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Eric Feferberg / AFP - Getty Images
A Malian soldier holds a machine gun as he stands guard at the entrance of a strategic bridge over the Niger river on Jan. 22, 2013, near Markala, north of Bamako. Mali's army chief today said his French-backed forces could reclaim the northern towns of Gao and fabled Timbuktu from Islamists in a month, as the United States began airlifting French troops to Mali.
Chadian forces advanced towards the Malian border on Tuesday as an African troop deployment and a U.S. military airlift swelled international support for French operations against Islamist rebels occupying the north of Mali.
An armored column of Chadian troops, experienced in desert operations, moved north from the Niger capital Niamey on the road to Ouallam, some 60 miles from the Malian border, where Nigerien troops are already stationed.
France, which launched air strikes in Mali 11 days ago to halt a surprise Islamist offensive toward the capital Bamako, has urged a swift deployment of the planned U.N.-mandated African force to back up its 2,150 soldiers already there.
The number of French troops could be boosted to more than 3,000 in the coming days and weeks, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.
The aim of the intervention is to prevent northern Mali from becoming a launchpad for international attacks by al-Qaida and its local allies in North and West Africa. Fears of this increased sharply after a hostage-taking raid by Islamist militants last week on a gas plant in Algeria.
An entry into Mali from Niger by part of the African force would widen the front of operations against the Islamist alliance in the north that groups al-Qaida's North African wing AQIM and the Malian militant groups Ansar Dine and MUJWA.
On Monday, French and Malian armored columns moved into the towns of Diabaly and Douentza in central Mali after the rebels who had seized them fled into the bush to avoid air strikes. Diabaly is only 220 miles north of Bamako, while Douentza is 500 miles away from the riverside capital.
Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, who visited the troops at Ouallam, condemned the Islamist alliance, and an imam, or Muslim cleric, said prayers for the troops.
"We are going to war. A war imposed on us by traffickers of all kinds, an unjust war, from which the peaceful citizens of northern Mali are suffering terribly," Issoufou told the forces.
"I am confident in your burning desire for victory."
France says its troops will remain in Mali until they have completely dislodged the Islamist fighters from the north and fair elections can be held in its former colony.
In support of France, the United States has started transporting French soldiers and equipment to Mali from the Istres air base in southern France. Washington on Tuesday completed the fifth of an estimated 30 flights in an airlift expected to run for about a week.
A Reuters correspondent in Bamako saw a U.S. military cargo plane land at the international airport and offload about 40 French soldiers, jeeps, and other equipment.
Britain, Belgium, Canada and Denmark were already transporting French materiel to Mali. Benson said the United States was also working with France on intelligence issues, but declined to say if surveillance drones were being used.
'Everyone will fight'
France has also sent jet fighters and attack helicopters that have blasted rebel bases for more than a week, as it awaits troops from nearby African nations to deploy to the front line.
Some 1,000 African troops from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS and the central African nation of Chad have arrived, and that number is expected to top 5,000 in the coming weeks.
Military experts say the swift and effective deployment of African forces is crucial to sustain the momentum of France's air campaign and prevent Islamists from melting away into the empty desert or the rugged mountains near the Algerian border.
Niger's armed forces, which completed their training a month ago, are expected to advance toward the rebel-held north Malian city of Gao in collaboration with the Chadian troops. It was not clear when exactly they would cross the border.
Gao, the largest city of Mali's north, has been hit by French air strikes in recent days.
Niger has already sent a technical team to Mali, part of a battalion of 544 troops accompanied by French liaison officers.
Nigeria, a big oil producer, also plans to deploy some 1,200 troops in Mali and its president, Goodluck Jonathan, said they would stay there until the crisis was resolved.
Col. Oumar Kande, ECOWAS military and security adviser in Mali, told Reuters in Bamako the original plan for the U.N.-backed ECOWAS military intervention in the north was being changed to adapt to fast-evolving circumstances.
