Topic: What are the Most Powerful Nations in Africa?? 5

godofthunder9010 · December 5th, 2004

Ethiopia is actually pretty high up on the population side. Sudan is ... well ... huge geographically.

Darcia · December 5th, 2004

Ethiopia does not have Economical power However, they are very poor and just had like a version of a Cival War.

bushpig1998 · December 28th, 2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by godofthunder9010

It would be nice if the USA's hands weren't tied on the Sudan mess. We did Afganistan and Iraq, so now everything we do is wrong. I think France is trying to do something over in Sudan actually. Anyone know details?

Also, Republic of Congo seems to have tremendous potential if it can maintain a stable government. Egypt and South Africa are stable governments, so they are the most powerful by default.

I apologize if I step on any toes here, but speaking from personal experience, the govt in South Africa is not stable. The ANC Regime (that's what it is) had extensive training on manupilating the international media - trained by the soviets back in the day. The picture being painted of south Africa by the international media is fake. South Africa used to be the most powerful nation in Africa until about 8 years ago. When Mbeki took over, everything went to hell in a handbasket. The genocide in Rwanda could have been limited more if the UN had allowed Executive Outcomes (Then a South African company) to jump in. South Africa cannot get into the Sudan crisis because the South African Defense Forces are alreadyt stretched paper thin - dealing with "VIP" details in the Congo and domestic political issues and oppression in South Africa itself. Last time I heard the SANDF had 2 operational Olifnt tanks, 3000 to 7000 soldiers that were combat ready (didn't have aids or arfen't too old) and I think 4 Mirage based fighters that usually run out of Fuel by September each year. too sure about Egypt's situation, but I do know that they have quite a number of Migs and a substantial amount of soldiers.
Sudan is a hot potato. Noone wants to get involved. I don't blame the USA for not wanting to go in there. After Somalia, any campaign ideas in Africa leaves a bad taste.

SHERMAN · December 28th, 2004

really, the souh african army is in that bad ashape? could you provide a source?

Darcia · December 29th, 2004

I knew South Africa ended thier nuclear program however I always thought they had a small, yet good in technology army.

godofthunder9010 · December 29th, 2004

Everyone who qualifies to make the list of, "Most Powerful Nations in Africa" would make that list in relative terms. The fact of the matter is, there aren't any nations there that would qualify as even a World Power. Every nation in Africa is weak relative to the rest of the world.

I have a hard time believing that South Africa has suddenly dropped to the same level of chaos and instability that seems to dominate the rest of Africa. I guess I'd have to see some amount of evidence.

kotakk · December 29th, 2004

Believe it or not nowdays ,the black folk in south Africa discriminate against the White folk.Funny na?
Anyways I Believe Soth Africa is.

bushpig1998 · December 29th, 2004

IFound the article...I couldn't find it for the longest time...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2129563.stm

Yes, you are correct, SA did develop and still develop some of the best military vehicles and weapons out there. Look at the Rooivalk, Ratel, Rooikat, G6 - any one of them are world class.
Unfortunately, as you'll see in the article, the typical African Army is developing from the ashes of the old SADF - top heavy and not functional. The best part of the current SA defense forces is the 18 Rooivalk attack choppers. They are very effecient and lethal...especially with the Mokopa anti armor missiles. From what I've heard, they are all based at Bloemfontein - in one location!

Yeah things are a bit different in SA now. It goes a little deeper than discrimination, however. A lot of hate in South Africa at this time.

godofthunder9010 · December 29th, 2004

Yeah, that article does demonstrate that the South African military is not in very good shape right now. I suppose the most likely reason is that, with Aparteid ended, there is no obvious enemy. Lack of foreseeable enemies does tend to weaken militaries. Still, the level of mismanagement cited is far beyond that. SA government needs to decide how important a strong military is to them.

Aside from that, I believe that SA still has the strongest economy in Africa. They have the ability to be mostly self- sufficient. I don't know of any other African nation that could make that claim.

Racism could certainly be the undoing of South Africa. Resentment left over from Aparteid is understandable of course, but it's also self-destructive. IMHO, it behooves the current government to demonstrate that South Africa is stronger now than it was during Aparteid.

