words "Russia" or "Russian" with "United States" or "American" anywhere in this article and it remains an honest piece of journalism.
Our collective arrogance and hypocrisy is astounding and disgusting.
9
He may not be a Russian agent but Trump's incompetent foreign policy accomplishes the same goal: More and more global advantage for Moscow. I know - you're all shocked, shocked.
Trump doesn't read position papers, let alone serious books, and knows little to nothing about geopolitical strategy. He parrots what he hears on Fox & Friends or from his nightly calls with Hannity.
Have we ever had a person less qualified in recent memory in the White House? Woe to us.
4
MAGA, and its isolationist tendencies, are weakening our country.
7
"increasing arms sales, security agreements and training programs for unstable countries or autocratic leaders ..."
Isn't this Trump's game plan?
4
God Lord! With our own President in Putin's pocket.
What?
You know he is, irrespective of Muller's report.
1
Let Russia and China fight it out on the African continent. The US will be there to pick up the pieces.
@Mannyv
Who cares what people in African nations want? Trump may think all of Africa is a toilet but China and Russia see recruits in a great global alliance against American impunity that "saves" a country by destroying it.
Africa has been bled dry by European colonialists who seized all the natural resources they needed to fuel an industrial revolution and slaughter each other in the first Great War as a prelude for the next one.
Our legacy in Africa is the living nightmare Africans face now: Western backed regimes of terror and thieving on an unconscionable scale; proxy wars that devastate whole generations of Africans; dismal poverty amidst natural wealth appropriated by and for outsiders; a whole continent eaten alive by the West with racist apathy that poisons any notion of common humanity.
Africans will decide their own fate. Not the US, China or Russia.
14
As a Russian, I doubt this is a wise investment on part of the Kremlin.
Logistically, Africa is too far away and too unstable to project power there. If Joe Doe the Generic African Dictator is overthrown, or co-opted by the US, so go with him the mineral rights and the arms deals. And there is nothing Russia can do about that. Admittedly, that's nothing new as Soviet Union has been burned like that in Africa more than once. It's unfortunate that our current leadership is repeating the same mistakes.
The only saving grace here is that our current incursion into Africa has a light footprint and a limited scope. So if things do go bad, it won't be difficult to board up the shop and go home.
2
Reality check all countrys need to invest into peace .Once upon time russia an usa saved the earth in world war two. People still see some emginary foe . As long as russai an usa can keep the peace an share responsibilty to ensure that peace .
2
Russia and China are rushing to fill the void caused by Trump's stupid foreign policy, and to capitalize on the flood of anti-America sentiment he has generated around the world. Tragically, it will probably take a generation to undo the damage this incompetent president has done in only 3 years.
4
Ultimately, Russia has no real hope of becoming a superpower. The country's population is in steady decline, especially with respect to its Great Russian ethnic population. Russia is only half the population of the former Soviet Union and projections are it will shrink twenty or thirty percent through the end of the century. Besides that, the country appears to have only two industries. First, hydrocarbon fuel production. Second, a robust military industry. Oil and gas are of declining value as the world moves to end its dependence on global warming pollutants. As far as its arms industry goes, it may be thriving but it can't sustain the nation-state over decades. Russian political economy is in desperate shape. Most of the vast country is in post Soviet ruins and depopulating, the exceptions being the Moscow and St. Petersburg regions.
If the Russians are expanding through the Middle East and Africa they still don't have the muscle to dominate these vast regions. They extract money from autocrats and create lots of trouble but there are limits. More likely, the Russian state will soon find itself badly overextended with its military resources spread across many millions of square miles of territory trying to manage scores of internecine conflicts by itself. This will be a classic example of what the Yale historian Paul Kennedy called "imperial overstretch." I think a more concerning issue for the United States is Chinese expansion.
7
Let the Russians have the whole lot.
2
The US and Europe have cooled on Africa, as involvement costs money - lots of it. Putin will find that out and then - end of. It will be like Afghanistan and Syria all over again.
2
Fascism is the end-result of competing elites determining a "winner"...which then controls- or destroys- the competition
(as identified by Gaetano Mosca in 1895 book, "The Ruling Class.")
Mosca's previous studies included African tribal selection of leadership. Post-colonial / industrial era fascism simply added military/industrial complexes into the mix of competing elites (financial, political, social, etc).
Wyoming is fascist (coal rules). Africa is easily fascist. In Ethiopia, every child studies Mandarin as a second language.
