>>27Well, kind of. They were enough of a threat that the Malian government essentially threatened Paris in front of the UN saying that they needed help, and it'd be smart to deal with AQIM and MUJAO while they're still in Mali, and not on their way to French land.
>>37The goal of Libya was to smash their leader's ideas of getting to the gold standard for oil. The Tuareg populations leaving and causing trouble further west after emptying munition supply depots and stealing trucks wasn't exactly planned for. It was forecasted though: Niger's gov't pissed and moaned for months after 2011's bombings
>>73There is a major humanitarian crisis in Mali. The U.S. state department says Malian citiziens are walking 7 kilometers a turn for water. Food shortages continue, and desertification is spreading south faster and faster.
Its expected that the French, Irish, and British troops can handle it. Sure as hell won't be Mali's 7,000 man army dealing with it.
Mali has a lot of problems, most stemming from their shift to large scale agricultural operations during French rule. Their increase in populations of their own people, influx of minority groups (Tuareg) and neighboring states' refugees only compounds the problems. Bamako's lack of leadership and general awfulness toward citizens doesn't help; the African-Brazilian Narco nexus is a great show case for this. ALl the money gifted to Mali and other West African states to combat terrorism for the last decade and a half is wasted, as Bamako's leaders (ATT or Sanago) are in line with the drug movers and al Qaeda.
Cool thread. Hope more people post in it.
