Today, on August 17, Alexander Ivanov, Head of the Officers Union for International Security (COSI), spoke out on US military policy in the Sahel region. After reading an article in the New York Times praising so-called American successes in hot spots and once again condemning Russia’s actions in Africa, Alexander Ivanov was taken aback by its content. He couldn’t remain indifferent and commented on the situation.
Below is the full statement from the Head of the COSI.
“I read an American article today and what it states is simply astonishing!
The New York Times reports, “American-led efforts to dismantle terrorist networks around the world have largely succeeded in such hot spots as Iraq, Syria and Yemen.” It turns out they are citing countries that the US has blatantly tried to plunge into chaos! Even now these countries have not recovered from American “successes”.
In the same article, the Americans complain that Russia is squeezing them out of Mali and Niger and because of that they will not be able to make the same “progress” there. In their opinion, what is happening in the region may force the Pentagon to withdraw 1,100 U.S. troops from Niger and close three U.S. drone bases, including one run by the CIA.
“The very idea that we would leave a vacuum for further pernicious Russian influence would be a real tragedy,” the New York Times quoted J. Marcus Hicks, a retired Air Force general who led U.S. special operations forces in Africa from 2017 to 2019, as saying.
Apparently, Russia has no right to stop its movement in this breakthrough direction for the world.”
