Niger/France: The French government announced that they are pulling their military forces out of Niger.
The withdrawal serves as a lesson to the US to be careful in the region; otherwise it could defect to China and Russia.
Leaving France Leaves A Message
French withdrawal also poses serious questions to the US. Nathaniel Powell, an expert on postcolonial Franco-African relations, said that France’s message is simple: don’t depend on illegitimate regimes that are anti-democratic, to preserve your security.
(The message) is that making the success of your security policy dependent on venal, corrupt, and illegitimate regimes carries huge risks,” Powell said as quoted by Newsweek.
When these illegitimate regimes are overthrown, the new junta will see the foreign backers as occupiers, as happened in Niger and other African countries.
Islamist uprising
Newsweek’s Senior Writer/Deputy Editor Tom O’Connor argued that the issue is not just the rise of the Russian backed government in Sahel, but an Islamist uprising, which is a far greater threat.
Terrorism is expected to surge after the French withdrawal.
The Newsweek quoted US Air Forces Africa Commander General James Hecker, who revealed that the military have resumed drone operations including surveillance and intelligence missions in Niger.
The US could get itself trapped in unending hatred if it focused less on what the people wants.
The Islamist groups are indigenous and can capitalize and use it to destabilize the region further.
Conclusion
The US must craft their Africa policy carefully amid increasing calls by powerful countries to amend the current world order, and embrace multipolar world, which threatens US interests.
