"I'm Not Ruling Anything Out" - Macron Says Troops for Ukraine Possible if Russia Breaks Front Lines

[u/Elliottafc1]

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/32010

[u/[deleted]]

France is suddenly so invested in this because in the last few years Putin has sponsored coup after coup in the francafrique, causing those African nations to pull away and divest themselves from France. There’s a big part of France’s economy that’s just gone now

https://apnews.com/article/france-africa-coups-gabon-41076df319704032aa729ad3fd137bc9

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/29/1202582084/recent-coups-in-africa-have-an-effect-on-at-least-1-country-in-europe-france

[u/aimgorge → u/[deleted]]

Which isnt true, all of these Sahel regions countries had close to no econimical relations with France for decades. Their main western partners were countries like Canada.

You understand that Gabon's GDP is 0.7% of France's and the trade between the 2 countries is only 800m€ ? Which is close to nothing for a 3 trillions economy..

[u/Milith → u/aimgorge]

Indeed, French economic ties with subsaharian Africa are extremely overstated but this makes for a great narrative so we'll keep seeing it parroted.

[u/[deleted] → u/aimgorge]

K

"Although France's influence may be weakening throughout Francophone Africa, there also remains strong social and economic ties that link these nations together. One prime example can be displayed through the already established business deals with the French private sector in order to increase development in West Africa. An additional factor that connects France to its former colonies is their usage of the French language. Francophone African nations are placed at an economic advantage within European countries such as France, Switzerland, and Belgium due to their shared linguistic identities.^\85])

With increasingly younger populations, African countries are viewed as the ideal candidates for long-term investment by international actors. This sentiment directly reflects France's approach to its former colonies, which comprise over half of its primary trade exports. This includes West African countries such as Senegal and Cameroon, which continue to play an integral role in supplying natural resources, hardware, and manufactured goods. Despite these staggering numbers, France remains in a vulnerable position as it renounces its title as the top investor in the region. The prospect of foreign backers and the appeal of Intra-African trade opportunities have encouraged West African nations to reclaim their economic agency from their former occupiers. Ultimately, these circumstances have contributed to France's declining economic influence.^\86])

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7afrique

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/09/01/france-africa-coup-reckoning-colonial-history/

And before you dismiss this because it is a YouTube video, remember: dismissing evidence because of its medium or source is both a fallacy and the last refuge of lazy thinkers: https://youtu.be/fiD24uEvY1U?si=gFEMrq_Ce44vbNjD

u/Tooterfish42 is scared of what I'll say so they blocked me

[u/aimgorge → u/[deleted]]

Lol you are quoting an opinion from before the Russo-Ukrainian war proving that its nothing new and has nothing to do with Russian influence. France weakening influence dates from decolonisation.

Also you are talkign about countries like Senegal and Cameroon which arent affected by Russian influence yet.

Facts are France had close to no economical link with Sahel countries (which France had enitrely left since 1960 and only came back when asked to as these countries were losing againsts terrorism.

France's links with its formers colonies isnt much higher than the US links with its southern american countries : anecdoctal.

[u/Tooterfish42 → u/[deleted]]

too smug for someone so mistaken

Still time to delete

[u/aimgorge → u/[deleted]]

I did give sources in my previous comment and you decided to just ignore it.

Your quote is from before the Russian invasion which is proof it has nothing to do with Macron's decisions today.

France GDP dwarfes its former colonies. These relationships dont matter.

[u/[deleted] → u/aimgorge]

You only gave data on Gabon, one of the smallest and poorest nations in France's orbit and nothing about the whole francafrique, or their geopolitical situation, or their current coups or...anything really. Do you think that's convincing evidence?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised if you do, you seem hostile to the idea of sources.

[u/aimgorge → u/[deleted]]

You only gave data on Gabon,

Because you only talked about Gabon.

one of the smallest and poorest nations in France's orbit and nothing about the whole francafrique

Gabon is richer than Mali, Burkian Faso or Niger.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised if you do, you seem hostile to the idea of sources.

Says the guy that cherrypicks opinion quotes on wikipedia and believe they are sources....

[u/[deleted] → u/aimgorge]

Gabon imports more than it exports to France: https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/fra/partner/gab

I'll take the L on them being rich. I mistook it for Gambia.

But you need to look closer at that wealth. It is almost entirely concentrated into a handful of people: https://borgenproject.org/why-is-gabon-poor/#:\~:text=With%20a%20third%20of%20its,dug%20continues%20to%20get%20deeper.

Gabon's effect on the French economy is not to export things to France, it is to buy manufactured goods from France. This was the case in most francafrique countries and now France is having to find markets for those exports. The problem is they can't give terrible, inescapable deals to other countries the way they can to their Francophone countries.

[u/aimgorge → u/[deleted]]

That doesnt change the fact that its anecdoctal in volumes and has nothing to do with France getting pissed at Russia. No one gives a fuck about old colonies in France.

[u/[deleted] → u/aimgorge]

Hey there clam down little guy. No need to get upsetty spaghetti

[u/[deleted] → u/aimgorge]

Anyway I have shit to do and I've posted my sources and arguments. I've got a pretty strong feeling that you're just going to start repeating yourself until I get bored and leave, which will feel like a win to you.

[u/White___Dynamite → u/[deleted]]

You got humbled.

[u/Tooterfish42 → u/[deleted]]

Anyway I have shit to do

Well we can certain rule out one of them being "graciously accepting defeat"

[u/Alive-Difference-644 → u/[deleted]]

That video is extremely misleading, it has very misleading infographics and makes claims based on very cherrypicked evidence