Islam, Russia, and China in Africa (Page 1/3)
fredtoast SEP 08, 04:01 PM
Most of you might not know this, but there is major political turmoil in Central Africa. Just last week the newly re-elected President of Gabon was disposed in a military coup. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Wednesday “The United States stands with the people of Gabon.” But no one in the United States knows we are doing this.

Gabon is only a small part of the story. Over the last three years the democratic governments of 5 other central African countries have been overthrown by military coups (Mali, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger). They form a continuous strip from east to west covering the Sahal region of Africa. I am sure many of these countries had corrupt leaders and the people were getting tired of poverty in an emerging economy, but there is more to it than that. Groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have been gaining ground at an alarming pace across the Sahl region. The Sahel has surpassed the Middle East and South Asia to become the global epicenter of jihadist violence, accounting for 43 percent of 6,701 deaths in 2022, up from 1 percent in 2007.

The United States had a military base in Niger with 1100 troops, but we closed our embassy in July after the military took power there.

Russia might not be directly involved in the coups, but Russian flags are very popular because Russia has become the face of the anti-western movement. Almost all of these countries where coups took place were former French colonies. Also the Wagner mercenaries took part in some of the coups.

And then there is China. Beginning with the 2013 massive investment in the Belt and Road Initiative, China has been pumping tons of money into developing Africa. The mining industry infrastructure was development, engineered and constructed by Chinese companies with resource extraction by Chinese energy firms. China is Africa’s largest two-way trading partner, hitting $254 billion in 2021 (over 4 times the U.S.-Africa trade). China is the largest provider of foreign direct investment in Africa, and also the largest lender to African countries. In 2017, China completed its first overseas military base in Djibouti, and there have been reports of China looking to build naval bases on Africa’s Atlantic Ocean coast.


So what is my point in all of this? I am concerned that a lot of people have no idea what is happening in Africa. Africa is a growing economy and that means a growing market for US good and services. And Africa if freaking HUGE. 1.5 BILLION people live in Africa (four-and-a-half times as many as in US). We have to take more interest or else we will get shut out that market. We have been spending lots of money on foreign aid to africa for years, but this is different. Instead of buying them food and medicine we need to be investing and developing business relations before the ant-west movement washes us out.
MidEngineManiac SEP 08, 06:59 PM
Know about it, or care about it ???

HELL NO !!!!!!!!

Mens rights. White pride. Straights only. No sand-ape religions. Free speech. Free thought. Armed, and happy.

Rest of em.....do what ya want so long as ya aint bothering me with it.

It's your trip on this space-ship. I'll stick with my own.

Gotten beyond plain-old tired of it.

[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 09-08-2023).]

rinselberg SEP 08, 07:01 PM

quote
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac:

Know about it, or care about it ???

HELL NO !!!!!!!!

Mens rights. White pride. Straights only. No sand-ape religions. Free speech. Free thought. Armed, and happy.

Rest of em.....do what ya want so long as ya aint bothering me with it.

It's your trip on this space-ship. I'll stick with my own.


Sounds like a plan.

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 09-08-2023).]

fredtoast SEP 08, 10:42 PM

quote
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac:
Mens rights. White pride. Straights only. No sand-ape religions.


Free speech.






As long as you are talking about straight-only, white-only, male-only stuff,

quote
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac:
Free thought.





As long as you agree with the straight-only, white-only, male-only opinion.
I really wish people like you would keep the word "freedom" out of their mouths. All you do is squeal and cry about other people having a right to express their opinion. It actually seems to keep you in a constant state of agitation and misery.
MidEngineManiac SEP 09, 03:08 AM
Goody for you toasted....

You have had your say. your vote. your wish.

Democracy in action.

You got ignored, boy.

Now run along and go chew on a Tide-Pod or whatever equal brand your kind has decided on this week.

Men have things to do, child. Like pop pimples, pick our teeth, scratch our balls, distance-gobbing contests, and compare women's asses as they walk by.

We aint got time for children stomping their feet, crying, and and feelings.

Dont like it ?

Same door swings 2 ways. How you use it is the extent of your "vote", democrat. Take your "democracy" with you when you leave.
Patrick SEP 09, 03:27 AM

quote
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac:

We aint got time for children stomping their feet, crying, and and feelings.



You've spent over 17 years here doing just that! And no, my math isn't off.

By the way, who's this "We" that you believe you're speaking on behalf of?
MidEngineManiac SEP 09, 03:36 AM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

By the way, who's this "We" that you believe you're speaking on behalf of?



That would be my imaginary demon friend Valik and the 666 voices in his head telling him Timmies SUCKS and hockey is for girls.......





Great...Just great....

Now I need a mop, a roll of paper towels, a new beer and a new keyboard......and liniment. 17 years ago laughing like that was funny. Now I sprain something doing it.

[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 09-09-2023).]

rinselberg SEP 09, 03:41 AM

quote
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac:

Goody for you toasted.... You have had your say; your vote; your wish. Democracy in action.

You got ignored, boy.


Ignored? Ignored in what way? Ignored by who, or what? What would make anyone say that forum member "toasted" (fredtoast) has been or is being ignored?
MidEngineManiac SEP 09, 04:01 AM

quote
Originally posted by rinselberg:

Ignored? Ignored in what way? Ignored by who, or what? What would make anyone say that forum member "toasted" (fredtoast) has been or is being ignored?



The 8 billion on the planet who dont give a rats ass what Freddy thinks.

Or I think

Or you think

Who are just gonna go do as they damn well please anyway.

Who dont seek, need nor require the consent or approval of "Toasted".....or anybody else like him.
rinselberg SEP 09, 04:41 AM

quote
Originally posted by fredtoast:
I am concerned that a lot of people have no idea what is happening in Africa. Africa is a growing economy and that means a growing market for US good and services. And Africa is freaking HUGE. 1.5 BILLION people live in Africa (four-and-a-half times as many as in US). We have to take more interest or else we will get shut out that market. We have been spending lots of money on foreign aid to Africa for years, but this is different. Instead of buying them food and medicine we need to be investing and developing business relations before the ant-west movement washes us out.



It's hard to argue against the idea of the U.S. and other Western nations "going bigger" on Africa, in terms of capital investment and proactively participating in Africa's economic development.

MidEngineManiac's invocation of the "8 billion on the planet who don't give a rat's ass" is entirely beside the point.

If the U.S. and other Western nations are going to "up their game" in Africa, in terms of capital and other kinds of investment and partnering, it can only be done by a select group of people within the U.S. and other Western nations who have the clout as investors, business leaders and policy "movers and shakers" to "get 'er done."

MidEngineManiac's 8 billion randos in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere around the world, have no relevance whatsoever to this conversation.

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 09-09-2023).]