05-19-2017, 10:40 PM
*** 20-May-17 World View -- France's new president Macron commits troops to Mali 'as long as necessary'
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** France's new president Macron commits troops to Mali 'as long as necessary'
****
![[Image: g170519b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170519b.jpg)
France has peacekeeping troops in five Sahel nations -- Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad (TRT World)
France's new president Emmanuel Macron fulfilled a campaign promise on
Friday by visiting the French peacekeeping troops in Mali, in his
first official trip outside Europe since taking office less than a
week ago.
There are 4,000 French peacekeeping troops in Operation Barkhane,
France's largest overseas operation, which was begun in 2014 by
then-president François Hollande, with a vow to "wipe out armed
terrorist groups."
The French troops are in five West African nations in the Sahel
region, which is a strip of land running horizontally across Africa
from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Generally speaking, it
separates the Arab north from Black Africa, along a fault line that
often separates Muslims north of the Sahel from Christians south of
the Sahel. The Sahel cuts through the five countries with French
peacekeeping forces: Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
Macron said that France would be "uncompromising" in its fight against
militant Islamists in Mali and the other nations, and vowed that
France's military operations would continue until the jihadists are
eradicated. According to Macron, "Operation Barkhane will only stop
when there is no more Islamist terrorism in the region."
France 24 and Radio France Internationale and BBC
****
**** UN peacekeeping forces grow as jihadist attacks increase and Mali
****
The three largest transnational jihadist groups in Mali are al-Qaida
in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in
West-Africa (MUJAO), and al-Mourabitoun, created by Mokhtar
Belmokhtar.
However, probably the most important terrorist group in Mali is Ansar
Dine (Defenders of Faith), a local terrorist group from the Tuareg
ethnic group. The Tuaregs live in a region spanning northern Mali,
large parts of Algeria and Niger, and the southwestern portion of
Libya.
The Tuaregs had what arguably might be called a "lucky break" in 2011,
when Libya's dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed. To protect himself,
Gaddafi had armed and employed mercenaries, many of whom were Tuareg.
When Gaddafi died, the Tuaregs were left with a big weapons cache,
which they used to begin a separatist rebellion in Mali.
Central Mali has seen a sharp increase in jihadist attacks and ethnic
violence since 2015. The United Nations has had an existing
peacekeeping force of 12,000 troops in Mali called MINUSMA since July
2013.
The UN is deploying a rapid intervention force of Senegalese troops to
central Mali. China is sending a peacekeeping force of 395 troops to
Mali before the end of May.
However, Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau is receiving criticism
for failing to meet his campaign promise of providing to the UN 600
Canadian troops for peacekeeping. Instead, has kept postponing the
question, refusing to say whether or not the Canadian troops would be
supplied. Trudeau's equivocation is causing problems for other
countries supplying peacekeeping troops. As one foreign diplomat
said, "Just make a decision. Even if it’s a no, we need a decision."
TRT World (Istanbul) and News 24 (South Africa) and Premium Times (Nigeria) and National Post (Ottawa)
Related Articles
****
**** A riddle
****
Question: What do Trump and the Mainstream Media have in common with
onald and Nancy Reagan?
Answer: They're obsessed with each other.
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, France, Emmanuel Macron, Africa, Sahel,
Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad,
Operation Barkhane, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM,
Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West-Africa, MUJAO,
al-Mourabitoun, Tuaregs, Ansar Dine, Defenders of Faith,
Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, Senegal, Canada, Justin Trudeau
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- France's new president Macron commits troops to Mali 'as long as necessary'
- UN peacekeeping forces grow as jihadist attacks increase and Mali
- A riddle
****
**** France's new president Macron commits troops to Mali 'as long as necessary'
****
France has peacekeeping troops in five Sahel nations -- Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad (TRT World)
France's new president Emmanuel Macron fulfilled a campaign promise on
Friday by visiting the French peacekeeping troops in Mali, in his
first official trip outside Europe since taking office less than a
week ago.
There are 4,000 French peacekeeping troops in Operation Barkhane,
France's largest overseas operation, which was begun in 2014 by
then-president François Hollande, with a vow to "wipe out armed
terrorist groups."
The French troops are in five West African nations in the Sahel
region, which is a strip of land running horizontally across Africa
from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Generally speaking, it
separates the Arab north from Black Africa, along a fault line that
often separates Muslims north of the Sahel from Christians south of
the Sahel. The Sahel cuts through the five countries with French
peacekeeping forces: Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
Macron said that France would be "uncompromising" in its fight against
militant Islamists in Mali and the other nations, and vowed that
France's military operations would continue until the jihadists are
eradicated. According to Macron, "Operation Barkhane will only stop
when there is no more Islamist terrorism in the region."
France 24 and Radio France Internationale and BBC
****
**** UN peacekeeping forces grow as jihadist attacks increase and Mali
****
The three largest transnational jihadist groups in Mali are al-Qaida
in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in
West-Africa (MUJAO), and al-Mourabitoun, created by Mokhtar
Belmokhtar.
However, probably the most important terrorist group in Mali is Ansar
Dine (Defenders of Faith), a local terrorist group from the Tuareg
ethnic group. The Tuaregs live in a region spanning northern Mali,
large parts of Algeria and Niger, and the southwestern portion of
Libya.
The Tuaregs had what arguably might be called a "lucky break" in 2011,
when Libya's dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed. To protect himself,
Gaddafi had armed and employed mercenaries, many of whom were Tuareg.
When Gaddafi died, the Tuaregs were left with a big weapons cache,
which they used to begin a separatist rebellion in Mali.
Central Mali has seen a sharp increase in jihadist attacks and ethnic
violence since 2015. The United Nations has had an existing
peacekeeping force of 12,000 troops in Mali called MINUSMA since July
2013.
The UN is deploying a rapid intervention force of Senegalese troops to
central Mali. China is sending a peacekeeping force of 395 troops to
Mali before the end of May.
However, Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau is receiving criticism
for failing to meet his campaign promise of providing to the UN 600
Canadian troops for peacekeeping. Instead, has kept postponing the
question, refusing to say whether or not the Canadian troops would be
supplied. Trudeau's equivocation is causing problems for other
countries supplying peacekeeping troops. As one foreign diplomat
said, "Just make a decision. Even if it’s a no, we need a decision."
TRT World (Istanbul) and News 24 (South Africa) and Premium Times (Nigeria) and National Post (Ottawa)
Related Articles
- United Nations approves military intervention in Mali (21-Dec-2012)
- Tuareg rebels declare independent state of Azawad in northern Mali (07-Apr-2012)
- Timbuktu's ancient history at risk over chaotic Mali rebellion (04-Apr-2012)
- Mali conflict explodes into ground war and hostage crisis (17-Jan-2013)
****
**** A riddle
****
Question: What do Trump and the Mainstream Media have in common with
onald and Nancy Reagan?
Answer: They're obsessed with each other.
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, France, Emmanuel Macron, Africa, Sahel,
Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad,
Operation Barkhane, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM,
Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West-Africa, MUJAO,
al-Mourabitoun, Tuaregs, Ansar Dine, Defenders of Faith,
Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, Senegal, Canada, Justin Trudeau
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