Instead of the Malian army alone playing the combat role, with ECOWAS supporting, now "everyone will fight", Kande said.
"We need to adjust to the reality on the ground."
Kande said ECOWAS was concerned about its troops having to fight a difficult counter-insurgency war in a northern Mali desert and mountain battleground the size of Texas against Islamist fighters likely to shun a head-on conventional fight.
"Given the force of the reaction from the international community, they (the rebels) are likely to adjust and begin an asymmetrical war, ambushes, strikes by small cells," he said.
"It is possible we will win back Timbuktu, Gao, and Kidal in a month, but it is impossible to say how long the overall war will last."
The rebels have imposed severe Shariah law in areas they control, carrying out amputations and at least one fatal stoning, and wrecking ancient shrines sacred to moderate Sufi Muslims.
$450 million sought for African troops
International donors will be asked to finance training and support for the Malian, ECOWAS and other African troops involved in the deployment of the U.N.-backed African force AFISMA against the Islamist alliance.
Donors are to meet at a conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Jan. 29, and France said they would be asked to provide about $452 million (about 340 million euros).
"We estimate that the Malian forces needs will be around 120 million euros and about 220 million euros for AFISMA for a full year," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said.
Since the French started their operations earlier in January to block the jihadist thrust out of northern Mali, several thousand civilians have fled the recent fighting to neighboring states, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said. In Mauritania, 4,208 Malian refugees have arrived since Jan. 11, it said.
Niger had seen 1,300 new refugees, mainly from Menaka and Anderamboukane, while during the same period, Burkina Faso had received 1,829 new refugees, mainly Tuaregs and Songhai from the regions of Gossi, Timbuktu, Gao and Bambara Maoude.
This was on top of almost 400,000 Malians displaced since April, when an offensive by Tuareg rebels allied with Islamist fighters seized Mali's largely desolate north following a military coup in Bamako in March.
Related:
France and Mali set aside colonial past to fight new common foe
Violence in Mali, Algeria raises fresh fear of radical Islam
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
Mission creep...one action at a time. Expect a few boots on the ground at some point.
And a few boots on the ground in Syria at the same time.
When the Russians pulled out their citizens, I took that as a sign that things are going south in a hurry.
If Assaud loses control over the chemical weapons and anything else he may have hidden, we will have to send in troops to secure them or run the risk of being a victim of them later.
Pigpile!
Eradicate the Islamists! Dead Islamists are good Islamists. They are the garbage of societies and destroyers of decent cultures.
Durn skippy, we should kill all the black people while we are at it! Wait, Africa is full of them? Double bonus!
peptobismolist...are we going to stand still for this or bust a move...
You folks are pretty narrow sighted, you've missed the big picture...the French are taking the lead and the Africans are following...this is great news. We're lending airlift capability. The fact that African forces are doing the heavy lifting in Somalia and Mali, we should be thrilled sh%*less.
RT, you are RIGHT ON ! When the world joins arms to defeat the radical Islamists, the war will be won !
My thoughts exactly, RTColorado. Here are the French, with their North African knowledge, engaging the enemy, and backed by African continental troops, with us doing the thing we are best at, logistics. This really needed to be done, and all who condemn us as being the self-appointed "world's policeman" should note that we are willingly taking a peripheral role in this -- as well we should. France's actions are in the best interests of everyone in the world who doesn't want to be held to the narrowest form of Wahabism.
Mr. Biden: "Government Motors is alive, Osama bin Laden is dead, and al-Qaida has been decimated."
Yep, Mr. Biden for President in 2075.
Mr. Obama: "There will be no troops on the ground in Libya.....errrr....Syria....errrr....Mali. Yep, I visited 60 States during the 2008 campaign."
