The past few years have witnessed militant defensive actions and campaigns around the world defending the working-class movements that are collectively “fed up.”
They are fed up with the putrid smell of the deteriorating U.S. and West European imperialism — which rides on white supremacy.
Following the U.S.-backed 2014 coup in Ukraine, Nazi organizations were put into leading positions of power. The “ethnic cleansing campaign” they executed in the predominantly Russian-speaking Donbass region was finally countered last year despite the U.S.-led NATO proxy war.
On the continent of Africa, the actual impact of the “non-invasion” invasion of AFRICOM and U.S.-led NATO has been justified as a “war on terror.” However, even the United Nations was forced to expose that the U.S. is the source of terror — exposing another version of genocide on the African continent. The U.S. proxy wars have created and supported terrorists and policies that ensure the continuation of the U.S. and Western European plunder of resources, creating scarcity of water, food, health care, and electricity on top of debilitating sanctions.
Biggest U.S. drone base
That horror has been escalating, using Niger as the home to the biggest U.S. drone base at Agadez, Niger, built during the former government. But, that consent of subservience has now come into question with a military coup that is feeding off the frustration of the people of Niger and much of Africa’s populace. They are again showing they are fed up with imperialism and demand the removal of any influence of France, including the removal of U.S. troops and bases in Niger.
There comes a time when the oppressed will not be frozen in fear by genocidal repression or the politics of reform and stifling pacifism. The coups of governments loyal to imperialists or the loosening of that loyalty in the last few years in Africa is increasing at a quicker pace as that fear turns into militant self-defense – and is becoming contagious.
Fed up in Montgomery
That historical “fed up” connection of oppression, colonialism, and slavery was recently reflected in the U.S. in Montgomery, Alabama, when a Black person was attacked by a mob of violent white thugs practicing white supremacy. What followed was an immediate collective defense of that Black person by many Black people on the riverfront. The triumphant ending of that attack was videoed. There was an immediate, palpable understanding, especially by African/Black people, of the right to self-defense in a country with increasing domestic militarized repression of the cops and the FBI (Department of “Justice”) in the U.S., regardless of who is president.
So, here in the U.S., we can understand the contagious “fed up” in Niger, where 1,100 U.S. troops and a fleet of drones are a launching pad of terror. The facility is the largest base-building effort in the history of the Pentagon — Air Base 201, costing well over $240 million. The Pentagon’s line of calling this base primarily a place for surveillance against terrorism falls flat against the MQ-9 Reaper drone usage (in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria) and even their own words.
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Aug. 15, regarding Niger: “We have assets and interests in the region, and our main priority is protecting those interests and protecting those of our allies.”
According to Military.com: “The MQ-9 Reaper is the primary offensive strike unmanned aerial vehicle for the U.S. Air Force. Given its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite, and precision weapons — it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets.”
As the New York Times noted, the MQ-9 Reaper is known for its high rate of civilian casualties.
In a recent demonstration in Agadez, protesters pointed out that they were the family, including children, of those targeted and demanded the U.S. troops and their terror drones leave Niger.
Ten of thousands in Niger are demonstrating in support of the coup by the army.
The military coup government of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, has called into question Niger’s growing military budget, with the biggest U.S. military presence in West Africa, enabling the neo-colonialist economic devastation of a country rich in uranium, with over 40% of of the population in poverty.
Opposed to imperialist intervention
Although it may not be clear how the opposition to France and the U.S. will continue, it has inspired the people. Polls have shown that the majority of African people are not behind governments that support the U.S., France, and the most loyal countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) proposing imperialist intervention in Niger.
Burkina Fuso, Mali, Algeria, Guinea, and even much of the population belonging to the ECOWAS countries do not support the ECOWAS position nor the economic sanctions against Niger. This has inspired an opposition against governments complicit with imperialism, riding on white supremacy and denying self-determination.
Like in Montgomery, Alabama, this viral sentiment of resistance presents an excellent opportunity for world solidarity and the unification of the working class.
As Vladimir Lenin said: “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”
These weeks present the opportunity to ride the momentum of African/Black peoples and push social progress further.
Let’s let our actions of being fed up with imperialism and white supremacy support the strength of the people of Montgomery and Niger.
Maybe in the U.S., in solidarity with the people of Niger, protests against French consulates and the U.S. federal buildings would be in order, with a viral video of Montgomery.
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