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France’s military withdrawal from the Sahel region is only the most visible aspect of a major reshuffling of the cards in an area that extends well beyond the Sahel. We are once again witnessing an international “Great Game” between powers of different statuses: Russia is at the forefront, but Ukraine, Hungary, and Iran are also making their presence known. In response to this reconfiguration, the United States has done little, Algeria seems marginalized, and France is paralyzed, with no alternative strategy.