Debt forgiveness is always a strong geopolitical weapon if one is able to use it correctly…
In Russian society, since late Soviet times, the topic of debt forgiveness to satellites has been the most reliable reason to incite the resentment of the masses against the government, whatever it may be. Tsarist, communist, liberal – any.
The principle formulated by Vysotsky “They have money to burn while we don’t have enough to buy vodka” in different wordings always reliably explodes a loose electorate, which is sure that the authorities waste the people’s good and do not care about the population, to which this money would be so useful. The other day Professor Nataliya Zubarevich from Moscow State University spoke within the framework of such “logic” on the air of “Echo of Moscow“.
A continuation of this theme is “old songs about main things”: “Stop making guns instead of butter”, “Stop feeding the Caucasus (or Moscow, or the Center, or academics, or farmers, or the army – it necessary to specify)!”, “Stop spending money on allies!”, “Stop sending popular wealth into space!” – and similar samples of the “common sense” of the Burghers and laypersons of modern times.
And always for some reason such initiatives go in the same direction – weakening the country. Limiting the possibilities of any expansion of Russia and any increase in its power [military – ed] resource. As if someone very caring tells the crowd the topics, like throwing firewood into the fire – and it joyfully blazes for the fun of hordes of idiots, no matter how much you give them, it will be still not enough, they will spend it all for drink and squander. Even if they win a million in the lottery, they won’t understand how or where it disappeared in a week.
Vladimir Putin recently announced another forgiveness for Africa’s $20 billion debt. Naturally, all ura-patriots and liberals, who are knowledgeable in politics up to convulsions, immediately started to shout how they have no tolerance to see the mistakes that the authorities make in Africa. If the opportunity is given to them to stand at the helm, they would certainly take away all the hopeless debts from Africa and bring this wealth to the Russian budget, the size of which, as is known, “always does not coincide with the out of limit size of the country”.
Or they would abandon Africa in limbo for another 30 years, thinking that they are holding it by the throat. And the fact that not only wouldn’t they wouldn’t receive the debts, but Africa would have slipped away, they do not understand, as it’s too complicated thought for their mind, boiling of protest.
Although it is not difficult to understand that both lending and debt forgiveness are all instruments not of commerce, but of influence and geopolitics, where it’s not power that serves money, but money that serves power. Where, for the sake of global control, money is not counted, but those who count it are the slaves and not governors. And when lending was done to Africa, it was for buying the loyalty of its little kings. But when this lending was forgiven, that loyalty was bought one more time.
For some reason, the same liberals who criticise Russia about Africa’s debts never criticise the United States for the fact that it sponsors (and even without interest) Israel for $4-10 billion a year. Where are these screams of “Stop feeding allies!”?
It is clear that there is a struggle for Africa between Russia, the EU, the United States, and China. Africa is a potentially growing sphere of influence. All global players fight for influence over local elites, and the one who is stingy is not a señor, and not even a vassal, but a servant of a vassal. You know who doesn’t need Africa? Ukraine, Georgia, Sweden, the Baltics, Finland, Denmark, Luxembourg. Is Russia somehow similar to these limitrophes? Does anyone want Russia to become like them? So, and who wants it? Khodorkovsky? Novodvorskaya? Yavlinsky? Kasparov?
It is possible to get back money from Africa in the form of a loan repayment, and China proves it. It is also possible to have a handsome return by buying exclusive rights for our companies. Putin said that the state supports those of ours who plan to work there, which means that Russia will return much more than the $20 billion written off in previous years, only it will do it through other channels.
After all, the state budget in Africa is always poor – it is stolen by kings. I.e., legally speaking we will not be given money back. And it’s not us, but our competitors that they will let into their garden.The latter will give to them three times more and will not ask for it back.
And therefore, what was owned to us has been forgiven, but it will be reclaimed through concessions, diamonds, metals, hydrocarbons, military bases, which will increase the country’s power, and, therefore, it will return back in other areas such as the Northern Sea Route. Or in the form of Venezuela’s oil tank. Or in the form of control over shipping areas where the brazen Anglo-Saxons sail. Has anyone calculated what profits this will turn out to be?
Forgiving debts is not always foolishness and treason. It’s a weapon. Yes, it could fall into Vlasov’s hands. Or maybe in the hands of Pokryshkin. And then that weapon will bring victory. All one has to do is understand how to use it.
In Africa and the Middle East, Vladimir Putin has been doing very well in recent years. This reverberates in the Mediterranean zone, it changes the global gas market, allows to influence Chinese mega-projects in Eurasia, where the US is squeezed out drop by drop – no, not as a slave – but as a master. And one day US will be squeezed out of there, as it was squeezed out of Spain, France, Britain. Judging by the protracted Anglo-Saxon hysteria, where people are almost imprisoned for having ties with Russians, and where already almost every third candidate for president is a Russian spy, it turns out very well.
Together with debt forgiveness in Africa, it is not by chance that our PMCs, our special forces, and our businessmen, like Prigozhin, appeared. They are not there on safari having fun, but going where the foot of a Chinese or American soldier or merchant has not yet stepped. And while the local kings happily chew over the forgiveness of stolen loans, ours pillar their territory in Africa and write in Russian on plywood shields in Cyrillic: “Keep out! Danger! Private!”. And everyone understands for some reason! And “Kalinka” is sang, carrying out each step exactly as is taught by Russian instructors.
“Partners” are angry, but there is nothing they can do. And only in Russia they encourage theirs [liberals – ed] by saying “Let’s talk about how Putin again forgave your money to Africans! How long can you tolerate it?” And theirs shout across all the corrupt media: “What economic growth is there when Putin forgave Africa again!”, “Let’s have pity for military personnel crashing in military planes!” It’s like saying if we left everywhere, then we would become rich! Like in Luxembourg! Or Copenhagen! Or Helsinki.
Admittedly, debt cancellation is a strong move of Russian diplomacy, which has gained the right position in Africa in return. How it is used is another question, but it’s a clinical fact that the move is strong and necessarily indicating penetration into strategic industries in an important region.
It was no coincidence that such a cry rose about debt cancellation, although no one had remember about their existence all these years and no one needed them. It means that Russia has received something important. And this is our next victory, because Russia has not engaged in charity for a long time, for about 19 years. And these write-offs will backfire on our geopolitical partners with acute back pain and sleepless nights. We have already returned to the Middle East, and the big fight for Africa is just beginning.
Aleksandr Khaldey
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