Did you know that Russia is in a ruthless pursuit of geopolitical, strategic, commercial, and economic interests in Africa and beyond? This is how western think tanks and other organizations aligned with the liberal order frame Russian foreign policy, Russians, and especially Vladimir Putin. Funny, isn’t it, how one word can make all the difference. (see bolded terms)
Look what happens if we insert the word “ruthless” into an analysis of US or French efforts in foreign relations with Africa. Now imagine what happens when some busy American takes a few moments to read from the New York Times, a think tank like Brookings, or even a niche magazine like Modern Diplomacy. The complexion of the subjects covered takes on a whole new meaning. Take this one from a story titled, “Building Back Better on US-Africa Economic Partnership:”
“America’s Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), the “ruthless” US business association with a strategic focus on connecting business interests between the United States and Africa, has held the 13th US-Africa Business Summit.”
I removed “leading reputable,” and inserted our keyword for effect. Amazing, isn’t it? The power we wordsmiths have. If you are a hegemony and an elite order hell bent on world domination, all you need to do is add Google, some TV spots, and BINGO most of the western world is brainwashed.
Okay, maybe it’s not so simple, but you get the point. An “analysis” by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) punctuated a morning of reading how Putin’s Russia has a new and diabolical plan to expand influence in Africa. The title sort of says it all. Rajen Harshé, who authored the article “Contours of Russia’s creeping expansionism in Africa,” seems afraid Russia’s influence may grow. And there it is again, the one world. “Creeping” is something a monster does, right? Wow, this guy is not only afraid of Russians, he seems to hate them!
The author goes on and on with parroting the liberal order propaganda narrative. Crimea, Syria, disinformation, interference, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Whoever created this negative PR campaign against Russia was an old school public relations Titan, for sure. Ad nauseum was never done better than the trillion dollar mudslinging aimed at Putin and Russia, I can tell you that. The droning misinformation hum of this, has finally gotten to me. Okay some readers may be asking themselves, “Who the hell is this Rajen Harshé fellow anyways?”
Well, ORF is an Indian NGO This Harshé fellow is the former President of the G.B. Pant Social Science Institute in Allahabad, India. I’ll spill the beans here and tell you I wrote this report surrounding him for a purpose. This is where my story gets better. ORF is more or less run by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani (the 12th richest person on Earth). Pertinent to the ORF Russophobia is the fact that Ambani makes a killing off of processing crude oil into fuel, plastics and chemicals at facilities he owns in Jamnagar on the Arabian Sea. Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd., owns the world’s biggest oil refining complex, which does not currently refine Russian oil. The Indian mogul gets about $45 billion a year off byproducts of Middle East oil.It’s fair to say, he’s a top competitor with entities in Russia and elsewhere, who do not pay him a percentage for refining their products. Okay, maybe this is a simplification. Let me elaborate.
Reliance is not directly tied to Africa, at least not in ways that would make Russian businesses a natural competitor. However, a new deal between Reliance and BP reveals a good reason for a non-profit funded by India’s richest tycoon to cast dispersion on Putin’s efforts in Africa. The 2019 partnership dogma tells us how come Indians might be afraid of Putin in Africa:
“The partnership will offer Indian consumers a full slate of additivated regular and premium quality fuels with market-leading consumer benefits alongside an all-new redefined spectrum of ancillary convenience services.”
BP? Hmm. Isn’t that the British company that wanted to help the Yukos mafioso steal all that Russian oil and gas? I am pretty sure it is. But, never mind. A recent story from Africa Report (beware paywall) entitled “BLACK GOLD Libya, Congo, Algeria….Who has the best oil in Africa?” rounds out my argument here. All that remains is for me to smash together a few words like “creeping” and “ruthless” so that a true story can balance some really nasty fake ones. How’s this?
“Helge Lund’s BP is creeping farther into geopolitics with the ruthless Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani in an effort to muscle out competitors in Russia. Having established a new partnership that will get in the way of Putin-Modi agreements to come, the world’s 12th richest man may have just gotten a lot richer.”
Okay, I added the word “muscle” because it sounded like a mafia term that would describe India’s shady billionaire, and British Petroleum’s boss as members of an evil cabal that has caused most of the world’s biggest problems. Was my verbiage effective? Did I make you believe such a thing? I hope so.
Phil Butler, is a policy investigator and analyst, a political scientist and expert on Eastern Europe, he’s an author of the recent bestseller “Putin’s Praetorians” and other books. He writes exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.”