3
China and Russia are the new competitors for territorial dominance and 5g in both the Middle East and Africa. A weird conglomeration of French corporate elites, who I was invited to join on a bizarre corporate tour through the Sinai, seemed seriously hapless, as are the American interests. Russia’s plan is to rule by sewing chaos, while China is to woo by building new infrastructure, as they did years ago in Nepal and surrounding territories. France and America look like idiot brothers.
7
To say, “the United States military has a relatively light footprint across Africa” strikes me as an abhorrently flippant statement in light of our drone assassination campaign there.
5
Ever play the board game Risk?
That is essentially what geo-politics is about.
Not very mature or profound, but there you have it.
Actually, what it mainly does is create more unhappiness.
Even the "winners" don't seem very satisfied or at peace with their lot.
6
What Russia is doing pale in comparison to what the West had done and is still doing in Africa.
All the $Billions stolen by African dictators and their friends are held in Western banks not Russian banks.
African dictators are using their stolen money buying homes worth tens of $millions in Paris, London, New York not in Moscow or St Petersburg.
Dictators that have been in power for more than 30 years are supported by Western countries not Russia.
The idea, that Russia poses a danger to Africa is just propaganda. Russia is doing to a lesser degree what Western countries have been doing in Africa for the last 200 years, which is taking advantage of that continent.
Thousands of young Africans die every year trying to escape the hardship imposed on them by those dictators supported by the West just to face Racism and discrimination in Europe.
12
After cooperating in WW2, we immediately became competitors with Russia after that war.
We always think "the other guy" is at fault but i'm not so sure.
For one reason or another, we get into fighting around the world for things that are not our business Examples Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan.
We cause plenty of deaths in other places but our causes are blurry.
Now under genius Trump, we backed out of a deal with Iran when they were keeping their end of the bargain.
Time to improve things around here but we are the world's leader in punishing others(with sanctions) when, at the same time, we have made as many mistakes as anybody but no one is placing sanctions on our country.
Maybe Russia and China are not so "hot" but neither are we.
Time to improve our students here in math, science as we are falling behind other countries as we concentrate on
military.
Our great country is falling behind others in education which is the wrong road for the future. That is not the fault of Russia, N.Korea or Iran.
It is our own failure and Trump is also our own failure
12
Putin has no boundaries. He also suffers from an acute Napoleon Complex. I think he has some serious issues with insecurity. He dominates the largest country in the world. He has over $200 billion for retirement. And yet, this is not enough.
Basically, Putin is a fully functional insane person. What he is doing makes no sense. He must feel so weak inside that it literally haunts his waking moments.
God help us all, Putin is a chaos magician, and he wants to make the world in his image. You cannot invent a better Bond villian. Perhaps, that is where he gets his inspiration.
2
Once Russia does what the CIA did in Africa, overthrow elected leaders, organise military coups, murder the captured leaders like Patrice Lumumba, and support all manner of despotism like Mobutu, then were talking.
7
Russia and China are spreading their influence and power across the world. The US under trump retreats.
3
American oligarchs have already been trying to buy Africa. It was inevitable that the Russian oligarchs wanted to get in on the action.
5
This is terrible news, but at least it may compel the US and European countries to care about and invest in Africa on a scale and with the serious it deserves, having been left out of the post-industrial-revolution economic development of the last two centuries and with Westerners merely exploiting its desirable natural resources without investing in its societies and people.
36
The Russians are some of the biggest purveyors of white supremacy in the world. Perhaps it’s time that the CIA began an information campaign to ensure that the Africans are well informed about the Russians. Diversity is a threatening concept in Russia.
3
>>> "The Russians are some of the biggest purveyors of white supremacy in the world."
"Purveyors" of white supremacy? Well, if that's what they're selling in Africa (it's not!), I don't think you should be worried about their possible success.
>>> "Perhaps it’s time that the CIA began an information campaign to ensure that the Africans are well informed about the Russians."
Right. I'm sure Africans will be eager to hear and accept the CIA's fair and balanced lessons.
1
And China is beginning to stomp through the EU with money and goodies, so what's the greater threat, Russia in Africa, where they've been for years, or China wooing Italy?
1
Why would either be a threat to the US?
Putin is a nasty piece of work, but his negative influence in Africa pales in comparison to the ongoing American involvement in the continent's affairs.
The United States maintains bases across the African continent. It sends military advisors to every country that it considers geopolitically important. In the past, it has organized coups, adjustments and rigged elections that have led to millions of people dying.
It supported apartheid, colonial and neo-colonial regimes that were racist at best. If you include Arab Africa, the list is even longer. Not too long ago, it directly assisted in regime change in Libya. And that's the short list of US involvement in Africa.
And somehow Russia is the bad guy?
