Basically what you are seeing in the Sahel region of Africa and several other formerly French colonial areas is a low grade conflict between the west (Mainly France) and Russia for influence in the area. The French never were good colonizers always treating the local populations as lower life forms. An argument can be made there, because sub-Saharan Africa is well... and as we all know the French are pretty haughty. As such, few if any former French colonies have ever had any real love for their former French colonizers at any time since.

Now I guess these former colonies are looking for another Sugar Daddy in the form of the Russians, and God knows what the Russians are promising them, but if they thing the French were bad they are in for a rude awakening. If living in an African chit hole ain't bad enough, living in a Russian dominated African chit hole is going to be a nightmare.

Sometimes people get what they deserve...

Glad to see our troops moving out of there. That must have been hell hole of a duty station. Hope our troops all get home safe.