Hello folks, here we go again.How many countries do we have to bomb and how many millions of people do we have to kill and displace before enough is enough? In our short history we have
bombed well over 65 countries and in our short 236 year history we have been at
war for 217 of our 236 year history. Here is another case of having to fight
Jihadists that we armed in Libya. The US plans to send “Army teams” (troops) to
35 African countries this year.
RT: US will provide France airlift help, ‘training’ for Mali
operation – reports
Published: 18 January,
2013, 02:07
Edited: 18 January, 2013, 09:29
Washington has agreed to provide France with airlifts to help move troops and equipment in the country’s
operation in Mali, an official told Reuters. Meanwhile, a group of US military
trainers are expected to arrive in the region by the weekend.
The decision to boost Washington’s contribution to the French-led military operation against Islamist
rebels in Mali comes after a formal review of the French request by the Obama
administration.
The US Military’s plans include starting US Air Force cargo flights on Friday. C-17 and larger C-5
aircraft will likely be used in the operation. The US could also provide aerial
refueling for French aircraft, and deploy surveillance drones.
In addition to reports that Washington will help French and Malian forces by way of airlift support
for getting troops and equipment to the battlefield, CBS News correspondent
Margaret Brennan reported that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that US
military trainers “will be on the ground by this weekend.”
The French intervention in Mali “is going to be a long, drawn out war,” UK-based political
analyst Dan Glazebrook told RT.
“This is a ground invasion of Africa, and they’re hoping – France, Britain and the US – are
hoping to establish a permanent military presence; an occupation of Africa. And
this is one way they’re going to be able to do it,” he explained.
Glazebrook said the hostage crisis at an Algerian gas plant which was sparked by France’s intervention in Mali is an intended consequence of France’s ground invasion.
“Spillover is part of the program…the aim of the strategy of intervention in Mali. What happened since
the execution of Gaddafi and the destruction of Libya is that the West armed,
funded and equipped these death squads effectively in Libya. The flow of
weapons and fighters spread then across the region, which was again, playing
into the program of the West to destabilize the region, and they ended up in
Northern Mali,” Glazebrook argues.
The War On Terror Spreads to Africa: U.S. Sending Troops to 35 African Nations
Posted on January 12, 2013 by WashingtonsBlog
America Sets Its Sights On Controlling African Resources … And Reducing Chinese Influence
The U.S. is sending troops to 35 African nations under the guise of fighting Al Qaeda and related
terrorists.
Democracy Now notes:
U.S. Army teams will be deploying to as many as 35 African countries
for training programs and other operations as part of an increased
Pentagon role in Africa. The move would see small teams of U.S. troops
dispatched to countries with groups allegedly linked to al-Qaeda, such as
Libya, Sudan, Algeria and Niger. The teams are from a U.S. brigade that has the
capability to use drones for military operations in Africa if granted
permission. The deployment could also potentially lay the groundwork for future
U.S. military intervention in Africa.
Yeah, the Old Colonial Power structure needs Mali's gold mines. Americans cheer on mass murder out of ignorance.
The United States should not donate any money to this effort. The United States is having a financial deficit that the citizens can't afford and is actually harming our Country.
"Mass murder" is perpetrated by Islamist terrorists even moreso, but I suppose that is just fine with you. Sure, the French, the British, et. al. exploited Africa. And since they've left, for the most part its taken them about fifty years to get back to having it as good as they did under the thumbs of their colonial exploiters. "One man, one vote, one time,", in elections which basically established whose tribes were the largest, didn't improve stuff much.
Dictators with even less commitment to human rights than the colonizers whom they supplanted did little to make life better, even if they shared a common skin colour with those shom they exploited. For a great back example far to the south, would you seriously suggests that Robert Mugabe governs better than Ian Smith did? And "majority rule" in a pro-Islamist state, with no rights at all for religious minorities nor women, isn't any better than the Stalinistic "Marxism" of Mugabe et al., same totalitarianism with different rhetoric.
Looks like France is engaging in a little neo-imperialism.
Their "Socialist" president doesn't appear to be much different from the preceding conservative, capitalist president (Sarkosy).
Here's a picture of French soldier in Mali taken a day ago:
http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/images/2013/1/21//20131211076607734_20.jpg
Go France, my respect for you has resurfaced. Kick some rear end.