90
@Rajesh Kasturirangan You need to look at the big picture. You also need to learn about Stalin and Russian history. America is not perfect, but we have gotten better. If Stalin got his way, you and I would have been born into anarchy. I will take an imperfect America over a psychopathic Soviet state, any day of the week. I think you would too.
There's a 30-part BBC documentary on YouTube. I highly recommend it. I have a family member who is one of the first American POWs of the Cold War. He was shot down in a reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea and captured. He died in Soviet captivity. I am certain that he was tortured to death. He left behind a pregnant wife and young daughter. So, his tragedy motivates my antagonism towards Putin. It also gives me a lot of perspective.
13
>>> "If Stalin got his way, you and I would have been born into anarchy."
Uh-huh. Stalin was a dedicated anarchist. ;^(
>>> "So, [my relative's] tragedy [as a Soviet prisoner] motivates my antagonism towards Putin. It also gives me a lot of perspective."
Umm, heads up: Your relative's experience in the USSR has exactly *nothing* to do with post-Soviet Russia *or* Vladimir Putin.
4
Agree, we are the bad guy. They are just being defensive.
2
Russia has failed to learn from it's endless bankrupting military adventures in the past.
Just like the U.S. Both are controlled by their military industrial complexes.
To what gain for their people?
46
@Lawrence You're using your American values to judge the ambitions of the Russian people. Past military adventures are a point of deep ride to the Russians. The city of Volgograd is one big memorial to that city's contributions to victory in World War II. The USSR was once an empire of the first order. And Gorbachev's loss of that empire brought great shame. As this article notes, Putin has long sought to revive the Russian empire. And the people share that dream.
Russians are generally better off under Putin than they were under Gorbachev and Yeltsin. But most yearn for the revival of Russia as a great power. They are plenty concerned with their standard of living. But they are equally concerned with nationalistic matters. If Putin can restore empire he will indeed have brought great gain to the people.
5
@Lawrence The Cold War never ended, and now it is a Luke Warm War.
We fight 'over there' so we don't engage in WW3, which will go nuclear within hours.
I highly recommend the 30-part BBC documentary about the Cold War on YouTube. It enlightened me to the reality of the world we are living in. Putin is a direct product of the Cold War. He feels like he lost, and now he wants to win.
God help us all.
5
@Dad Even Trump will not be able to save us. Putin will one day throw his you know what under the bus in a NY minute. It's only a matter of time--it's called--KOMPROMAT!
1
We should be taking a closer look at China’s influence and strategy, especially in west Africa.
1
So the U.S. is going back to the 1950's. We still can't get into the 21st century:
"In December, John R. Bolton, President Trump’s national security adviser, described the new strategy in Africa as a “great power” competition and counterbalance to China and Russia."
2
Sorry, still can't get past when our criminal POTUS said to the entire world on TV that he believed Putin over our own US intel.
In fact our criminal POTUS said that on many occasions of other murderers and thugs.
No wonder Putin is smiling from ear to ear since 2017.
Who can forget the Putin high-five to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Salman got off without even a slap on the wrist for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and of course Putin and trump were there to celebrate.
2
"The United States military has a relatively light footprint across Africa. About 6,000 United States troops and 1,000 Defense Department civilians or contractors work on a variety of missions throughout Africa."
https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2018/04/28/605662771/the-military-doesnt-advertise-it-but-u-s-troops-are-all-over-africa
Why should the US be allowed to inject military presence in Africa, but not Russia?
12
It reduces the chances of superpower conflict and anarchy?
I don’t know why anyone thinks we go easy on the Russians. After all, Mueller indicted 12 of them even though there was no way he could bring them to justice. That really set them back and got them reeling.
1
Because your president is doing nothing to penalize Putin and buddies for what they did and tried to do. He won't even give credence to those indictments. Your president also neatly allowed about 40 Russian operatives to leave the US posthaste and probably without adequate vetting (making sure they weren't and would not be at all implicated in any illegal behavior in or against the United States) before they were allowed to leave. He did it under the guise of unity with the UK. IMHO
1
@michjas: It didn't have much impact on Russia or any Russians, but it convinced tens of millions of Americans that "they must be guilty" -- regardless of the fact that there will never be a trial.
That's justice, right?
1
@michjas: Well, trump went easy on them, so maybe "we" don't, but trump is, uh, the president. The fact is that we don't know what trump's posture is toward Russia.
It seems to me that it would make it difficult to draft policy toward Russia in Africa. Bolton can complain all he wants.
