French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that French will remove its troops and ambassador from Niger, as the military junta that took over the country in July wants French forces out.
“France has decided to bring back its ambassador, and in the coming hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” Macron said on French TV, according to AP. “And we will put an end to our military cooperation with the Niger authorities.”
The comments show France is backing down from its hardline position on the military junta that ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum. Macron previously strongly backed threats from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to intervene militarily if Bazoum was not reinstated and rejected demands for the French ambassador to leave Niger.
France has about 1,500 troops in Niger, and Macron said the military withdrawal would happen gradually, likely being completed by the end of the year. He said the pullout will be done in cooperation with the junta “because we want it to take place peacefully.”
The US has about 1,100 troops in Niger, and there’s no sign yet that the Americans have been asked to leave. US military officials have said they’re considering relocating a major drone base that’s in Niger to another country, but there have been indications that the US is willing to cooperate with the Niger junta to maintain its military presence.
The best decision of Macron presidency thus far…!
The US also should quit on its won
Many are interpreting this as a defeat for France and perhaps it is, but just a reminder that pulling all citizens out of a country is often done just prior to declaring war. Let’s see what happens.
France backed out of Vietnam and left the US to hang in the wind.
Humanity sees clearly now; The US government wants war with the world and it wants to fight with inferior weapons, an obese drug riddled population, or some other country’s people.
A rare moment of sanity.
The WEST backs away from certain war!? I’ll believe it when I see it!
(Sarcasm)
Everyone should get out to include Wagner although Wagner is getting hunted and kicked out by local tribes.
Victoria Nuland went there and threatened them.
Either the US quietly backed down, or the US will be leaving.
I’d like to see detailed reporting if the US disavowed the crazy antics of Nuland. That would be a good start on more needed.
Niger has a metric sh*tload of natural resources