andygardener Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 France is doing the running because the Malians asked them to. We have far more experience in Africa than the USA has. I'm trying to recall a major US intervention in Africa since they got chased out of Somalia 20 years ago. The US is still bogged down in Afghanistan and having trouble getting out of there. After Bush's foreign disasters I don't blame Obama for being reluctant to get bogged down elsewhere especially when European states with far more experience of Africa can do all the work. The USA can't do everything anyway and with their economic woes wouldn't want to run up another large bill overseas. Fair enough and that all makes sense. Noblese oblige costs us a bunch of money as per. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vague_Boy Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 so why is it always Europeans or Americans that have to do the heavy lifting? How do you think world powers maintain their hegemony? The British Empire wasn't built on sitting around a conference table devising a solutions package over tea and biscuits but the subjugation of other nations by brute force. The American empire is much the same, but subtler. How would we feel if China carried on like the U.S., invading oil rich countries on phony pretexts (WMDS that never existed), using predator drones against civilians (a war crime according to the United Nations [LINK]), waterboarding prisoners (something that contravenes international law [LINK]). "But, but... we're the good guys, we can behave like this. China can't". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinfoilhat Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 This is the french bombing an Ammo depot yesterday... French Jet Annihilates Rebel Ammunition Depot In Mali http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=79e_1358103451 They also bombed a convoy of 30 cars and trucks killing over a 100 militants. So the Islamist`s in Libya,Tunisia,Syria and Egypt are all freedom fighters but the Islamist`s in Mali are terrorists. Well, in my opinion, yes. I'm not saying the Islamists in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia aren't dangerous, but they don't on the face of it seem as violent as the ones in Mali or Nigeria for that matter. Syria, probably are closer to the terrorist nutter catagory, and they are fighting nutters too. Best leave that one alone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 This is the french bombing an Ammo depot yesterday... French Jet Annihilates Rebel Ammunition Depot In Mali http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=79e_1358103451 Fair play to the DGSE and the pilots involved, no question that was a legit target from the secondaries going off there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melthebell Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 what i read from your own link andy. we are backing up france............makes a change they used to be the frenchs colony. we arent going in to battle alledgedly but gonna train malian government forces? so theyll come to bite us on the ass as usual later on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 And in the time its taken to have a brief chat on here about it France has basically surrended, what a surprise - http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/mali-islamists-much-stronger-than-expected-france_255317.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXTickerXX Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 The french are great. http://www.alecm.com/archive_2004-09.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yahweh Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Well done to the French in helping stem the al-Qaida-linked rebel groups occupying Mali's north. The Americans do have limited experience in Africa, as LeMaquis has pointed out. They helped us defeat the Axis powers in North Africa, albeit after they received a bloody nose at Kasserine Pass. Lets just hope the French have the bottle to see it through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uptowngirl Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 It's just two supply plane as well, to help out with logistics. It seems to have escaped some folk that we made a military pact with France to share military equipment. We are providing logistical support and they are sharing an aircraft carrier with the Royal Navy until out new carrier is ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 How do you think world powers maintain their hegemony? The British Empire wasn't built on sitting around a conference table devising a solutions package over tea and biscuits but the subjugation of other nations by brute force. The American empire is much the same, but subtler. How would we feel if China carried on like the U.S., invading oil rich countries on phony pretexts (WMDS that never existed), using predator drones against civilians (a war crime according to the United Nations [LINK]), waterboarding prisoners (something that contravenes international law [LINK]). "But, but... we're the good guys, we can behave like this. China can't". Waterboarding although not a pleasant experience is a suitable form of extracting information from pussies. Leaves no residual physical damage and if it prevents another terrorist attack it serves it's purpose. China is not a target of terrorist activities but if China were and they captured suspected terrorists they'd do a number on them that would make waterboarding look like a Sunday dip in the pool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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