Missileer · December 30th, 2004

The end of apartheid was a case of good news and bad news. The good news was that the minority whites were no longer running the country. The bad news is that was why South Africa had such a thriving economy and natural resource exports. The large farm and ranches owned by the Afrikaners were not only huge producers of food crops and livestock but they also employed a lot of black Africans. These successful farms are being broken into small tracts and given to Mbeki's cronies who are promptly failing to produce at the levels of the large farms if at all.

December 5th, 2004	Post 41
godofthunder9010 Tribunus Laticlavius Gear	Ethiopia is actually pretty high up on the population side. Sudan is ... well ... huge geographically. __________________ "It is well that war is so terrible, else we should grow too fond of it." - General Robert E. Lee Warning, critical pebkac error in the iD10t!! pebkac\wtflolurpwnzd\snafuroflmao.exe called iD10t, iD10t failed to respond!! System in danger!! "It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong. I am NOT a big man." -Chevy Chase

December 5th, 2004	Post 42
Darcia Tribuni Angusticlavii	Ethiopia does not have Economical power However, they are very poor and just had like a version of a Cival War. __________________ ^_^

December 28th, 2004	Post 44
SHERMAN Milforum Moderator Gear	really, the souh african army is in that bad ashape? could you provide a source? __________________

December 30th, 2004	Post 50
Missileer Nuclear Duck Hunter Gear	The end of apartheid was a case of good news and bad news. The good news was that the minority whites were no longer running the country. The bad news is that was why South Africa had such a thriving economy and natural resource exports. The large farm and ranches owned by the Afrikaners were not only huge producers of food crops and livestock but they also employed a lot of black Africans. These successful farms are being broken into small tracts and given to Mbeki's cronies who are promptly failing to produce at the levels of the large farms if at all. __________________ “War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.” —John Stuart Mill

December 29th, 2004	Post 45
Darcia Tribuni Angusticlavii	I knew South Africa ended thier nuclear program however I always thought they had a small, yet good in technology army.

December 29th, 2004	Post 46
godofthunder9010 Tribunus Laticlavius Gear	Everyone who qualifies to make the list of, "Most Powerful Nations in Africa" would make that list in relative terms. The fact of the matter is, there aren't any nations there that would qualify as even a World Power. Every nation in Africa is weak relative to the rest of the world. I have a hard time believing that South Africa has suddenly dropped to the same level of chaos and instability that seems to dominate the rest of Africa. I guess I'd have to see some amount of evidence.

December 29th, 2004	Post 47
kotakk Milites Gregarius	Believe it or not nowdays ,the black folk in south Africa discriminate against the White folk.Funny na? Anyways I Believe Soth Africa is.

December 29th, 2004	Post 48
bushpig1998 Optio	IFound the article...I couldn't find it for the longest time... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2129563.stm Yes, you are correct, SA did develop and still develop some of the best military vehicles and weapons out there. Look at the Rooivalk, Ratel, Rooikat, G6 - any one of them are world class. Unfortunately, as you'll see in the article, the typical African Army is developing from the ashes of the old SADF - top heavy and not functional. The best part of the current SA defense forces is the 18 Rooivalk attack choppers. They are very effecient and lethal...especially with the Mokopa anti armor missiles. From what I've heard, they are all based at Bloemfontein - in one location! Yeah things are a bit different in SA now. It goes a little deeper than discrimination, however. A lot of hate in South Africa at this time.

December 29th, 2004	Post 49
godofthunder9010 Tribunus Laticlavius Gear	Yeah, that article does demonstrate that the South African military is not in very good shape right now. I suppose the most likely reason is that, with Aparteid ended, there is no obvious enemy. Lack of foreseeable enemies does tend to weaken militaries. Still, the level of mismanagement cited is far beyond that. SA government needs to decide how important a strong military is to them. Aside from that, I believe that SA still has the strongest economy in Africa. They have the ability to be mostly self- sufficient. I don't know of any other African nation that could make that claim. Racism could certainly be the undoing of South Africa. Resentment left over from Aparteid is understandable of course, but it's also self-destructive. IMHO, it behooves the current government to demonstrate that South Africa is stronger now than it was during Aparteid.