1
What about U.S. creep in Africa. We are all over any place that has natural resources being exploited by U.S. and European interests. The Russians and Chinese are competing and apparently winning the biggest prize left in the world, Maybe if the United States actually had a Department of Defense run by a competent Secretary things might still be salvaged. Instead we got President Trump.
6
Back in 2008, when Mr. Obama won, most Africans were excited and full of hope. They hoped that Mr Obama who has written in his book "Dreams from my Father"about the experience of his father back in Kenya would be the one to save Africa from its dictators. Instead Mr. Obama did what he knows best, give speeches as if a speech would change the heart of a blood and money thirsty dictator
Most countries mentioned in this article are former French colonies. Since granting them independence, France has done everything to keep them under control. Below are some examples
In Cameroon, Mr Biya who has been in power for the last 37 years won reelection by 75% despite the fact that his government wasn't able to organize the African Cup of Nations a soccer tournament that was granted to cameroon 10 years ago. Cameroon is well known for its soccer national team and its love for soccer. Mr Biya has the support of France
In Algeria, France has been supporting Mr Bouteflika who is on his death bed despite Algerians wanting change.
In Gabon, France has been supporting the Bong family who have been in power for the last 60 years. A family that has turned a once rich country into a very poor country.
Most former French colonies hold their foreign reserves at the French Central bank in Paris. Dictators that have been supported by France retired in Paris after selling out their countries.
Russia is just doing what the West has done, which is taking advantage of Africa.
In Algeria, France
6
Africa? Africa?! Africa!!!
How about Venezuela!!!!!
Wake up NYT: Russia, using its puppet Cuba, essentially stole Venezuela right out from under the Venezuelan people. First using a compromised leader Chavez and later a (selected-in-Cuba, look it up) Manchurian candidate Maduro. Chavez rewrote the Venezuelan Constitution, eliminating once unthinkable tenets like term limits and hijacking the judicial to get their way ala the GOP today. Russian guns, missiles, tactics and rhetorics found its way to Caracas and they kept the Venezuelan leaders happy by protecting their drug trade.
Why? Strategic interest like oil and physical location.
Russian troops landed in Maiquetia last week. If you could only understand how unthinkable that is!
There are Russian missiles pointing North and rumored but well-reported plans to build a Russian military base within striking distance of Miami. And the whole time the Russians were making off with my country, they slapped a “socialist/populist” label on their model like putting an Smuckers Jelly label on poison.
You know what happens if American sanctions squeeze Venezuela? Madurai defaults and Russia contractually gets the 50% of Citgo they don’t yet own.
And all the whole this is happening, while you report about Africa, my 85 year old aunt is stuck in limbo unable to get back after spending time with her daughter. Even if she could find a flight, there’s no food and no electricity and did I mention she’s 85? She cries every day.
8
@Gwe
Gee Russian missiles in Venezuela hundreds of miles away is not OK but US missiles on Russia's borders is OK?. The only thing the US wants from Venezuela is their vast oil reserves just like in Iraq if one remembers. Most likely it is US sponsored saboteurs causing all the electrical problems there just like they did in Ukraine and Georgia. Examine what we did in Syria in 'defeating' ISIS - we destroyed every city and town where they were and now refuse to rebuild. ISIS probably no threat to the US is now fully underground as reported and most likely more dangerous. I do not think we are any more exceptional than anybody else so people should stop pushing that agenda.
4
Russia and China should note the history of imperialism by England, France, Germany, and the US. It didn't work our very well for any of them long-term.
3
Russia's got its own long history of imperialism, thank you very much. Ask the people of the former Soviet "Union" and Soviet Bloc. And don't forget the Afghanis.
4
>>> "And don't forget the Afghanis."
That's "Afghans." But when you ask them about the Russians, be sure to ask them about us, also.
From Zbigniew Brzezinski's 1998 interview with Le Nouvel Observateur:
>>> Question: The former director of the CIA, Robert Gates, stated in his memoirs that the American intelligence services began to aid the Mujahiddin in Afghanistan six months before the Soviet intervention. Is this period, you were the national securty advisor to President Carter. You therefore played a key role in this affair. Is this correct?
>>> Brzezinski: Yes. According to the official version of history, CIA aid to the Mujahiddin began during 1980, that is to say, after the Soviet army invaded Afghanistan on December 24, 1979. But the reality, closely guarded until now, is completely otherwise: Indeed, it was July 3, 1979 that President Carter signed the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. And that very day, I wrote a note to the president in which I explained to him that in my opinion this aid was going to induce a Soviet military intervention [emphasis added throughout].
https://dgibbs.faculty.arizona.edu/brzezinski_interview
1
The ignorance and credulity that has resulted in vast swathes of the American public buying into this utterly-ridiculous (and deadly-dangerous) Russophobia frenzy is absolutely breathtaking.
