In Mali we are dealing with several situations simultaneously.

1. A Military overthrow of an elected civilian government.
2. A mutiny by an ill-equipped and poorly motivated army.
3. The breakdown of military discipline and the command structure of the Army.
4. A popular revolt against the central government by a section of the population (Tuaregs).
5. Infiltration by Al Qaeda.
6. A weak state on the verge of implosion.

Mali urgently needs a renegotiation of its internal political architecture, but the motley crew in Bamako are not in the best position to do it. Will sanctions help stabilise the situation in Mali? I doubt it.

What should the international community do, because instability in Mali puts Niger and Northern Nigeria at risk.

Blind emphasis on point 5 (Al Qaeda infiltration) could be extremely counter-productive