U.S. LEAVING NIGER... FOR IVORY COAST?

So the US military has been sent packing by Niger. It seems the sides have agreed that Washington will wind down operations at its Air Base 201 in Agadez by 15th September. It’s America’s biggest drone base, so that puts an end to all those unmanned missions, you might think… but is the Pentagon really reducing its footprint in West Africa?

A recent Le Monde splash cites sources saying the Americans are eying a new military base in nearby Ivory Coast - and have received the green light.

Continued…. The US general responsible for West Africa ops has already denied this. Still, with arch-rivals China and Russia gaining friends and influence in the region, it’s hard to take his remarks at face value.

France is another power that’s got its tail between its legs in West Africa - having also been expelled from Niger, as well as from Mali and Burkina Faso. If the latter’s president, Ibrahim Traoré, is to be believed, Paris, too, has its eye on the Ivory Coast. In fact, he claims the French are already there (and in Benin!), using Abidjan as a centre to orchestrate covert operations to destabilise Burkina Faso. Traoré has vowed to share some serious evidence of this with the world “in days.”

While we wait for confirmation of what the French and Americans are really up to in West Africa, your thoughts and insights into the situation with the Ivory Coast are most welcome in the comments!

‘WE VOTED MADURO, THEY
WANT CHAOS’

Opposition protestors disputing the re-election of President Maduro have hit the streets in Venezuela, with scenes of unrest across the country. But his supporters are rallying behind him.

In this clip, a staunch Maduro backer says she won’t let the opposition overturn the county’s democratic process. She brands the protests illegitimate, aimed only at bringing chaos. She says this ‘fire’ will soon go out by itself… or be put out.

She’s up against the Western world, mind. They’ve all already rallied behind Venezuela’s opposition - and are blowing hard to fan those flames.

Do you think Venezuela is about to go up in smoke?

Video credit: @Con el Mazo Dando

‘ISRAELIS DEFENDING RAPISTS? THIS IS NUTS’

It was a shocking scene, Israelis breaking into a prison in support of guards accused of raping Palestinian inmates. Here, independent journalist Richard Medhurst struggles to comprehend the mentality of those involved.

In case you didn’t know, nine Israeli soldiers have been detained over allegations they sexually abused a Palestinian so badly he needed hospital treatment. However, instead of the horrific sex crime causing outrage, mobs were incensed the suspects had been questioned.

Continued……It’s been reported two members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, were also among the demonstrators. On top of that, when news broke of the arrests the protests were called for by right-wing lawmakers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu, Likud member Tally Govlit and Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot.

The NGO Palestinian Prisoners Club estimates around 9,700 Palestinians are being held in Israeli cells, including dozens of children. Amnesty International says torture of inmates is ‘rampant’, and many are being held indefinitely.

Video credit: Richard Medhurst richardtmedhurst

ISRAELI LAWMAKER DEFENDS ‘RAPING’ PALESTINIAN PRISONERS

An Israeli lawmaker stunned the Knesset when he claimed soldiers should be allowed to ‘rape’ Palestinian prisoners. Hanoch Milwidsky, a Likud party member, was speaking after the arrest of nine reservists for sexually abusing a Palestinian inmate at the notorious Sde Teiman facility.
Fellow politicians were shocked by his remarks, with Ahmad Tibi, founder and member of the Ta’al party, getting into an angry exchange.

Despite his objections, many other lawmakers seem to side with Milwidsky. After news broke of soldiers being detained over the horrific incident, senior government officials called for protests in support of those accused. Mobs then stormed Sde Teiman and also the Bet Lid military facility where the soldiers had been questioned.

It’s reported the Palestinian victim was so badly injured, he needed hospital treatment. However, according to Milwidsky, ‘if he is a Nukhba, everything is legitimate to do’.