Joe McCarthy could never have imagined how much power can be derived from manipulating the levers of 24/7/365 news outlets, or the blessing of a population primed for uncritical acceptance of nonsense by all-pervasive social media.
We have become, collectively, dumber than a box of unusually stupid rocks.
16
For the matter Russia, USA , China, etc, are the same, the editorial should address the subject as neutral observer not as interested party
3
While isolationism sounds great in theory (let’s mind our own business! Domestic issues! Let others fight their own wars!), the reality appears to be illuminated by this example of Russia’s ambitions. China has similar ambitions. Both are intent on filling every crack that America leaves unattended. It’s happened in the Middle East and it has been semi-silently happening in Africa, a hotbed of natural resources. Allowing to do so now seems harmless... until a future Russian or Chinese leader decides the US should be annihilated. Then it will be too late to decide strategy.
2
@PaulNYC
The US is threatening to reduce the size of the UN mission in Mali, where jihadism and other insurgents are destabilizing the country rapidly, enabling Russia to make more inroads. Bolton wants the UN footprint to shrink in peacekeeping because he doesn't he see or care that UN peace ops are basically a pro-Western arm.
3
At some point the Russians will meet the Chinese, who are there doing what the Germans, Belgians, French, British, and Americans have done before.
6
Lots of Russia/Putin apologists in the comments today. Russia is, in fact, an enemy of western democracies. They are a thugocracy, not interested in international law. But they don't act like they did when they called themselves the Soviet Union. They are much more subtle now, playing down the nuclear sabre rattling that characterised the Cold War.
Yes, it's not a strong economy, but neither was the Soviet Union. They remain, however, a formidable military power, as well as a cyber warfare power which they can unleash any moment. Yes, they did influence the 2016 election. And they had a favourite. Yes, they did.
Putin's vision is a redo of the Soviet Union, but with the KGB (FRB) in charge rather than the military. That is exceedingly dangerous. He doesn't care about the economy. He won't let himself be voted out of office - the definition of a tyrant.
But if they are increasing their influence in Africa, it's in large part because the US never took Africa seriously. Foreign aid to Africa, except for some public health programs, is a political dead end for the US Congress, especially on the right. They have left the door open for China and Russia. It was only a matter of time before they invited themselves in. Dollars, rubles, yuan - it's all the same to poor countries. $oft power.
11
What I foresee is Russia ultimately clashing with China, which is trying to achieve economic dominance in Africa. I’d put my money on China.
2
Do you think the US will become a proxy of one of them? Do you think it already has?
2
OK, before the doom and gloom sets in, and assuming that the Trump universe of isolation is relatively temporary and doesn't destroy too many more relationships, let's take stock of our influence, reverse influence and friends around the globe:
Canada
Mexico
Columbia
Panama
Japan
Chile
Brazil (not fully sure Putin won't move in with this Authoritarian)
India
Israel
England
France
Germany
Scandanavia
Australia
New Zealand
South Africa
Morocco
Italy (for now)
Greece (for now)
Spain
Thailand
South Korea
Ethiopia
Saudi Arabia (almost gagged when I wrote this)
Dubai (another gag reflex)
Costa Rica
Ukraine
Poland (for now)
Netherlands
Turkey (kind of - for now)
Ireland
Switzerland
Nepal
Bhutan
Singapore
Indonesia
Nigeria
OK, some sketchy situations in there but perhaps we are sketchy to some too.
So, put our global universe in perspective and then contemplate Russia and China's. We're holding our own. For now.
4
@Clearwater
Egypt.
Argentina
and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few and as others and the article are pointing out, things change.
But see that list from the perspective of Russia and China. They've been worried for a long time. Now we are worried.
Oh well, things change.
2
Morocco is in Africa. So is South Africa. If you include those, why not also Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and others?
Wonder why you didn't mention, for example, Argentina, Belize, Jamaica, East Timor, Kuwait, Peru, or Portugal.
@Clearwater
Do we count Georgia in the South Caucasus ?
“Opportunistic” is right. This past year the USMC general heading Africom announced a significant withdrawal of our (mostly Army) special forces from West African nations (to be supposedly replaced by rotations of National Guard troops). This caused worry and confusion among our allies. The Russians aren’t stupid. We create a vacuum in strategically important areas like Syria, Libya or mineral-rich West Africa, and they’ll step in to fill it to their advantage, just as they’re doing. If this is a reprise of The Great Game, we’re behind on points.
