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1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:

Belgium and King Leopold have entered the chat. There weren't as many games on their schedule but man, did they work hard to run up the score.

yep. I anticipate DRC collapses even further in the next 5 years. The key is can Rwanda hold it together under Kagame and when he dies what happens next. Back to Haiti. The call for an international force is BS. They won't do shit. Who ever is planning this does not know that side of the Island. PaP is toast. Need to secure Cap Hatien and Jacmel.

 

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Haiti is about to get more interesting. 1- PM resigns officially within the next week. He said he would, not provided to parliment. 2- This means they did not ratify the international deployment.

I really fear the international community is going to fuck this up, see a lot of boat people and well then we will be left to fix it.

 

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3 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

Not surprising. Expect the 4 Sahel countries to do this as well. The loss is it was one way we could keep an eye on the extremists in the region. Watch Russia head in harder to extract what they can. 

From a few weeks ago  it’s the Daily Mail but we know this is happening.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13143577/Russia-Vladimir-Putin-weaponise-migrants-Europe.html#:~:text=Putin plans to stoke conflict,European elections | Daily Mail Online

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Russia is trying to destabilise Europe and influence its elections by driving migrants into the continent using private armies, it has been claimed. Vladimir Putin already wields influence over a number of the main routes used to reach the continent, and it is now feared that Russia will 'intensify' its efforts to move migrants towards Europe with the arrival of spring.

Using paramilitary forces and private mercenaries, including the notorious Wagner group, it is believed Russia will stoke violence in already volatile nations such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Sudan, Central African Republic and Libya - forcing people to flee their homes and thus driving refugees towards Europe

Quote

Last year Finland was forced to close its doors to asylum seekers at four crossings after arguing that Putin was deliberately sending them across the border in retaliation for it joining NATO.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said it was 'clear that these people are helped and they are also being escorted or transported to the border by border guards', although Russia dismissed the claims.

 

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https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/dairy-cattle-texas-kansas-tested-positive-bird-flu-108482836

Milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas has tested positive for bird flu, U.S. officials said Monday.

Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states and in New Mexico, causing decreased lactation and low appetite.

It comes a week after officials in Minnesota announced that goats on a farm where there had been an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were diagnosed with the virus. It's believed to be the first time bird flu — also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza — was found in U.S. livestock.

The commercial milk supply is safe and risk to people is low, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dairies are required to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply, and milk from the sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. Pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria, and the process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce, the agency said.

“At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the USDA said in a statement.

 

Right.....

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The whole Turkey thing is weird,   Some are claiming this means Turkey is headed back to secular times and pro-Israel, others are saying it’s the opposite. The fact that there’s so much confusion is not a good sign, but Erdogan was rejected so…

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Haiti's National Library was looted Wednesday by armed gangs terrorizing the Caribbean nation's capital Port-au-Prince, its director told AFP, as UNESCO condemned multiple "devastating" attacks on educational and artistic institutions in the city.

Library director Dangelo Neard said the history of Haiti -- the Western Hemisphere's second-oldest republic -- was being threatened.

"Our documentary collections are in danger. We have rare documents over 200 years old, with importance to our heritage, which risk being burned or damaged by bandits," he said.

 

"I was told that the thugs are taking away the institution's furniture. They also ransacked the building's generator."

 

\https://www.yahoo.com/news/haiti-gangs-loot-national-library-165128386.html

 

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Sudan's crisis in Darfur.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The United Nations said Friday it has begun distributing food in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur province for the first time in months, following two successful cross-border operations, but the population still faces widespread starvation unless more help arrives.

The yearlong war between military and paramilitary forces in Sudan is causing one of the world’s worst hunger crises. About a third of the population, or 18 million people, face acute hunger, U.N. aid agencies say. In Darfur province, where some of the worst fighting is underway, the situation is particularly severe.

The U.N.’s World Food Program said two aid convoys crossed the border from Chad in late March, but it had been unable to schedule further deliveries.

“Hunger in Sudan will only increase as the lean season starts in just a few weeks. I fear that we will see unprecedented levels of starvation and malnutrition sweep across Sudan,” said the WFP’s top envoy to Sudan, Eddie Rowe.

The U.N. warned in March that some 222,000 children could die from malnutrition in the coming months unless aid needs are urgently met. The U.N. appeal for $2.7 billion for Sudan was less than 5% funded as of last month.

 

https://apnews.com/article/sudan-darfur-hunger-un-malnutrition-war-famine-d2eed92428b1522ec5f80d5b0c29960e

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“Gonna whack them all,” Andre said in a TikTok post directed to his rivals. “Going to snort cocaine and kill everyone who hates me.”

In another world, where he hadn’t turned to actually kill out people, he’d be a heavily repped Surly poster.
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On 3/20/2024 at 8:23 AM, Bender Bending Rodriguez said:

Wouldn’t it have been more Irish to just quit and leave without telling anyone?

So are we changing the phrase/cocktail   from "Irish Exit" to "Irish Resignation"???

