[jacques_foccart]

I can't edit my post due to being a new user, so I'll add that the incentive for foreign countries is not just financial; it's VERY helpful for countries to have a source of black funds that Congress or whoever is supposed to be accountable for it does not "need" to "see". This is Jack Nicholson in a Few Good Men all over again - the public enjoys the "blanket" and doesn't ask about what it takes to maintain it.

It's also helpful in inter-agency rivalries, as whoever has the most resources, particularly black resources, can be the most efficient. Believe it or not there are several factions in France, aforementioned DGSE is the "official" actor outside the borders, but the DST has their own agents as well (yes, outside the territory) and then you have the military intelligence apparatus which competes against the other two and is in theory supposed to run the "mercenaries".

[pm90]

This is very disturbing. I had thought the days of dirty financial politics were getting over, but it seems that the fight is just getting more intense. I can see why though: if France or US does not take a side, China will (used to be Soviets earlier). So its always this stupid game which others play and the common Africans are haplessly caught in the middle wondering why their countries are so impoverished.