41
Russia and China are increasing their influence in South America and Africa. This would be great if the efforts were to improve the lives of the people of these areas and even better if the USA was doing the same instead of retreating into isolationism. The fact is neither of the three are out for anything other than their own self interests which are almost always to the determent of the third world countries they cannibalize.
35
@greg The Cold War is now Luke Warm. Anything to prevent WW3 is a good thing.
2
@greg
Neither Russia's nor China's effort is to improve the lives of the people of these [African] areas.
Yet on the other hand, has the present leader of the U.S. of A. ever even tried to improve the lives of the people on our own shores, while at the same time trying to destroy the relationship with our long term allies?
Putin, contrary to Trump, plays chess and has a vision to get back to the former glory of Mother Russia, helping the most unstable regimes in Africa by making them dependent on him.
Trump though plays with marbles Making America Small Again and losing all of your long term allies while at it.
5
@Sarah Not sure you followed what I wrote. But I basically agree with what you wrote.
1
Russia has been in Africa for a long time. Or does the NYT so easily forget that places like Egypt are in Africa?
2
Oh, give me a break. The US has military in one hundred forty five countries in the world, and we are the number one seller of arms bar none. Our hegemony is not in danger, just our need to dominate every corner of the known universe.
34
The NYT putting us on a war footing again. Business as usual. I don’t know a single person that has an appetite for more gosh darn war, but you wouldn’t know it if you read these here pages.
17
@Figgsie So, should the NYT not report this?
1
Hopefully we will destroy ourselves. This is how empires end.
2
Why blame Russia for taking advantage of a situation mostly created by the West.
Libya was a safe country until, NATO turned it into a terrorists hub. The millions of weapons that the late Libyan dictator bought have turned Western Africa into a vast war zone.
From Northern Mali to Cameroon, terrorist groups using Libyan weapons are killing more and more people. Why should Africans who were opposed to NATO war against Gaddafi trust the West?
Second most of the countries mentioned in this article are French speaking coutries. France since granting independence to those countries has done everything to keep those countries under its control. France has supported and still support dictators in that part of the World. Until last month, France was still supporting the Algerian President despite him being on his death bed. From Gabon to Cameroon, power has been in the hands of the same family or the same man for more than 35 years. As long as these presidents serve French interest they are protected by France. Most of them have a second home in Paris and when they retire, they all end of living in Paris. Until now foreign reserves of those countries are kept in France.
Most Africans had high hopes when Mr. Obama got elected. They hoped, Mr. Obama would help them get rid of those dictators , get France out of the region. He did nothing besides giving speeches.
Russia is doing what the West has been doing for a long time: taking advantage of Africa.
21
@Chak
Well said !
3
Libya was safe for whom? Not for non-Muslims.
3
Wait, am I actually reading a story about "Western" (read: mostly US) concern about Russian mission creep? In the newspaper of record for a nation that has military bases in 80 foreign countries?
The Russophobia epidemic is growing more ridiculous (and dangerous!) with every passing month. And embarrassing: I'm ashamed that so many of my fellow citizens are so gullible and ill-informed.
15
@Douglas You mean the same gullible and ill-informed Americans who elected Donald Trump?
9
@Tom: Some are the same and some are from a different segment of The Gullibles.
Those who think that the Russians elected Trump are part of one of the different segments. I suppose, though, that you/they can take some satisfaction in knowing that it's a very large segment, with lots of cool kids among the members.
5
Can we instead be concerned about ending our own long and unjustified "military creep" in Afghanistan and Iraq, now about seventeen years old?
15
Interesting how that whole decolonization movement has worked out fifty years on.
5
Putin has his man in the White House. It has been winning, winning and more winning for him since Trump took office.
Putin's now is the foreign power in Syria, which keeps competitive NG pipelines from the peninsula from serving Europe. He's been promised Afghanistan. He's got the Crimea and Southeastern Ukraine. He's gotten sanctions lifted. NATO has been weakened, as has the long-standing trust between the western allies and trading partners has been weakened.
Trump hasn't criticized Russia for what it is doing. Putin knows that he won't, and the NRA, DeVos/Prince, the Mercers, the Kochs, and the GOP are his useful idiots.
Trump has been a useful idiot since 1987, after his first Moscow trip. It is when his anti-NATO rhetoric started with a full-page ad. This useful idiot became our president.
No Collusion has had five hour-plus tête-à-têtes with Putin, without any other American present. No Collusion says when he and Putin chat on the White House secure line he has an aide in the room. If true, he probably only hears Trump.
