Mali

[ZenGum]

You know, Mali, in Africa, between Timbuckbloodytu and the Sahara, and where the radical Islamists have seized the north and may take the South. That Mali.

Don't worry, the French are coming!

For all the crap we give them, they've done a lot of operations in West Africa in the last decade.

This one looks more substantial - a few thousand French troops, a similar number of African regional troops to arrive "a bit later".

Is this going to be a Libyan in-and-out, a Somlian in-and-bugger-off, an Iraqi in-and-ease-out-slowly or an Afghan in-and-bleed?

[Sundae]

We're in it too.
In helping with ships and supplies and all that.

Am hoping for no France-based retaliations - my Aussie cousin is in Paris for a month from the 22nd... She doesn't want to come here, which has upset Mum a bit. But she feels no ties with England and why should she? Born and bred in Oz to a New Zealand mother. She's an internet child. She's into comics and counter-culture. She'd rather go to a Scandinavian country, but has a Uni friend in Paris so it's free accommodation.

Sorry, back to Mali.
It's BIG news over here.
Waiting for the axe to fall really.

[piercehawkeye45]

US is helping out as well. I feel our role will be limited though.

[glatt]

I think it's a mistake, and am glad we're not in it, for once. Maybe if France had been more involved in the cluster fucks of Iraq and Afghanistan, they wouldn't be so eager to get involved in another one. I hope for their sakes, and for the West in general, that they can hand it off to the Africans quickly and get out. These types of wars breed terrorism, they don't stamp it out. At least not without getting really dirty and rebuilding the country.

[piercehawkeye45]

From what I hear, the French do want their presence to be limited, with an African unit taking control when they are ready. The only reason the French are involved is because the Malian army completely collapsed and the jihadists (Al-Qaeda included) were ready to take over the capital. It is true that the Malian government is currently unstable (two coups in the past year), however, I don't see this as nation building, just as a temporary measure. I do believe (hope) that realists in Washington and other European countries have learned from our neoconservative mistakes.


On the other hand, the US has been watching northern Mali for some time. Even though this particular involvement may be temporary, Mali will not disappear from the radar screen any time soon.

[glatt]

On the positive side, people may learn that Timbuktu is a real place and learn where it is.

[Trilby]

The Sahara, entropy; why fight? They can't even build roads there. The world is nuts.

[Rhianne]

I spent about three weeks in and out of Mali, travelling back and forward from Tombouctou and Nouakchott in Mauritania. This was late 1980s. In the middle of nowhere folk, men on their own, would regularly take shots at the vehicles for no reason, seemingly, other than target practice. The Red Cross even had to take the red crosses off their trucks as they were just too inviting a target.

Tombouctou was not the sort of place I'd like to live in for long - still better than London though.

[glatt]

I can imagine, with all the confusion about how to spell the damn place.

[Rhianne]

I think all the different ethnic groups have their own names and spellings for the place.

[ZenGum]

Northern Mali is of itself of little interest. The real concern is if a Radical Islamist group establishes itself there, it becomes a source of instability for the whole region. The Mali government asked the French to come.

[Spexxvet]

It's reported that radical Islamists have taken over a natural gas facility in Algeria and are holding some multinationals hostage, in response to the multinational intervention in Mali.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01...tage-standoff/

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Rhianne

Tombouctou was not the sort of place I'd like to live in for long - still better than London though.

I drove in London for three years. My window was smashed in once, Nothing to steal so nothing was stolen. I was never shot at.

Tombouctou might be marvellous, but give me London every time.

[Trilby]

When you're sick of London, you're sick of life.


or something like that. 'Tired' maybe.

[tw]

The Mali Army was confronted by weapons so advanced that it had never seen them. By an adversary so well supplied that Mali soldiers report supply lines hundreds of trucks long. That must also have a massive fuel supply.

Where did these jihadists get so many weapons, so many supplies, and a constant source of fuel? Just like in the Tripoli consulate, no informed source should publically say. Intelligence that says who is supplying that stuff means spies must be protected. Eventually we will learn. But for now, the only known fact is jihadists are being supplied with weapons and supplies that any regional army would envy. That is why the French had to do something. To address an immediate and serious short term problem.