*** Official Putin Started Shootin' Thread ***

[OngBonga]

It's all fun and games in Niger. The pro-Western government has been overthrown in a coup, replaced by a pro-Russian junta. Anti-French sentiment is so high in their former African colonies (I use the word "former" generously there) that they'd rather be colonised by Russian mercenaries.

Maybe they don't realise that the Russians are also only interested in Niger resources.

I do find it funny though how the UK is considered the bad guy of the world, especially by pro-remainers, when it comes to colonialism, despite the fact our empire is virtually gone, while France, a major EU country, continue a policy of soft colonialism in Africa. Where does the bulk of their uranium come from for their nuclear power plants? Niger, that's where. Not for much longer. France has an energy crisis coming by the looks of it.

[Poopadoop]

I do find it funny though how the UK is considered the bad guy of the world, especially by pro-remainers, when it comes to colonialism, despite the fact our empire is virtually gone, while France, a major EU country, continue a policy of soft colonialism in Africa.

I don't think people believe British colonialism was really any worse or better than that of other European powers. France and Spain both have bad reputations about colonialism - just as bad as the UK, but in slightly different ways - and the Dutch and Portugese weren't exactly saints either. Even Belgium acted like cunts.

I think it's fair to say that being a colonial power doesn't bring out the best in countries.

The reason it's been a debate in the UK lately is the sheer amount of plunder that sits in British museums. And the snowflake flagshaggers were upset because someone wanted to put a sign up on some sculpture saying it was stolen from such-and-such country. But Spain also did a lot of plundering.

France and Belgium resisted giving up their colonies long after it was clear they didn't want to be colonies anymore, whereas Spain's colonies were mostly too big for them to control and only the UK had the grace to leave before it was kicked out. Not sure how Dutch colonialism ended, I think they just gave up peacefully after WWII.

As for economic colonialism, I'd be shocked if that practice didn't include us somewhere in some way.