If the Mueller Report can be kept from Congress and he's allowed to call fake national emergencies, the coup will be complete. If you think this is hyperbole, read the Patriot Act, and defense re-authorizations since. Putin wins.
62
@Carl Lee
Wow, Carl, you hit the many, many nails right on the head with one fairly short synopsis.
4
@Carl Lee In fact, Trump doesn't act like Russia's puppet. He has been aggressive against Russia over Venezuela, Russian gas sales to Europe, sanctions, Russian sales to Turkey etc.
5
Another example of how Trump is frittering away US preeminence that took 70 years to build and maintain. In Trump's 2 years, Russia has gained in Europe and the Middle East. Its military is now in Venezuela in response to Trump's threat of American intervention. And now this report of Russian gains in Africa. Add that to China's gains over the past 2 years in Southeast Asia, Southern Asia, Africa, and South America.
At the same time, Trump has undercut all our traditional allies (save Israel), which means Putin doesn't have to worry about a NATO response, and China can (and has) threatened US allies with impunity. Trump won't even commit to defending NATO allies against invading forces, even though that's a central aspect of the alliance, one which has been called out for exactly once, by the US for 9/11 in Afghanistan.
Whether through incompetence or complicity, Trump is helping our enemies, hurting our friends, and weakening the US. MAGA, indeed!
12
Is it just coincidence that, according to NYTimes, Trump-associated American political consultants are now more active in Africa as well?
7
American involvement in sub-Saharan Africa is relatively slight. Not much trade and not much aid. China is a bigger player. And Putin apparently wants in. If we have little interest, it seems to me that Russia’s presence is much more of an issue for China. And if they compete against each other, the US will have less of a need to compete against either or both.
More evidence that NYT gives voice to whatever the military industrial complex choses to be worried about. Is the problem that US military ops in Africa are going to be challenged?
37
@Michael Munk
I really wish that, in a story like this, the NYT would get a good quote from a well-informed, insightful person who shares the position of so many of the comments here.
“Russia often utilizes coercive, corrupt, and covert means to attempt to influence sovereign states, including their security and economic partnerships.”
That quote begs for a response.
I can try to get the missing side from RT and Al-Jazeera, but it would be nice to have it all in one place in a coherent story.
6
Fact: Russia is a two-but nothing country that requires a tug boat to follow its only aircraft carrier around the world.
It’s what we would call a laughingstock but for their nuclear weapons.
@Daveindiego
I would be a millionaire but for the fact that I'm not. Russia has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world and a delivery system with which to use it.
There are two men that can end life on the planet as we know it: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Sleep well.
7
@ConcernicusLOL- Actually given that The Don and Vlado are best buds, that is one thing about which I am not worried!~
@Lefthalfbach: You should probably stop LOLing and start worrying.
It's *still* two minutes to midnight:
https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/
"Russia (along with the U.S. and China) have been steadily expanding its military influence across Africa, alarming Western officials with increasing arms sales, security agreements and training programs for unstable countries or autocratic leaders."
The Boogeyman cometh. And he speaks Russian. How about stirring up some fear about the Chinese? Getting tired of hearing about those evil Russians.
16
@DeKay
Lets talk about things closer to home, the russians have just landed roughly 100+ troups and tons of unexplained cargo in Venezuela.
4
And why shouldn't Russia send troops to Venezuela? Why would you think it should explain to *us* anything about cargo it sends there?
Do you worry as much about *our* interference in Venezuela as you do about what you imagine is Russia's? Did you not get the memo about the United States' repeated efforts to sponsor coups in that nation, or about our punitive sanctions, or, for that matter, about our looong history of coups, invasions, election-rigging, support for murderous dictators, etc. throughout Latin America?
8
This may turn out positively for African nations. If new African leaders of high integrity invest in self development strategies for their citizenry not themselves. Russian exploitation of African resources and investment opportunities are no different than that of what the Western alliances have done.
Africa’s younger generations are its future economic hope My hunch is that foreign influence and foreigners will never again be given the blind trust and contractual obedience to legal paper contracts as tools for long term exploitation.
It’s odd isn’t it, the inferiors or others wore badges of color that easily labeled them so by white conquerors. Now that cultural and legal precedent looms huge in reverse. Attitudes of others are always speculative while actions are factually true.
4
You're probably right in one single way: Russian (or Chinese) exploitation of the African people and their resources most likely will be just that -- exploitation.
How on earth is that going to be good for those African people, any more than "western" exploitation was?
