Mali mainly, 2012 coup, drugs & more

[davidbfpo]

The BBC News headline and the situation is:

At least 3,000 regional soldiers are ready to go to Mali to support the transitional government's fight against rebels which control the north. The BBC's John James at the meeting in Abidjan says no timescale was set for the deployment to Mali, because the leaders were waiting for the Malian government to draw up details of their collaboration. It is still unclear which regional countries will contribute to the Ecowas force, and even once ready, it will need financial and logistical outside help before it can be deployed.

Ok, change the headline to ECOWAS thinks about sending troops to Mali. No change two weeks later, from my previous comment.

[KingJaja]

But where will these troops come from? I don't see them coming from Nigeria.

[davidbfpo]

But where will these troops come from? I don't see them coming from Nigeria.

Looking at who is an ECOWAS member and Nigeria abstaining I cannot see anyone providing troops. How many of the members have a deployable military now and it suits their national interest to intervene on the ground?

Link to ECOWAS membership:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economi...African_States

I have ignored "interested parties" offering far more than logistic help, yes hiring ECOWAS troops.

One wonders if any Africans involved in this matter have pondered whether the odium piled upon Executive Outcomes was a mistake.

[AdamG]

Counter-coup attempt under way in Mali

Several people reported killed in fight between coup troops and those loyal to ousted president at national broadcaster.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa...132449292.html

[davidbfpo]

I suppose it was only a matter of time, as the destruction of the Bamiyan sculptures showed in Afghanistan, but in Mali things move faster.

Islamist fighters said to be linked to al-Qaeda have destroyed the tomb of a local Muslim saint in the Malian town of Timbuktu, officials and locals say.
The gunmen attacked the shrine and set it on fire, saying it was contrary to Islam, according to the official.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17973545

Nothing like "winning friends" or 'hearts & minds'.

[davidbfpo]

Some background which I was not aware of:

In 1991, more than two decades prior to similar pro-democracy uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, Malians engaged in a massive nonviolent resistance campaign that brought down the dictatorship of Mousa Traor. A broad mobilization of trade unionists, peasants, students, teachers, and others .... created a mass movement throughout the country. Despite the absence of Facebook or the Internet, virtually no international media coverage, and the massacre of hundreds of peaceful protesters, this popular civil insurrection succeeded not only in ousting a repressive and corrupt regime, but ushered in more than two decades of democratic rule.

Despite corruption, poverty, and a weak infrastructure, Mali was widely considered to be the most stable and democratic country in West Africa.

I'd not seen this in the coverage, my emphasis:

Charging that the civilian government was not being tough enough against the rebels, US-trained Army Captain Amadou Sanogo and other officers staged a coup on March 22 and called for US intervention along the lines of Afghanistan and the war on terror. Sanogos training in the United States is just one small part of a decade of US training of armies in the Sahel, increasing the militarization of this impoverished region and the influence of armed forces relative to civilian leaders.

Link:http://www.opendemocracy.net/stephen...r-own-making-0

[KingJaja]

Africa hasn't seen a US commerce secretary in 12 years. Meanwhile, US Army generals visit every month.

Warped priorities.

[davidbfpo]

Nor have events in Mali been without loss for the USA, edited down and dated 20th April 2012 (thanks to a SWC reader):

Three American military personnel and three civilians died early Friday in a single-car crash in Mali's capital, U.S. officials said... one of the three Americans was from U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, and the two others were assigned to U.S. Special Operations Command. The military personnel were in Mali as part of a U.S. special operations training mission that was suspended after last month's coup overthrew the country's democratically elected president.

Link:http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/04...in-mali-crash/

[KingJaja]

Seems like the World has forgotten Mali and is resigned to two states - Mali in the South and "Azawad" in the North.

The longer Azawad remains a de-facto state, the more difficult it would be to reverse the situation on the ground.

In any case, it is a sign of things to come.