Azzler
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Some thoughtful posts mate.In the midst of banging my head repeatedly on the table this afternoon, one thought cut through the distraction....is it in the interest of the US/Kobold for positive reports of reconciliation/productive engagement between AVZ and DRC officials at this point in proceedings?
Optics are obviously important on any number of levels to the US in what they are trying to achieve here, as they want a significant win to parade on the world stage....even more so with events of recent weeks. They want to be seen as heroes.
If they can negotiate for a workable peace treaty in the longstanding conflict between two major African nations, bring multiple billions of needed Western investment, along with the subsequent improvements in living conditions to the long suffering populations, while also enormously benefiting the all important US economy and workforce with access to the plethora of vital 21st Century minerals the DRC is blessed with, AND combat China's attempts at a stranglehold on the sector in the process, then it's no small victory to the good ol boys.
Whilst there are potentially trillions of dollars of needed minerals in the ground in the DRC, there is only one proven up, homogenous, ready to go, lithium deposit of such size that it can dictate market dynamics for potentially decades to come, and you can be damn sure they won't want that to slip away as part of these negotiations. Kobold is a proxy for the US Department of State in this imo and as such will play hardball to get what they want as part of the overall peace/security and mineral deals.
They want the DRC to stop fucking us around so they can get their hands on our lithium rights, but the timing has had to be right for all these other important bricks to fall into place (how long have they been pulling the strings quietly in the background to get to this point is probably a valid thought) and it's important for them to appear to be the saviours in all this....to relieve the DRC of these pesky, honest, hardworking Aussies who will call a spade a fucking spade, and have become a real pain in the collective DRC arse, while giving us a shortcut to a fair and appropriate compensation for being ousted from the potential lithium resource of the century, rather than having to drag it through the international courts. If we suddenly smoothed things over with big Felix and his band of merry men before the ink has dried on the other agreements, as opposed to them patting us on the back and telling us they got this, once the treaties go through, then it may take some of their shine away.
All this while publically wearing their star spangled capes for the world to see. A true win-win-win if handled appropriately.....which is great, but if it's worth having then it's worth them paying appropriately for and we all know the starting figures for that portion of negotiations involve the ICSID claim amount.
Maybe I banged my head a few too many times...
Just wondering if you post on HC or X under another name if you wish to share?