The mess in Mali.

[SemiAuto]

For years, the United States tried to stem the spread of Islamic militancy in the region by conducting its most ambitious counterterrorism program ever across these vast, turbulent stretches of the Sahara.

But as insurgents swept through the desert last year, commanders of this nation’s elite army units, the fruit of years of careful American training, defected when they were needed most — taking troops, guns, trucks and their newfound skills to the enemy in the heat of battle, according to senior Malian military officials.

source

/facepalm

[flyboy56]

“The aid of the Americans turned out not to be useful,” said another ranking Malian officer, now engaged in combat. “They made the wrong choice,” he said of relying on commanders from a group that had been conducting a 50-year rebellion against the Malian state."

[flyboy56]

6 reasons events in Mali matter

"There is also the danger that extremists among the 5 million Muslims in France, the vast majority of them of North and West African origin, may seek revenge for French intervention. Less than a year ago, French intelligence services moved against militant cells after a young gunman who had traveled to the Pakistani tribal territories shot dead seven people in Toulouse."

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/16/wo...ss_igoogle_cnn

[SalisburySage]

Tactical nukes in Mali. Who's gonna stop us?

[flyboy56]

Tactical nukes in Mali. Who's gonna stop us?

It seems the militants have learned from Iraq and Afghanistan. They are building up their strongholds which includes imbedding themselves into the populace. And ground war will have to take place in urban areas. And there is fear in France with the 5 million Muslim immigrants rising up in support of the militants which means France has to be extra cautious in how they deal with this sensitive issue in Mali. There is also fear many militants will head south into Africa to support the militants. And they may be bringing those shoulder fired missiles missing from Libya with them. Not a good scenario. The militants have been planning this for years now. Even the location in Mali was well planned strategically.