U.S. Prepares to Back Mali Intervention

U.S. Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta has supported France's airstrikes against rebels in northern Mali, saying the U.S. government is also readying plans for assistance in the ongoing operations.

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Photo: HCR/Y.Djigo

Malians fleeing fighting in the north.

  • Mali:  UN Chief Backs France

    UN News Service, 14 January 2013

    United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the response of "bilateral partners" to the plea for assistance from the Government of Mali to counter the troubling ... read more »

  • Mali:  Security Council to Hold Urgent Talks on Fighting

    SAnews.gov.za, 14 January 2013

    The UN Security Council will hold a meeting on Monday at France's request to discuss the situation in Mali, while Paris got authorization to use Algeria's airspace for its ... read more »

Video

  • Mali Campaign Alters Image of Hollande

    Publisher:
    Al Jazeera
    Publication Date:
    15 January 2013

    Crisis talks are continuing in France over the decision to intervene in Mali, and President Francois Hollande has been meeting members of his ... see more »

  • Mali:  We Must Act Now in Mali (editorial)

    The Point, 14 January 2013

    It is great and even timely that France and other African countries have begun intervening in Mali to regain rebel-held towns, and stop the advance of Islamist extremists who last ... read more »

Video

InFocus



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  • ras sideeq
    Jan 16 2013, 07:24
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    THE WEST ARE A CONFUSED BUNCH!!! THEY USED THESE SAME FIGHTERS NOT TE TAUREGS THE OTHER ISLAMIST TO OVERHTRROW GADAFFI AND MURDER HIM!!!.. THE FRENDCH AIR DORPPED TENS OF TONNES OF WEAPONS TO THESE VERY GUYS!!! THEY ARE ALSO USING THEM IN YRIA WHERE THEY ARE THERE AL;LIE THEY US LIBYA AS A RECRUITING GROUND TO FIGHT ASSAD; SO WHAT ARE WE SEEING HERE WANTING YOUR CAKE AND EATING IT ALL????? VERY CONFUSING, SO WE SEE THE AMERICANS OPENING ANOTHER FRONT IN AFRICA!!!! WHAT WE DO NOT WANT IS WHOLE SALE DESTRUCTOPM OF MALI WHICH IS QUITE HISTORIC AT THE EXPENSE OF HOLLANDE AND HIS QUEST FOR HISTORIC GLORY???? WE ALSO DO NTO WANT TO SEE THE TAUREGS BEING MORE MARGINALISED WHCH WILL LEAD TO A PROTRAXCTED WAR LATING FOR GENERATIONS. WHENEVER THERE IS A PERVEIVED WINNER OF A WAR AND THERE IS OCCUPATION WHICH NO DOUBT IS WHAT FRANCE WANTS TO DO. FRANCE IS THE MOOD TO RECOLONISE SOME OF THIER LOST COLONIES FROM TH PAST FIFTY YEARS THEY HAVE RECOLONISED IVORY COAST THERE IS NO DOUBT!!!!. GBAGBO IS STILL BEING CHRGED FOR BEING GIVEN PERMISSION BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO RESUME HIS PRESIDENCY, THE ICC STILL FINDS FIT TO TRY HIM EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FRANCE AND THE UN AND QUATTARA WHO INITIATATED BLOOD AND SCREAMED FOR BLOOD???? THE NEOCOLONIAL AFFIRMATIONS OF NATO IS CLEAR, HOW EVER IT WONT WORK!!! YES THERE MIGHT BE SOME IN MALI AT THE MOMENT WHOM ARE PLEASED BUT AFRICANS ON A WHOLE WILL NMOT BE AS TIME PROGRESSES...TIME IS THE MASTER!!!!

  • blessing20052003
    Jan 16 2013, 17:22

    This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

  • cocomaan
    Jan 15 2013, 14:19
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    "The U.S. was always just looking at fragments of the picture and saying they would continue to support the situation through training operations," Wing said. "It's piecemeal intelligence - in Mali, somehow, the whole picture was never seen."

    Dr. Wing is being far too charitable. It's been very rare that US intelligence lives up to its namesake. Mali is just another realpolitik success for these individuals.

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