"The aim of the intervention is to prevent northern Mali from becoming a launchpad for international attacks by al-Qaida and its local allies in North and West Africa."
1. Just carpet bomb all the Islamic militant areas. Wipe out the areas clean.
2. Attack the sources of all problems (al Qaida with different labels and Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques): Sunni rulers of House of Saud, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and other Sunni Arab League rulers.
3. To weaken No. 1 enemy and their source House of Saud and co remove sanctions on Iranian oil. Oil prices crash are win, win for all.
Hello Arch, that picture about sums it up! Disgusting!
I know it's difficult and dangerous, but the locals (who don't want the Wahhabi version of Islam) need to fight these jihads as mush as possible. Without local support, no insurgency can succeed.
Google it:
Reuters: Residents in northern Malian town lynch Islamist
Think hard about how you want to use your other two wishes.
FinancialTimes: France ( and the US ) must repay Germany for cold war gold leases, and Mali has the 3rd largest gold mines in Africa. Quit falling for the al-qeda BS propaganda.
""Given the force of the reaction from the international community, they (the rebels) are likely to adjust and begin an asymmetrical war, ambushes, strikes by small cells," he said."
Col. Oumar Kande, ECOWAS military and security adviser in Mali appears to be smart and right on mark.
We must learn from Iraqi wars and Afghan war.
The best way to meet them are the 1991 Iraqi war style of carpet bombings and then only put soldiers on the ground.
Let us all join hands in battle against Islamic extremists, especially the most dangerous Sunni ones and their supporters!
Let us start a movement for closing all the oil rich Sunni rulers funded Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques, hate preaching and killer training centers, all over the world.
If some Muslims want these mosques then they can go to the prosperous Sunni ruling ME nations.
We don't need you and your mosques.
Here we go once again. Uncle Sucker just doesn't seem to be able to keep his nose out of other countries problems. Where is Japan, South Korea, britain, and the rest of europe with THEIR troops? Germany sent ONE plane for transport, big deal. Pretty soon France will withdraw their troops and Uncle Sucker will go it alone, again. But I guess we can take even more money from social security to pay for this war. And China, South Korea, Japan, keep on raking in the money while we throw ours down Rat Holes.
How do you know what is going on behind the scenes. You want to wave a white flag and shove your head in the sand see how long that Ideology holds up. In the meantime I learned everything I needed about Islamic Jahidists from 9-11. Now step aside or go line up in the back with the girlymen.
Tarzan,
There are no troops on the ground, except the French.
And "Britain, Belgium, Canada and Denmark were already transporting French materiel to Mali."
We are fighting the same enemy. Was 9/11 "other countries' problem" ?
Looks pretty clear from Mommys basement. U sir r made for it.
Britain is slightly involved, the Brit PM wants to send troops but due to the military cut budget and all, the MOD and the high ranking British soldiers have already stated Britain's armies are spread to thin now due to the budget cut. Brits either pull out from a couple countries and help join France or stay where they are and don't help France at all. The only way its currently involved like the US is transporting soldiers and equipment but Brits are not sending as many planes. Britain helped France with this before the US even did,said or hinted about helping out :/
I think that all Western/NATO allies should be providing at least token support. If everyone in the West and all African countries with anything resembling modern armed forces who aren't bogged down in their own insurgencies are providing something, this shouldn't be impossible or even extremely difficult. The hard part will be co-ordination and making everyone feel as if they are doing something valuable, which sounds, I know, like a ton of politically-correct B.S., and maybe it mostly is, but it is nonetheless essential to fighting coalition warfare and making it feel like "we're all in this together". The idea of "The World vs. Islamiscist Radicals" is important to keeping these militants tamped down worldwide. And the involvement of moderate Muslims, as repugnant as this may seem to many, is one of the major keys. Every religion has its radical elements, but the others have learned for the most part to downplay the violence, and not just necessarily for theological reasons.
