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Nathaniel Powell

@natkpowell.bsky.social

5K followers 735 following 318 posts

Historian--France, Africa, etc. Honorary Researcher Lancaster University CWD, West Africa Analyst, Oxford Analytica. Author of "France's Wars in Chad" www.cambridge.org/core/books/france…

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Found my old pog collection. Some pretty sick slammers in there. Rocking the holiday season like it's 1994.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

An apt US intelligence analysis of Zaire, March 1979.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

It also reflects the seemingly high popularity enjoyed by the junta, and especially Assimi Goïta, at least in urban areas. Junta narratives of military success, Kidal's recapture, the unpopularity of civilian politicians, and relative urban security may help explain this.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

And is consistent with the years following the 2021 coup, although we do see a slight decline:

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

This is true across all regions, including the far north and the areas most affected by jihadist violence:

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

I'm finally digging into some of the results of the @fesonline.bsky.social's2025 "Mali Mètre" survey published in May. The results are striking. Eg a large majority see the overall situation of the country as improving:

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

Wouldn't be Easter without a castle visit.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

To add to the lack of clarity, here is the US acting chief of mission, Richard Dwyer's account:

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

But when Chadian army units launched their attack on Tombalbaye's presidential palace on April 13 1975, the French contingent in N'Djamena, over 1,500 troops, was explicitly ordered to stand down.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

50 years ago yesterday Chadian President François/N’Garta Tombalbaye was overthrown (and killed) in a military coup. The coup would kick-off a series of events that would eventually lead to state-collapse 4-years later. A longstanding question that remains unanswered is the alleged French role.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Any other dads out there who have gotten really into the War of the Spanish Succession?

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Cue breathless reporting about abandoning Africa etc...AFRICOM's net impact on African security can charitably be described as zero.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Escapism for these dark times.

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

Napoleon in the mist

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Nathaniel Powell @natkpowell.bsky.social · 03/11/2024

Check out the next installment in my series on historical US intelligence coverage of Africa: Paul Biya's early months in power. nathanielkpowell.substack.com/p/paul-biyas...

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