6 hours ago, Boss Hogg said:

“Gonna whack them all,” Andre said in a TikTok post directed to his rivals. “Going to snort cocaine and kill everyone who hates me.”

Well this rhyming prose sucks, but props for being a literal gangster rapper. It's not my musical taste, but Izo and Lizzo on a headliner stage could be fun...

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MIAMI (AP) — A former career U.S. diplomat was sentenced Friday to 15 years in federal prison after admitting he worked for decades as a secret agent for communist Cuba, a plea agreement that leaves many unanswered questions about a betrayal that stunned the U.S. foreign service.

Manuel Rocha, 73, will also pay a $500,000 fine and cooperate with authorities after pleading guilty to conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed more than a dozen other counts, including wire fraud and making false statements.

“Your actions were a direct attack to our democracy and the safety of our citizens,” U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom told Rocha.

Rocha, dressed in a beige jail uniform, asked his friends and family for forgiveness. “I take full responsibility and accept the penalty,” he said.

 

https://apnews.com/article/manuel-rocha-spy-cuba-guilty-plea-8fd30500f4588129a195daaf2d720c13

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I swear to God guys and gals, every day I wake up it looks more and more like I’m living through some kind of “The Winds of War” novel - and this is the start of the novel before everything in the world goes to Hell. 

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I swear to God guys and gals, every day I wake up it looks more and more like I’m living through some kind of “The Winds of War” novel - and this is the start of the novel before everything in the world goes to Hell. 

“Start?” Dude. You’re in night 3 of this two week epic. Shit’s already gone plenty south.
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9 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


“Start?” Dude. You’re in night 3 of this two week epic. Shit’s already gone plenty south.

I do not disagree at all. But as everything in the world has not gone to hell yet, I stand on the verbiage

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1 minute ago, InkaUtexas said:

Careful. He will sue you off his ledge.

Bullshit. Brisket and I have been living on the ledge so long we’re in the same subdivision and have almost paid off our mortgages.  he was there earlier, so he has the nicer view though.

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1 minute ago, Gatorubet said:

Bullshit. Brisket and I have been living on the ledge so long we’re in the same subdivision and have almost paid off our mortgages.  he was there earlier, so he has the nicer view though.

I can lend you a pole saw.

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Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

The United States welcomes today’s establishment of a Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) in Haiti.  The result of months of discussion among diverse Haitian stakeholders, this Council helps pave the way for free and fair elections and the expedited deployment of a Multinational Security Support mission.  We applaud Haitians for their commitment to move forward in a spirit of reconciliation and national dialogue.  We remain committed to working with CARICOM and international partners to support the TPC’s mission to work for and improve the lives of all Haitians.

The security situation in Haiti remains untenable due to the violence caused by gangs that claim to represent the Haitian people but thrive on violence and misery.  Gangs have shut down key infrastructure and economic sites that are lifelines for fuel, humanitarian aid, and other vital supplies, and continue to strip Haitians of their rights to food, education, and healthcare.  The United States is surging support for the Haitian security forces to bolster their capabilities as they fight to defend their country.

We commend Haitian leaders for making tough compromises to move toward democratic governance via free and fair elections.  Much work lies ahead, and the United States remains committed to supporting the people of Haiti.

 

https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0YXRlLmdvdi90aGUtdW5pdGVkLXN0YXRlcy13ZWxjb21lcy1lc3RhYmxpc2htZW50LW9mLWhhaXRpcy10cmFuc2l0aW9uYWwtcHJlc2lkZW50aWFsLWNvdW5jaWwvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDQxMy45MzMwNTI3MSJ9.bzY91Go8PmONIO7q77ayoov6vBzspazx_G8S5uo-XdQ/s/733796035/br/240684341848-l

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1 hour ago, Gatorubet said:

I swear to God guys and gals, every day I wake up it looks more and more like I’m living through some kind of “The Winds of War” novel - and this is the start of the novel before everything in the world goes to Hell. 

So are we all Jan-Michael Vincent?  Do we get Ali MacGraw?

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Sahel is not going to get any better. Well not soon anyways.

Dozens of Russian military instructors have arrived in Niger as part of a new agreement with the country's junta, which has cut links with the West.

State media reported that they arrived along with a state-of-the-art air defence system.

They are expected to install the system and teach Niger's army how to use it.

The West African country is one several in the Sahel region ruled by military authorities to have recently strengthened ties with Russia.

A spokesperson for Niger's military government on Friday said the Russians were in the country to train soldiers.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68796359

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17 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

Careful. He will sue you off his ledge.

 

17 hours ago, Gatorubet said:

Bullshit. Brisket and I have been living on the ledge so long we’re in the same subdivision and have almost paid off our mortgages.  he was there earlier, so he has the nicer view though.

 

17 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

I can lend you a pole saw.

A saw won't matter. I know the contractor who poured the concrete for that ledge and I have some very bad news about that....

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15 minutes ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

 

 

A saw won't matter. I know the contractor who poured the concrete for that ledge and I have some very bad news about that....

