08-20-2023, 10:40 AM
It's interesting how this hasn't been brought up in here, but it is something I have been following. If you weren't aware, there is a situation ongoing in western Africa that has some global implications. Obviously it is very complex with much history behind it, but the tl;dr version is that a military junta has ousted the democratically elected leader of Niger. This has prompted a response from the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
ECOWAS and the UN are demanding the junta reinstate the democratic leader and the US and France have condemned the actions of the junta. ECOWAS has stated that they have a D-day set where if the president is not reinstated they will undertake military intervention. Almost all active ECOWAS members have pledged military support to the effort, meanwhile there are two other juntas that have threatened to come in on the side of Niger's junta if that does happen.
The junta, FWIW, has proposed a three year transition period and that it is not their intention to hold power. I am skeptical of this, personally, as military coups tend to start off with someone saying that but they become increasingly reluctant to give way for democracy.
ECOWAS and the UN are demanding the junta reinstate the democratic leader and the US and France have condemned the actions of the junta. ECOWAS has stated that they have a D-day set where if the president is not reinstated they will undertake military intervention. Almost all active ECOWAS members have pledged military support to the effort, meanwhile there are two other juntas that have threatened to come in on the side of Niger's junta if that does happen.
The junta, FWIW, has proposed a three year transition period and that it is not their intention to hold power. I am skeptical of this, personally, as military coups tend to start off with someone saying that but they become increasingly reluctant to give way for democracy.
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR