On at least three prior occasions I’ve quoted in COTTonLINE the following French military “wisdom.”
La Legion Etrangere c’est le gendarme de l’Afrique
Roughly this translates as “The French Foreign Legion is the policeman of Africa.”
Now comes a column in the US edition of Brit paper The Independent suggesting the aphorism may be much less true going forward. A close reading implies the Russian Wagner Group’s semi-governmental mercenaries may replace the Legion in many former French colonies.
I don’t suppose the French are thrilled. Evidence like this of their more-or-less continuously waning international influence tends to give them la grippe.
As for the Russians, I’m inclined to wish them the joy of it, lording over what most consider the world’s least successful region. A real cynic would conclude the region and the Wagners deserve each other.
