French military forces, backed by air support from other as-yet-unnamed EU member nations, have deployed to Mali today, announcing a massive offensive aimed at retaking the country on behalf of the military junta that holds the southern third of the nation.
Though an African Union invasion to prop up the junta had been the initial plan, new military gains by the Islamist factions which hold the northern two-thirds of Mali have convinced France to move quickly and directly in entering the war.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says that the deployment was necessary to “stop the advance of criminal and terrorist groups,” with President Francois Hollande adding that the troops would stay “as long as necessary” to bring the nation under junta control.
Tuareg secessionists, bolstered with arms looted in the wake of the NATO war in Libya, initially took over the northern part of the country in March. In early April, the military took over the southern segment in a coup d’etat, vowing “total war” to unify the nation. The Tuaregs eventually lost to the Ansar Dine militant faction, which continues to rule the north. Though the international community initially took a dim view of the southern coup, officials have since abandoned calls for snap elections and have focused on imposing junta rule nationwide, insisting the Islamists are a threat to the entire planet.
European imperialism (including the Mickey Mouse Offshoot) is alive and well. That has been the real terrorism for centuries, costing hundreds of millions of innocent lives.
Oh, I forgot — those were the un-people. Whew! I thought we really had it coming to us for a minute there.
I voted for Hollande. i Though he'd not pursuit these kind of policies. I thought too that he would bring France together,..i thought Holland was a real leftist, but once again the french left leave us surprised.
He is a real leftist: a modern leftist. An interventionist Neo-Progressive who believes his violence and plundering is justified by his leftism. Similar to the U.S. President Obama.
Are the French looking for their very own Afghanistan?
Oh, now they are threat to the whole planet! But they were the GOOD GUYS when Libya was to be colonized? Now, they have moved on, freelancing if you will, so they are the "problem". The new "good" guys are the people who took power in military coup in Mali. Poor dears, need our help!
In Syria, the same head-chopping, mass-killing fanatic are the GOOD GUYS, and the legitimate government are the eveldoers, as their army is trying to protect population against the bizare fanatics? The fact that NOBODY in Syria wants the crazies to rule them — is there a thing we can say to actually defend our behaviour? Oh, yes, Assad family has been in power for much too long — much shorter then the Queen of England — but nobody is complaining. In Afghanistan we created Al-Qaeda, then we created Taliban (the Students) in Saudi-paid and staffed "schools". There, Saudi version of Islam, Wahhabism, was practiced as form of Sunni fundamentalisms, often called Salafi. Their cure for everything is — off with their heads.
Now we COMPLAIN? West shoud get a grip on reality.
It does not matter whether Al-Qaeda is an enemy to be fought or an ally to be used as in Syria and Libya. What IS important is that the US and NATO have been able to set the Middle East and now Africa alight with war. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Yemen, Pakistan and Syria. With was coming in Iran and Lebanon. Not to mention the NATO sponsored invasion of South Ossetia, which Russia quickly snuffed out. The point is, as long as war is taking place on a large scale, the USA can keep pouring billions into it's military and the military industrial complex. Profits for America's elite, who own the stocks of all these military manufacturers and defense contractors, will be huge and ongoing. With war, America's secret police can claim to be defending American security when they crack down on anyone they choose world wide. The CIA runs a massive drone and targeted killing program world wide. They kill whoever they want. The US and NATO thrive on war. That is why France is so eager to go to war in Mali, and Britain is eager to support war wherever they can find one.
Syria is being handed over to Al-Qaeda, so the US and NATO can invade to eliminate terrorist training camps in Syria. The west has gone insane, the thirst for blood and murder is now totally out of control. Nazi Germany seems to be the model for the new NATO.
We Westerners have fast brains, which is great for competing
in capitalism and killing in war, but totally worthless for wisdom
which is born of slow and careful thought.
Which is why experience is the great arbitrator of truth.
So, we can only hope that our stupidity gives out before our time runs
out.
Of course the U.S. Peace King Obama and PM Cameron of the U.K. are supporting this invasion in the form of transportation, refueling and drones. Not too far from no-fly zones and boots on the ground.