That he's Polish?  I'll see myself out...

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Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of Niger’s capital to demand the departure of United States troops, after the military government further shifted its strategy by ending a military accord with the US and welcoming Russian military instructors.

Marching arm in arm through central Niamey on Saturday, the crowd waved Nigerien flags in a demonstration that recalled anti-French protests that spurred the withdrawal of France’s forces from Niger last year after the army seized power in a coup.

One hand-written sign in English read “USA rush out of Niger”, in a show of support for the military government and its decision in mid-March to revoke an accord that had allowed around 1,000 US military personnel to operate on its territory out of two bases.

“We’re here to say no to the American base, we don’t want Americans on our soil,” protester Maria Saley told the Reuters news agency on the sidelines of the march.

The crowd was also heard chanting “Down with American imperialism” and “The people’s liberation is on the march.”

Until the coup, Niger had remained a key security partner of France and the US, which used it as a base as part of international efforts to curb a decade-old rebellion in West Africa’s Sahel region.

In March the country suspended its military agreement with the US. The US military had some 650 personnel working in Niger in December, according to a White House report to Congress. The US military operates a major airbase in the Niger city of Agadez, some 920km (572 miles) from Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations.

A drone base known as Air Base 201 near Agadez was also built at a cost of more than $100m. Since 2018 the base has been used to target ISIL (ISIS) fighters and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, in the Sahel region.

 

Meanwhile, France also agreed to withdraw its troops last September in the wake of the July coup that overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

The new authorities in Niger joined military-run governments in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso in ending military deals with one-time Western allies, quitting the regional political and economic bloc ECOWAS and also fostering closer ties with Russia.

The arrival on Wednesday of Russian military instructors and equipment was further evidence of the military government’s openness to closer cooperation with Moscow, which is seeking to boost its influence in Africa.

A few Russian flags were visible at the protest, but some citizens told Reuters on Friday they did not want the welcome Russian defence assistance to lead to a permanent presence in Niger.

“We must not subsequently see the implementation of Russian foreign military bases,” said Abdoulaye Seydou, the coordinator of the M62 coalition of civil society groups that led anti-French protests last year.

His concerns were echoed by student Souleymane Ousmane: “This is how the French and the Americans and all the other countries settled in Niger – from military cooperation, they ended up occupying large parts of our country,” he told Reuters.

It is still unclear, however, if or when the US troops will leave.

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9 hours ago, Bevo said:

Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of Niger’s capital to demand the departure of United States troops, after the military government further shifted its strategy by ending a military accord with the US and welcoming Russian military instructors.

Marching arm in arm through central Niamey on Saturday, the crowd waved Nigerien flags in a demonstration that recalled anti-French protests that spurred the withdrawal of France’s forces from Niger last year after the army seized power in a coup.

One hand-written sign in English read “USA rush out of Niger”, in a show of support for the military government and its decision in mid-March to revoke an accord that had allowed around 1,000 US military personnel to operate on its territory out of two bases.

“We’re here to say no to the American base, we don’t want Americans on our soil,” protester Maria Saley told the Reuters news agency on the sidelines of the march.

The crowd was also heard chanting “Down with American imperialism” and “The people’s liberation is on the march.”

Until the coup, Niger had remained a key security partner of France and the US, which used it as a base as part of international efforts to curb a decade-old rebellion in West Africa’s Sahel region.

In March the country suspended its military agreement with the US. The US military had some 650 personnel working in Niger in December, according to a White House report to Congress. The US military operates a major airbase in the Niger city of Agadez, some 920km (572 miles) from Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations.

A drone base known as Air Base 201 near Agadez was also built at a cost of more than $100m. Since 2018 the base has been used to target ISIL (ISIS) fighters and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, in the Sahel region.

 

Meanwhile, France also agreed to withdraw its troops last September in the wake of the July coup that overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

The new authorities in Niger joined military-run governments in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso in ending military deals with one-time Western allies, quitting the regional political and economic bloc ECOWAS and also fostering closer ties with Russia.

The arrival on Wednesday of Russian military instructors and equipment was further evidence of the military government’s openness to closer cooperation with Moscow, which is seeking to boost its influence in Africa.

A few Russian flags were visible at the protest, but some citizens told Reuters on Friday they did not want the welcome Russian defence assistance to lead to a permanent presence in Niger.

“We must not subsequently see the implementation of Russian foreign military bases,” said Abdoulaye Seydou, the coordinator of the M62 coalition of civil society groups that led anti-French protests last year.

His concerns were echoed by student Souleymane Ousmane: “This is how the French and the Americans and all the other countries settled in Niger – from military cooperation, they ended up occupying large parts of our country,” he told Reuters.

It is still unclear, however, if or when the US troops will leave.

 

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On 4/13/2024 at 1:48 PM, InkaUtexas said:

Sahel is not going to get any better. Well not soon anyways.

If Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso form this organization, an association of Sahel states if you will, can we just call them ASS from now on?

(not my joke)

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