Two years ago, when our Malian brothers decided to team up with the group of Russian mercenaries Wagner, I recommended that they read or reread the book "The Prince" that the Italian Machiavelli had written in 1550, and which seemed more relevant than ever. I recommended that they read precisely this part of the book which says this: "I therefore say that the weapons with which a prince defends his power are either his own, or mercenary, or auxiliary, or mixed. Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; if anyone holds their power based on mercenary weapons, they will never be solid or secure. Because they are disunited, ambitious, without discipline, disloyal; valiant in the midst of friends, cowards in the midst of enemies; without fear of God, without faith with men; and one only postpones one's fall as long as one postpones the assault; in peace you are despoiled by them, in war by enemies. The cause of this is that they have no other love or reason to keep them in the field than a little salary, which is not enough to make them want to die for you. They want to be in your service while you are not at war, but when war comes, they only want to run away or go away… Mercenary captains are either excellent in arms or not. If they are, you cannot trust them, because they will always aspire to their own greatness, either by oppressing you, who are their master, or by oppressing others against your intention; if the mercenary captain is not brave, he usually ruins you."
I think that what has just happened in Russia in recent days should encourage Malians, Central Africans and perhaps Burkinabè to think carefully about the question of the mercenaries with whom they are in business or plan to be. Because even Vladimir Putin, the one who created or at least favored the creation of this group of mercenaries is wondering if he did not give birth to a monster that tried to eat him. The boss of the Wagner Group, who lately has not missed any opportunity to criticize the way the war is being fought in Ukraine, has decided to launch his troops on Moscow, raising fears of a coup d'Etat. Can you imagine a coup in the great Russia of Vladimir Putin while this country is at war with Ukraine or, if you will, with the whole Western world? While Wagner's forces were charging into the Russian capital, the Belarusian president mediated and Wagner's boss ordered his troops to turn back. He himself should take refuge in Belarus. What really happened? We may find out one day, or maybe never. Still, the mercenary forces, having seen themselves too powerful, thought they could turn against the one who employed them. What did Machiavelli say? “Mercenary captains are either excellent at arms or not. If they are, you cannot trust them, because they will always strive for their own greatness, either by oppressing you, who are their master, or by oppressing others against your intention."
If Evgueni Progojine, the boss of Wagner dared to do this kind of blow to Vladimir Putin, one can imagine what he is capable of doing to small African heads of state. He's been chilled in Belarus for the moment, but I don't think Wagner has been dismantled. It is still used in Africa where it brings in a lot of money and allows Russia to position itself in areas rich in raw materials. Where Wagner has become too powerful, let the heads of state say to themselves that they have lost their powers. Remember the mercenary Bob Denard who made and unmade powers in the Comoros. Malians and Central Africans, you don't know what you've gotten yourself into. But you will know very soon.
By Venance Konan
*This article has been translated from French into English by Marcus Boni Teiga