Video credit: חדשות 24

ISRAELI MEN DEMAND RIGHTS TO RAPE PALESTINIANS PRISONERS

Here’s more viral footage of Israelis storming prisons in support of guards accused of raping Palestinian inmates. It was posted @Suppressednews and has got nearly 40 million views in less than two days. The video shows mobs responding to calls by Israeli politicians to protest the fact nine soldiers were detained over the rape of a Palestinian inmate who then needed hospital treatment. Even in the Knesset, a lawmaker claimed soldiers should be allowed to sexually abuse jailed Palestinians.

The incident took place at the notorious Sde Teiman facility. It’s a military base in the Negev desert that also doubles as a detention centre for Palestinians arrested in Gaza. Middle East Eye reported it’s held over 4,000 Gazans since October 2023. Whistleblowers have described conditions of extreme abuse and torture.

Video credits: ynet.co.il

U.S. WANTED TO COLLAPSE
VENEZUELA FOR OIL – TRUMP

Here’s another video of former US President Donald Trump saying the quiet part out loud when it comes to Venezuela. As the West doubles down on casting doubt on president-elect Maduro’s victory, it is timely to remember Washington’s thirst for Venezuelan oil.

During his presidency, Trump imposed sanctions on the country’s oil sector in an attempt to collapse Venezuela’s economy and force Maduro from office. The White House also recognised Juan Guaidó, the leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly, as the country’s interim president and supported his push to seize power. Venezuela has the world’s largest oil fields and they’re largely under state control. As you’ll see in this clip, that does not sit well with the US.

Continued…. This is an old pattern. In 1954 the CIA combined with the US multinational, United Fruit Company, to overthrow Guatemala’s democratically elected leader to secure access to land and labour. The US overthrew Iraq’s Saddam Hussein when he worked to shift the oil trade away from the dollar. In 2011, eyeing Libya’s massive energy reserves, the West armed and funded rebels to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi.

Have a watch and let us know what you think. Trump was speaking at a North Carolina GOP convention last year.

‘LIBERIA IS NOBODY’S STEPCHILD’

Liberia recently celebrated its 177th Independence Day. However, activist Robtel Neajai Pailey, says her country still needs to break free from its ‘special relationship’ with the United States. In this powerful speech on July 26th, she claims the US still has an oversized influence on her country, which should be ‘nobody’s stepchild.’ Her speech upset U.S. officials in attendance who, according to folks who were there, walked out in protest.

The founding of Liberia was not done out of kindness for Africans. The American Colonization Society (ACS) wanted to deal with a growing 'problem' of freed slaves in the U.S. Equality with Whites was out of the question so, beginning in 1820, the ACS sent freed slaves back to West Africa using funds given by President James Madison. With time, the colony grew and declared its independence in 1847. The capital, Monrovia, was named after President James Monroe, who procured more funds for the colony.

Continued….. However, despite its declared ‘freedom’, there was still an exploitative relationship. Firestone, a major U.S. Tyre and Rubber Company, is a good example of that. It operated under a colonialistic 99-year lease agreement, forcing a heavily indebted Liberian government to evict indigenous Bassa communities to make way for rubber plantations. White managers coerced tens of thousands of Liberian children, women, and men to tap rubber for meagre wages. The forced evictions then fuelled future civil wars.

Robtel reckons it’s time to reimagine a new Liberia. Will it happen? Let us know your thoughts.

Video credit: Montserrado Media Inc. @Robtelneajai

NICOLAS MADURO: U.S. INCITING VIOLENCE IN VENEZUELA

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the US is inciting citizens in his country to rise against the government. In a televised national address, Maduro said the move is being orchestrated by a group which has wielded powerful influence over successive US governments for centuries. He highlighted how this group has killed many leaders around the world and in the US for refusing to bow to its demands.

Venezuela has been rocked by unrest since the 28 July elections that Maduro won with about 51 per cent of the vote, against 44 per cent of his closest challenger, Edmundo Gonzalez.

The Western-backed opposition claims the elections were rigged but has not provided any evidence to back up the claims so far. They have also called on their supporters to take to the streets in protest.

Continued….. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken quickly latched onto the opposition allegations and said, 'the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.'
However, White House spokesperson John Kirby was more cautious, stating Washington will only take a position once it's received more information.