And what's with the use of the term "Western" anyway? It's a term whose meaning seems often to shift and thus it's an inaccurate and useless term. We live on a sphere spinning on a basically North-South axis folks, and east and west are relative to where you are. And if you mean to rest to culture, how is Russia any more "Eastern" than Spain, Israel or Turkey, as some examples? Russia was for many years and via its royalty consisted European. So if "Western" means European or European-like, how is Russia "Eastern"? And if by "Western" or "the West" you mean Judeo-Christian- or even just Christian-influences, try remembering that both Judaism and Christianity started in the Fertile Crescent of (yes, western) Asia, not Europe; and that even Islam didn't start all that further east than the previously-mentioned religions. So, the whole east/west distinction as you and others use it is bogus; unless, perhaps, if you mean to distinguish the Americas from EurAsia, but how east does one then go before it becomes west again? And Islam has much more in common with, say, Judaism than it does with Hinduism or Buddhism or Taoism. Find another descriptor already.
2
The United States and Europe already CREEPED to Africa long ago. Most Americans have no idea the extent of our military operations throughout Africa on a daily basis. U.S. taxpayers routinely footing the bill for military and drone operations to protect privately owned oil companies, refineries and pipelines, and that's just one natural resource of many. The Europeans are deep into neocolonialism as well. Now, even China is in the game.
When you hear "Western officials are alarmed" that means Western corporations and the government that serves them are alarmed that other countries want in on the game. Poor Africa. Africa needs saving from the superpowers and the upstart powers alike. It will only get worse as these powers prop up mostly subservient so-called leaders.
123
@Marco Philoso
I highly recommend the 30-part BBC documentary about the Cold War on YouTube. It enlightened me to the reality of the world we are living in. Putin is a direct product of the Cold War. He feels like he lost, and now he wants to win.
3
Little surprise - it's not only Africa that finds itself in this position. Armies and armadas have always been used to secure (or obtain) wealth. Are you seriously suggesting this is going to change if Africa is allowed to run its own affairs?
@Marco Philoso
Yep.
Modern industrial colonialism involves sending in resource extraction companies, protected taxpayer-funded military forces.
Russia is a real danger to the US and the West. As is China.
Sadly, none of the Democratic potential Democratic candidates has a clue about these important issues. It looks like John Bolton is by far the best option available.
6
@Amy
Bolton, the same man who belittles the good works of NATO and the U.N.? Who is as happy as Trump about alienating our allies?
No thanks.
26
@Amy Excuse me Amy, but I think it was Vladimir Putin’s concerns regarding HRC’s (Democratic presidential candidate) potential foreign policy interference with his expansionist plans that lead him to direct his intel resources to support the trump candidacy. Please try to keep up.
22
Russia is only a danger to the foreign powers who have ringed it with military bases. How come America can have some 800 military bases around the world, but Russia, having but a fraction of that, is somehow the threat to world peace?
98
We (the US) have been deep into Africa for decades. China is in as deep as the Russians. If you are a tin pot dictator wouldn’t you be playing all three off each other? Three times the graft, three times the bribes.
18
This is like a game of Monopoly to see who can possess the most land.
2
@NICHOLS COURT
More like "Risk".
5
Humm... so a foreign nation using its economic and military might to exercise its will in Africa is a bad thing? Who would have guessed!
31
Russia's and China's policy is to increase their global influence through military involvement and financial help.
Our policy is to isolate ourselves, withdraw aid, and threaten our friends and allies.
Who will have more success?
50
@El Lucho
Indeed. China is in Africa offering aid, teaching Mandarin to their school children and paying for African's travel to China to study the political system.
13
@El Lucho
It depends on how you define success. I doubt that the American people define it same way that Xi and Putin define it. I know that I don’t.
I don’t care how much global influence the federal government has, just as long as they have enough to keep Xi and Putin out of my life—and stay pretty much out of it themselves while they are at it.
3
@El Lucho
Thanks to "trump" we are an also-ran laughingstock. And that's what Putin thinks.
6
Russia (again!) out-maneuvers, out-plans, and out-flanks the USA, whose "policy" is in the hands of the likes of Trump, Bolton, and Pompeo?
Either, the troika above is so set on their own rhetoric that they're unable to see the forest of reality, OR this is all part of Russia's "deal" with Trump? (Look the other way, Donald, see no evil--that's why we helped you become president...)
17
Russia’s GDP equals US military spending. If Putin wants to over-extend his country to the point of being threadbare, let him. These maneuvers aren’t at all a reason to be alarmed.
4
What about Blackwater doing worse things in Iraq, Afghanistan and now training killers in UAE.
79
Gonna be hard to do with that fleabag economy of theirs.
1
Don’t worry. Trump’s got this.
2
@Chris
I know I just breathed a sigh of relief....
2