Macron’s belligerence may also compensate for other inadequacies. He suffers from delusions of adequacy. From Strategic Culture at strategic-culture.org:
No French politician can feel more aggrieved than President Emmanuel Macron. Macron imagines himself to be on a mission to restore “France’s greatness”. He seems to harbor fantasies of also leading the rest of Europe under the tutelage of Paris.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was spot-on this week in his observation about why France’s Emmanuel Macron is strutting around and mouthing off about war in Ukraine.
Putin remarked in an interview that Macron’s wanton warmongering over Ukraine was borne out of resentment due to the spectacular loss of France’s standing in Africa. One after another, France’s former colonial countries have told Paris in no uncertain terms to get out of their internal affairs.
Since 2020 and the coup in Mali, there has been immense political upheaval on the continent, particularly in West and Central Africa, stretching from the vast Sahel region down to the equator. At least seven nations have undergone coups or government changes against Francophone rulers. They include Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Central African Republic, Gabon, and Guinea.
The continent-wide changes have come as a political earthquake to France. The new African governments have adamantly rejected old-style French patronage and have asserted a newfound national independence. Paris has had to recall unwanted ambassadors, shut down military bases, and withdraw thousands of troops.
Where to put these French troops? In Ukraine, pitted against Russia?
Popular sentiment across Africa is exasperated with and repudiating “Francafrique” corruption.
Meanwhile, with an unmistakable end-of-era sense, French media have lamented “France’s shrinking footprint in Africa.”
A former diplomat summed up the momentous geopolitical shift thus: “The deep trend confirms itself. Our military presence is no longer accepted. We need to totally rethink our relationship with Africa. We have been kicked out of Africa. We need to depart from other countries before we are told to.”
I would almost feel sorry for Frenchie but Klaus scraped the bottom of the barrel for the best governments that money can buy and now it will all burn down better.
Good, good, I love a happy ending.