As I recall, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq invasions I and II can all be attributed to so-called "Christian" countries.
Don't think that the invasion of South Korea by Communists qualifies, but can't discount it in any of the others. But the major conflicts of the present are being instigated largely by Islamic militants. Just over three centuries ago, the largest threat to peace and security in Europe was arguably Sweden. Times and circumstances change, and there is little to be gained by trying to refight the World Wars, or the Cold War for that matter, today.
"Britain, Belgium, Canada and Denmark were already transporting French materiel to Mali."
These are regular dancers on fighting "war on terror", "Islamic extremists" and other new convenient label wars.
After their regular dances, they vanish.
"Benson said the United States was also working with France on intelligence issues""
Then the whole burden is on the US and US taxpayers!!
Did Saudis, Kuwaitis, UAE foot the bills for Iraqi wars?
At least to reduce our economic burdens and weaken fountainheads of problems, oil rich Sunni rulers, remove sanctions on Iranian oil and crash oil prices.
Bushes, Gores and co have already made enough monies on oil price manipulations, oil stocks through Iraqi wars.
Now no more oil companies' oil prices and stock manipulations and rulers becoming richer and we on the streets!
We need to stay out of Mali, Syria, Iran, etc. Time to rebuild our own country.
I wonder what natural resources are in Mali? I mean what is the reason we are choosing to invade this country? We need to stop...WE are the terrorists!
There's gold in them hills.
There's lots of wind and it's a sunny and arid nation, so it's obvious that Obama and the Greenie/Government Complex is putting our troops at risk while going after these green energy resources so Obama can once again enrich his Solyndra cronies.
I think Malis main export is cotton. Got t-shirts?
COinFL, mqira, khenk are all full of crap, the U.S. isn't invading this country, that is a lie, France is the one with boots to stop terrorists of the kind involved in 9-11 from taking over a country to run it the hate way and these fools are crying on behalf of the terrorists that spread extreme laws that prohibit human rights and hate of the U.S.
Go France!!!!! at least France knows how to do the right thing to provide human rights
khenk: Thanks for providing us all with another example of complete ignorance and stupidity.
mqira,
"I wonder what natural resources are in Mali? I mean what is the reason we are choosing to invade this country?"
It isn't the natural resources of Mali so much that they are concerned about, but the stability of North Africa in general. Europe gets more than 20% of its energy needs from North Africa, both oil and natural gas. So it's a matter of concern to all of Europe. The U.S. is concerned about another Afghanistan with a government like the Taliban had there that hosted al-Qaida and brought us 9/11. Al-Qaida is always looking for another failed state they can use as a base for their operations. Remember that Osama bin Laden spent some time in Somalia before he moved to Afghanistan.
Arab terrorist brought you 911...from a base camp in Afghanistan...
plain bob,
That's right.
@ Mickey: Wrong. Gold mines in Mali: France and the USA owe Germany big time. Google it.
We owe the Germans for starting two world wars? Guess that we should tell them we'll just call it even. Consider it repayment for the Marshall Plan, at least.
DOU44,
"Mickey: Wrong. Gold mines in Mali"
I didn't say Mali has no natural resources. I said it is not so much Mali's natural resources that France is concerned about.
We'll be in this one too, soon enough. So very sad for those suffering there, and the fact that perpetual war is the norm.
it's their population control...has been for centurys...
I say the great foreign policy master Obama should get yet another million dollar Nobel Peace Prize for being able to run three wars at one time, blow the crap out of Osama and a few of his girlfriends in Pakistan, and yet still feel the Muslim's pain while really, really, wanting to have everyone just get along, excepting rich people, capitalists, and conservatives of course.
Khenk give it a rest.
Simple minds believe in simple things
I feel sorry for people like Khenk. It must suck to have to preface attacking the president....by listing his accomplishments first.
LOL.
I am surprised we have not heard about the Islamic threats happening in France. Oh wait NBC doesn't report on these events. Remember if you allow immigration you allow those cultures and those religions to enter your country.
