Sunday, January 13, 2013

Intervention in Mali-Another free ride for China?


Very reluctantly, we are told, President Francois Holland was forced to order French troops to intervene in Mali, a former West African colony. There was no other way to ward off disaster, to prevent yet another failed African state from becoming a haven for terrorists linked to Al Qaeda. France had strong cultural, economic and military links to the region that couldn’t be ignored.
The risks of France’s vague, open-ended venture—which the U.S. has already indicated it will support--are already being debated. But what I find particularly ironic is that the country that has probably most to gain from the intervention--is China. 
Why?
Because, by thwarting the rebels’ drive, France and its partners-to-be will be preserving the security not only of Mali’s rickety regime, but of Mali’s neighbors as well, also former French colonies, none of which can make a serious claim to stability.
But in every one of those countries, China does big business—in several of them, very big business.
 --In Niger, for instance, where France has a program of military cooperation, a Chinese company operates what is China’s largest uranium mine, at Azelik—breaking what was a defacto monopoly on Niger’s reserves once enjoyed by France.
China also runs a major oilfield and has signed a deal to upgrade the country’s power supplies.
--In Chad, where per capital income is about $900 per year, the French have a large  airforce base that is being used for their offensive in Mali. The Chinese have a different kind of operation: their national petroleum corporation is backing a $1 billion dollar project, to lay 300 kilometers of pipelines from oilfields in Southern Chad to a Chinese-built refinery near the capital, Ndjamena. The refinery is jointly owned by China and Chad. China is also building a new international airport nearby.
- The Ivory Coast, once a jewel of the French colonial crown, also has a French military base, and lots of French business interests. But just two days before President Holland intervened in Mali, it was announced in Abidjan, that China and the Ivory Coast had agreed on a massive $500 million low-interest loan from China’s Export Import bank—to finance the construction of a hydropower station-- by a Chinese engineering firm--that will be the largest in the country and will export power to neighboring countries.  
China is also drilling for oil in the Cameroon, building an airport and port in Mauritania, importing cotton from Burkina Faso, making huge deals for iron ore in Guinea and Sierra Leone, while building schools, hospitals, stadiums, not to mention railway lines all over the continent.
So why is China willing to make such massive gambles in a part of the world where governments seem to change from week to week, and huge countries like Mali, which used to be considered one of West Africa’s most stable regimes, can disintegrate into chaos almost overnight?
Part of it is that China, to fuel its soaring economy, is willing to get along with just about anyone in power. They’re not out to organize coups, overthrow regimes or impose their views. 
And in much of West Africa, at least, they’ve probably been bolstered by the thought that, when the chips were down, highly trained and equipped French and American troops would help keep chaos at bay. Indeed, the Pentagon is building small, discrete bases—known as lily-pads--across the continent, and has also assigned more than three American thousand troops to work with and train African solders to deal with “terrorist” threats, like the one that’s just exploded in Mali.  
If the presence of those foreign troops ultimately rubs the native population the wrong way, due to anything from cultural differences to civilian deaths in collateral damage, it’s the French and/or Americans and their African military allies who will have to take the heat.
Without any of their own boots on the ground, without helicopter gun ships or drones in the air, and not a single base outside of China, it won’t be the Chinese.
That’s how it’s been in many other parts of the world, particularly the Middle East: the Chinese have had a free ride, with the U.S. and its allies patrolling key trade routes, intervening in the name of political stability.
At least, that’s the way it was. But with the French and other NATO countries more reluctant to intervene than ever, and with the U.S. military facing major budget cuts, the day will soon come when China will have to pick to pick up its own security tab, protect its own trade routes, become at least one of the cops on the global beat.
China’s leaders may know that. Which is part of the reason for their on-going military build up, particularly the navy. They’ve already made a deal to train Afghan soldiers, for instance, now that the U.S. is pulling out.
That may all make a lot of sense—from China’s view.
But how on earth will the U.S. adapt?

6 comments:

  1. Hello Everybody,
    My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.

    BORROWERS APPLICATION DETAILS


    1. Name Of Applicant in Full:……..
    2. Telephone Numbers:……….
    3. Address and Location:…….
    4. Amount in request………..
    5. Repayment Period:………..
    6. Purpose Of Loan………….
    7. country…………………
    8. phone…………………..
    9. occupation………………
    10.age/sex…………………
    11.Monthly Income…………..
    12.Email……………..

    Regards.
    Managements
    Email Kindly Contact: urgentloan22@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you need a quick long or short term loan with a relatively low interest rate as low as 3%? We offer Xmas loan, business loan, personal loan, home loan, auto loan,student loan, debt consolidation loan e.t.c. no matter your score, If yes contact us via Email: finance2014911@gmail.com Fill The Loan Application Form Below Name............ Amount Needed........ Duration.......... Country............ Monthly income....... Age............. Phone Number........ Sex ................. Email................Business Plan/Use Of Your Loan:....... Apply now on this email :finance2014911@gmail.com Warm Regards Dr Purva Sharegistry

    ReplyDelete
  3. Do you need a quick long or short term loan with a relatively low interest rate as low as 3%? We offer Xmas loan, business loan, personal loan, home loan, auto loan,student loan, debt consolidation loan e.t.c. no matter your score, If yes contact us via Email: finance2014911@gmail.com Fill The Loan Application Form Below Name............ Amount Needed........ Duration.......... Country............ Monthly income....... Age............. Phone Number........ Sex ................. Email................Business Plan/Use Of Your Loan:....... Apply now on this email :finance2014911@gmail.com Warm Regards Dr Purva Sharegistry

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello Everybody,
    My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:{urgentloan22@gmail.com} Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. If you think spell casting is not a real thing, know whom to contact that will help you as they said. Have you met any testimony about Doctor Odunga? You have not seen Doctor Odunga's work and i will say that he is a real spell caster to bring back your ex within 24 hours at his email odungaspelltemple@gmail.com. I am Sarah Brandt from US A here in New Hampshire. I lost my boyfriend my boyfriend 4 years ago and dated some other men to forget about him. I have been in different relationships since I lost my true love counting to 3. As down as i was emotionally, i found testimonies about spell casters when i read about Doctor Odunga. Still i did contact his email at odungaspelltemple@gmail.com and within 24 hours my boyfriend called my phone and said some serious relationship stuff into my ears on the phone and wanted to meet. I met him the next day and he said he was sorry for leaving me that way he did and i knew the spell caster have done it. Please, you do not judge a book by its cover and i found the real spell caster to contact with belief and he helped me solve my problem. I will recommend Doctor Odunga Spell Temple to everyone who wants to meet a real spell caster for help at odungaspelltemple@gmail.com OR WhatsApp/Call him +2348167159012

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really want to thank Dr Emu for saving my marriage. My wife really treated me badly and left home for almost 3 month this got me sick and confused. Then I told my friend about how my wife has changed towards me then she told me to contact Dr Emu that he will help me bring back my wife and change her back to a good woman. I never believed in all this but I gave it a try. Dr Emu casted a spell of return of love on her, and my wife came back home for forgiveness and today we are happy again. If you are going through any relationship stress or you want back your Ex or Divorce husband you can contact his whatsapp +2347012841542 or email emutemple@gmail.com 

    ReplyDelete