US to cut military presence in Niger + Pentagon lied to Congress

The Pentagon reportedly plans to pull out some of its troops from the African country

The US has begun “repositioning” the troops it has in Niger and plans to cut their number “nearly in half” over the next several weeks, Politico reported on Friday citing two Defense Department officials.

US to cut military presence in Niger

Related:

Pentagon Misled Congress About U.S. Bases in Africa

Rand Paul: Why do we still have troops in Niger?

Neutrality and Nonalignment Are Signs of Strength

In Defense of Neutrals: Why they’re more than just fence sitters.

The demise of neutrality has been much exaggerated. Finnish membership and Sweden’s accession application to NATO have been interpreted in some corners as evidence of its decline. In wars of aggression, refusing to pick sides is untenable, some hold, as they berate those who still do not send weapons to Ukraine or sanction Russia.

Neutrality and Nonalignment Are Signs of Strength

Why the U.S. Government Cares About the Coup in Niger + More

Let us travel back in time to April 9, 1999. It was the middle of hot season in the West African country of Niger and 120 degrees in the shade. Jocelyn, one of the authors, was a newly minted Peace Corps volunteer and had recently arrived in a rural community 60 miles south of Niamey, the capital, where she would spend the next two years. That day, President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara and five other people were shot dead at the airport, a mutiny by his presidential guard. But there was no international outcry, no evacuation of Americans and Europeans. Jocelyn was told to stay put in the small community where she was living. Life went on as usual.

Why the U.S. Government Cares About the Coup in Niger | Opinion

Related:

“Divide and Rule”: Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni Is Biden’s “Political Asset”. U.S. Behind Niger Coup d’Etat. America’s Hegemonic Wars Against Europe and Africa

NATO to expand Asia-Pacific presence by opening office in Japan + What can China do about it?

Last week, news emerged that NATO intends to open a liaison office in Tokyo, Japan next year. The office would be NATO’s first in the Asia-Pacific region and represents the increasing role of the organisation in preparation for a US-led war against China. Both Tokyo and NATO have confirmed the plans.

NATO to expand Asia-Pacific presence by opening office in Japan

Related:

What can China do against NATO’s foray into Asia?

So what can China do to respond to this attempt at ‘alliance encirclement’ against it? First, it can strengthen its ties with Russia and aim to create a deeper balance of power in the Asia-Pacific. Secondly, it can revitalize old alliances and strengthen its ties with North Korea as a military partner. After all, the DPRK is still obligated by the 1961 treaty of mutual assistance to come to China’s aid in a war and can be used to contain Japan and South Korea. Thirdly, it can look to build new military partnerships with regional countries who feel similarly threatened by US expansionism; for example, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. While the rest of ASEAN are likely to stay neutral, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam (excluding the US-aligned Philippines), China should work to improve its relationships with these countries in order to prevent the US from trying to ‘force’ them to choose.

1,600 people march through Naha protesting Japan’s defense buildup in Okinawa

A thousand-plus people joined a demonstration in Okinawa’s prefectural capital on Feb. 26 to protest the Japanese government’s plans to build up its defense capabilities on a group of islands in the country’s south for a possible contingency in Taiwan.

1,600 people march through Naha protesting Japan’s defense buildup in Okinawa

Related:

U.S., Japan, South Korea Hold Ballistic Missile Defense Drills after North Korean Launches

Read More »

Ukraine: The Violence Before the Violence

The violence in Ukraine is unimaginable. But before the violence, there was violence.

The military conflict in Ukraine has received an unprecedented amount of media coverage. The major US networks have given more coverage to Russia’s war in Ukraine than they did to America’s war in Iraq. But there were very important military dimensions prior to the war in Ukraine, many of them focussed around the coup of 2014, that have gone almost unreported. The lack of reporting is important because those events played a role in the lead up to the war.

Ukraine: The Violence Before the Violence