If you allow a religion to enter your country that demands complete obedience to its objectives then you are allowing those directives to war against the nations governing structure. In Islam everyone must be subject to its objective and those who do not submit must accept being harassed threatened or even murdered.
As the Coptic Chrisitans are in Egypt.
Christianity doesn't demand complete obedience to it's objectives?
I think you need to study up on France's colonial history with Africa, specifically Algeria. Their relationship with the Muslims is more complex than you realize.
FforF
Just like those damned Christians 521 years ago at Plymouth Rock. (sarcasm) Don't put blanket coverage on everything. Besides that Islam was there before the present government was formed.
Maybe you should change your moniker to "DONT-fight for freedom" as you seem to want us not to help a lesser country fight for it's freedom. One little fact, France was RIGHT about NO WMD in Iraq and Bush was WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best joke on the vine today!!
The difference being that, for the last couple of centuries or so, if you disagree, we don't cut your hands (or other body parts) off, nor stone you. Some may threaten you with horrific retribution in the next life, but that's for you to believe, or not. A little easier to accept than "Agree with us or die immediately in this world prior to being damned in the next."
Tell that to the gays in Uganda.
It would seem our boys and girls in green and their killing machines need somewhere to go! Can't just go on hanging out in Kabul with nothing to shoot at!
Half-wits... how much of the world do you want to 'give' to these religious fanatics? When do you finally draw the line? Maybe when they are about ready to cut your head off for being an infidel.
Just wondering.
Having already added 7 TRILLION to the national debt, does Obama really need to spend more TAXPAYER money. Oh that's right HALF OF AMERICANS PAY NO TAXES and the half that do probably did not in high percentage vote for OBAMA.
After all we owe our support to the FRENCH. I mean it is not like they started the war in Vietman and after it proved difficult they pulled out left us to fight a war they started AND LEFT US TO PAY THEIR BILL AS WELL AS OURS.
WHEN WILL WE LEARN????????????
We didn't have to pick up where the French left off in Vietnam. We just thought we could do a better job and wrap it up in a couple of months because that's the way we think. Just like somebody told us that Iraq had nuclear weapons, and without checking it out, we went in there and spent billions only to find out that we'd been duped. The masterminds of 9/11 were not even in Iraq. Why can't we clean house in our own corrupt government and get out of the middle east? How are we any different than the French in Vietnam or Mali?
Remind me again, when was it that any President Uni-latterly set the budget? The POTUS sends a budget proposal to congress, then congress passes a budget for POTUS to approve or veto. The budget of today is based on spending of not just today's congress but of ALL congresses since deficits started. What do you think the payment is on the 6+ Trillion added from 1-20-2001 to 1-20-2009? Just how do you think they pay for all the tax cuts given out over the last 12 years? Congress has yet to cover the cost of any of them.
Dave:
Just want to know if you were this concerned about the military's contributions to budget-busting under GWB. No judgement or condemnation, just curiosity.
Well France was our ally during the revolutionary war...........then again we rescued their butts twice after that. I think now it is OK to be their wing-man, let them take the lead and squash those ultra Muslim radicals.
Bunch of BS, we are just transporting troops from a NATO ally, so shut up at least until US troops are sent to fight in Mali.
Exactly. Transport missions like this are routine and are part of the regular training regimen of an air transport wing. The likelihood of the US sending ground combat forces into Mal is less than remote.
Expect more US transports to be shuttling various and sundry items into Mali in the coming months: French troops, French equipment, supplies of all sorts, and possibly medevac cases on the return run. But that's all.
Exactly, and the vietnamese brownwater navy attacked an american warship and chipped the paint, and the next day we were bombing the north. Course right after Lyndon Baines his Johnson and sent in combat troops to fight for the hearts and minds of the afganistani, er, vietnamese people. worked well. 158,387 combat deaths in 9 years.
Still don't know but what the "Tonkin Gulf Incident" was a put-up, CIA black op to give Congress an excuse to give LBJ the carte blanche he wanted to do Viet Nam his way. These attacks by militant Islamists are definitely not that. And thomas-819915, if you are talking about U.S. KIA's in Viet Nam, you've either advertently or inadvertently added on an additional 100,000.
When are people going to learn that Congress is getting payed off by "private military contractors" to get involved in every conflict they can. They make hundreds of billions every year from contracts by over charging the government for services they don't even supply. Hell half our soldiers are starving over seas, and living in mildew and mold infested tents, drinking poisoned water that is suppled by the contractors, while the big wig contractors are leasing five star hotels and eating gourmet meals at our expense. Tell me, can you afford to burn a $100,000.00 truck because you got a flat tire, the contractors do, and we foot the bill for it. Want to stop the conflicts we are involved in, get rid of private contractors that cost 10 times the money that it cost to have our military doing the same job. At least our soldiers won't be getting poisoned any more for bigger profits.
And to do that, you have to bring those functions back under traditional military command. That means adjusting the force structure and budget to bring thing back in-house at the Pentagon. It's unlikely that we'll see anything of the sort occur. Too much money involved. President Eisenhower was right; beware the military-industrial complex. About the only way to get rid of the profiteering contractors is to radically downsize the military and keep it much closer to home. Profiteers thrive on large foreign wars. If we stop the wars, the contractors have no source of business. But it's probably too late for that; the government doesn't control military spending...the defense contractors do, by way of their kept Congressional representatives.
As long as we relate military contracting to jobs in our congressional districts rather than doing needed missions, it will continue to work the way that it does. What we need to do is to stress how many meaningful and productive private-sector jobs could be created if we were doing less of the bidding of the military-industrial complex. Ike, a military careerist, warned us about this 52 years ago not because he was a "sellout" or "soft of defense", but because he saw the path that these gigantic financial interests were taking the country he loved down, and it sickened and disgusted him.
Oh, so now the French want/need our help. I seem to remember a few years back we wanted to fly through their air space and they said "No". I say let them transport their own troops. We should just say no.
Do you mean 1986? That was more than a "few" years ago...
The french have been helping in Afghanistan since the beginning, and are a NATO member.
Have you considered that the French are fighting as our allies against a common enemy: Islamist extremists connected to Al-Qaeda?
No, that would require you to use the non-hateful part of your brain.
The French surrendered to the Nazis in 1940, too. Should we also use that as a reason not to help them now, when they are doing the right thing? That would be as dumb as saying that we should help them because they helped us against the British in 1780 and 1781. The Italians and Japanese were on the Allied side in WWI. Should we have refused to have fought against them in WWII?
And Satan said to Jesus..."Bow down and worship me.. and all of the nations and all of their splendor I will give to you". Same deal that Satan gave the Jews concerning the promised land of Israel....but they thought it was God's voice.
How does your antisemitic post relate to this article?
hey whip, Congress isn't getting payed off to get involved in every conflict they can, that is just plain bogus. Your entire statement shows hate while lying about your bogus claims. America is the greatest country on earth. If you don't like it here, get the hell out and spread your bogus lies and hate elsewhere.
Are you saying there are "NO" Congressmen on James Neil Blues quick dial?
Well it is a matter of "PUBLIC RECORD" who in congress is getting money and from where. Try reading sometime instead of watching fox news. You may just learn something. And all the lawsuits in federal court by soldiers who have been getting poisoned by crappy military contractors and winning stands to show clearly who knows more about what he is saying. Loving the country has nothing to do with wanting corrupt people out of our government. No doubt you work for one of those useless contractors yourself! Hell congress investigated all this and found that almost every contractor over billed, and did not supply the goods they were under contract to do, yet they still got to keep every penny from the government. No one in their right mind would pay if they found out they were getting ripped off, so why did the government! Payoffs plain and simple.
Americans wonder why our debt is so damn high. WE have got to stop playing policeman of the world with our tax dollars, our children's lives, our economic future. Wonder why China is kicking our a** or South Korea? or any other country. They are investing into themselves. Infrastructure, schools etc..
'Will do.
Would 9/11 have happened if we'd been a little quicker to have played "world police" against the Taliban in Afghanistan a little sooner, instead of letting bin Laden and Al-Qaeda operate out of there for years with almost total impunity, planning and training for worldwide terror? That's what this is about, and a little logistical support is a small price to pay.
It seems a little strange that we couldn't "help our own" in Benghazi---too much "fog of war"...strange that we didn't know what was going on even though there were documents and priority wires begging for more
security. Now the S — — — is on the other Shoe and we're going to jump in and help the French in Mali???U.S. Cargo carriers, etc....so what goes with this WH & Admin.? Denegrate our country abroad and then govern by self serving ideology to suit. Anyone notice or care these days? What's happening?
Ever think that maybe even this bunch is capable of learning from past mistakes?
Mail- civilian and military is vital. Make every effort.
This has to be a fake news report I mean since when did the French ever fight anyone since the 1900's, its always drop weapons and wait for someone to free your country or take over a war you started!
I'd love to help but Obama wants more gun control and this could cost him his Nobel Peace prize!
He's already the first Nobel Peace Prize winner with his own set of killer drones, and no lack of will to use them. Don't underestimate him on this. It would be as silly as overestimating him on domestic policy.
Islamics have to be the dumbest of religions on this planet.
They might as well be shrimp in the sea.
The kill themselve to go to hell thinking they will go to heaven.
Every one wants to catch, eat and use shrimp for bait.
So now they're looking for private donations to finance war. This is a new one. It think I'll contribute my money to the homeless veterans fund. We should take care of our soldiers who've already been to war before we start sending more soldiers to war and then forget about them when they come home.
If you ever gave to the Red Cross to "support the troops", you essentially gave a private contribution to help finance a war. But you'll catch no grief from me! And by all means, give to help our homeless veterans, just make sure the folks that you are giving it to are legit and spend it on homeless vets and not all on themselves.
No doubt the French aren't paying us a dime for airlifting their troops and cargo in and out. This has laready probably cost us more than Michelle's vacations. Borrow it from China. Works well for the Chinese while they mine minerals from 6 different African countries and we do the fighting. We have boots on the ground in 4 countries surrounding Kenya as it is. Obama's secret hidden agenda. Just advisors of course,,,
The difference being that this spending is in our nation's vital national interests, and Michelle's vacations, and her escorted trips to Target for that matter, are not. And we should get our share of the vital strategic minerals as well. I am fully aware of the President's ethnic heritage, but if we let Africa go totally back to hell, or let it come under virtual Chinese hegemony, the consequences are far worse than those of taking small actions now.
This is there war not ours. Now if we have to go, lets try something new. Kick thier ass and leave. Dont rebuild or try and reform. Let them do that.
Here we go again. Mali, a French war, so we should not care. I swear bush is not going to be happy till we have combat troops in every nation and borrowing the money to support it.
Bush?
Mali is another show of brilliance by the master puppeteer. His invisible purse strings, as always, instigate and control both sides of the warring theater. The opposing armies will proudly rally around their banners, build up huge expensive military forces, and enlist as many others as possible to join in the escalating quest. The puppeteer, a professional gambler, has fixed the TOP SECRET outcome, only ring leaders need to know; Panetta slept over with the Pope, who'll hold the Mullahs' hands throughout the engagement. Foolish bullheaded France will rush Muslim matadors across North Africa only to be caught in a devastating pincer not too far from Israel's southern border. Tiny Israel herself will surprisingly awake wedged between a Russian / Muslim coalition to the North, and the United Africa Nations to the South. What ingenious marauding from Mali to Israel - showmanship so well orchestrated! The surprising payoff is a little spit of land, the crossroads of three continents. When Obama visits Putin this spring, will they be smoking big cigars behind closed doors, and trading back slaps in public?