I saw this interesting article today, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61464431

I hadn't heard anything about a civil war in Mozambique but apparently it's been going on for a few years, and the US has been trying to get permission to send troops.  Apparently we've sent a "small training mission" already, we want to send in more, but they won't give us permission?  I had no idea. Apparently our media doesn't think this is very interesting even though there are US interests at play here.  

The BBC article isn't shy about pointing out how neither Mozambique's government or the rebels really want us there, and how even the suggestion that we might come has been helpful for the rebels.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

There's no interest in Africa, not enough resources left.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

I saw this interesting article today, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61464431

I hadn't heard anything about a civil war in Mozambique but apparently it's been going on for a few years, and the US has been trying to get permission to send troops.  Apparently we've sent a "small training mission" already, we want to send in more, but they won't give us permission?  I had no idea. Apparently our media doesn't think this is very interesting even though there are US interests at play here.  

The BBC article isn't shy about pointing out how neither Mozambique's government or the rebels really want us there, and how even the suggestion that we might come has been helpful for the rebels.

If they had a surplus of Baby Formula, we'd be there fighting in a heartbeat.

On a side note, Guinea (West Africa) overthrew their Government back in September and that wasn't reported on the news either.  I think we were dealing with the beginning of football season at that time.

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Fake news. America is the only place on Earth where bad things can happen to black people.

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There's no interest in Africa, not enough resources left.

think again.

Africa has some of the biggest mineral reserves on the planet.

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R.I.P. Stroudcrowd1

There's no interest in Africa, not enough resources left.

think again.

Africa has some of the biggest mineral reserves on the planet.

No they don't, China has those reserves, they just haven't transported them yet.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

think again.

Africa has some of the biggest mineral reserves on the planet.

No they don't, China has those reserves, they just haven't transported them yet.

China does now own all of the mineral reserves in Africa !!!

For example, Guinea (West Africa) pretty much as all of the Bauxite minerals which is jointly owned by Boke Investment (51%) and the Guinean Gov (49%)  The Boke Investment firm includes Pittsburgh-based Alcoa which owns 45% of Boke.

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No they don't, China has those reserves, they just haven't transported them yet.

China does now own all of the mineral reserves in Africa !!!

For example, Guinea (West Africa) pretty much as all of the Bauxite minerals which is jointly owned by Boke Investment (51%) and the Guinean Gov (49%)  The Boke Investment firm includes Pittsburgh-based Alcoa which owns 45% of Boke.

The Congo... Chinese interests now own 15 of the 17 cobalt operations in the DRC.

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China is playing the long game. By purchasing crucial mineral mines and indebting these countries to them under the auspices of their Belt and Road campaign, they are hedging for the difficult times ahead when their workforce begins to quickly dwindle as a result of the one child policy.

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China is playing the long game. By purchasing crucial mineral mines and indebting these countries to them under the auspices of their Belt and Road campaign, they are hedging for the difficult times ahead when their workforce begins to quickly dwindle as a result of the one child policy.

None of that is necessarily a bad thing.  Africa is the only place reproducing above replacement right now.  
China would benefit from a benevolent strategy of outsourcing higher and higher levels of industrialization out to Africa, as they have already done in places like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. 
Or China may want Africa to remain nothing more than a source of raw materials.  
Unfortunately their leadership is totally unaccountable to market forces or popular demands, so who knows which path they will take.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

Zeihan may be overstating the significance of some of China's pending potential issues. Nonetheless, their exploding growth and central planning will only work for so long before rifts begin to form along socioeconomic and cultural lines. Everyone is happy as long as prosperity continues but a severe contraction will expose their lack of social infrastructure to deal with unemployment and inflation. As pointed out, they've severely overspent on housing and development. I would add military expenditures to that. They've built hundreds of ships and planes in the last decade to expand their military footprint. When these items begin to age and require huge sums to maintain and operate, reality will set in. They'll most potentially become another a hollowed-out paper tiger of neglect and corruption as Russia's has become. 

https://youtu.be/oQOrjsFoR3A

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Zeihan may be overstating the significance of some of China's pending potential issues. Nonetheless, their exploding growth and central planning will only work for so long before rifts begin to form along socioeconomic and cultural lines. Everyone is happy as long as prosperity continues but a severe contraction will expose their lack of social infrastructure to deal with unemployment and inflation. As pointed out, they've severely overspent on housing and development. I would add military expenditures to that. They've built hundreds of ships and planes in the last decade to expand their military footprint. When these items begin to age and require huge sums to maintain and operate, reality will set in. They'll most potentially become another a hollowed-out paper tiger of neglect and corruption as Russia's has become. 

https://youtu.be/oQOrjsFoR3A

that was a fascinating watch.

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"Remember Red, Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."  - Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption