France invaded Mali, another middle finger to international law?
Hi again, Max.
I am sorry to see that you failed to admit that the intervention by France was at the request of the legitimate government of Mali. The title of this thread is an outright lie, it seems.
As for Mali’s economic importance, you also ignore another fact. France granted independence to Mali in 1960 at a time when it could have tapped all of your so-called mineral resources without any military intervention at all. Conveniently, your posts exaggerate the country’s economic importance in an effort to promote the cause of the pro-al Qaeda forces occupying the North. Today, Mali is far from being the treasure chest of gold, oil, and diamonds as you claim. According to CNN, “Mali is hardly a regional powerhouse and is "marginal" to the world economy. It does not sit on lakes of oil; it is landlocked and desperately poor. But it is very big -- nearly twice the size of France -- with seven neighbors whose long, poorly guarded borders provide militants with supply (and escape) routes.” More importantly, CNN goes on to report, “The international community has voiced concerns about al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its expanding presence in Mali.” {1}
As previously noted, the OP statement contains unsupported innuendo distorting Franco-American policy. Being realistic, Max, instead of more pro-al Qaeda propaganda, I would like to see some real facts that support your claims. Do you have any?
{1} http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/16/world/afr … ?hpt=hp_t3
Hello there, Max.
I see no excuse or justification for blaming this intervention on the US. This entire post does not make a single definitive statement. It consists of just unanswered questions that affirm that the implied motivations can not be supported by any facts. Another example of accusations without merit in the form of unanswered questions in an anti-US, pro-Al-Qaeda post is not surprising.
“(Reuters) - In five days, France's mercy dash to Mali to stop al Qaeda-linked Islamists seizing the capital has bounced it into a promise to keep troops there until its West African former colony is finally back on its feet.” {1}
May I pose my own unanswered questions, Max? Do you have any facts to support the claims in the OP statement? I would love to hear the facts that support those opinions.
{1} http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/ … EL20130116Hello Max. How are you this evening?
Instead of questions and more questions, give us your answers to all of your questions and tell us the facts that support your conclusions. None of your questions have any merit unless you furnish facts. Posting unanswered questions is a useless exercise. If your basic beliefs and opinions are based on facts then please share those facts with us. If all of your arguments are based on unanswered questions then you have no arguments at all.
Just saying all national foreign policies are self-serving is undisputed. However, no one should view all international events as negative solely on this premise. The significance of each individual issue must be weighed not on assumed motivation but rather on factual causes and effects.
The French foreign policy, as with the USA, is self-serving, as it should be. However, conditions in Mali have been deteriorating over the last few years. The new constitution written in 1991 established Mali as a democratic, multi-party state. {1} Islam as practiced in Mali before 2012 was moderate, tolerant, and adapted to local conditions; relations between Muslims and practitioners of minority religious faiths were generally amicable.
Since 2012, the al Qaeda backed insurgents you support have imposed restrictive sharia rule in the northern area of the country. As a result, Mali was listed high (#7) in the Christian persecution index published by Open Doors which described the persecution in the north as severe. {2}
I have some more facts about your favorite militants occupying Northern Mali, Max. “Witnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch by phone since January 8[, 2013] – when hostilities between the Islamist groups and Malian army intensified – described seeing many children, some as young as 12, taking active part in the fighting. Witnesses also said that children were staffing checkpoints in areas that have come under aerial bombardment by the French or are near active combat zones. The Islamic groups – Ansar Dine, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) – have recruited, trained, and used several hundred children in their forces since occupying Northern Mali in April 2012.” {3}
Please tell us more about your Islamist forces in the North. Why are they so good for Mali? From what I can see, they are looking to overpower and destroy the predominant, more culturally advanced, pro-democracy Sufi Muslims who now rule. These are the current facts, as I know them. Have you any facts to share with us, Max, or have you only more of unanswered questions?
Hope you enjoy your evening, Max. Thanks for sharing.
{1} http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali
{2} Ibid.
{3} http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/15/mali … d-soldiers
Back to you once again, Max.
You ask, “Who said that Sharia law would be implemented?” Just look at the reports coming out of the northern regions now controlled by militant Islamist. They are telling the world about acts of religious intolerance, abuse, and rigid enforcement of Sharia law on the populace. Just read this news report, “they [rebels] imposed a strict interpretation of Sharia law, banning music, smoking, drinking and watching sports on television. They also damaged historic tombs and shrines.” {1} The brand of Islam now being forced upon the population in the north is far different than Wahhabism, the very conservative form of Islam long practiced by residents of the region.
You told me, "I am an anti-Al-Qaeda but I am a pro freedom of religion.” {2} Well, Max, you support the illegitimate combatants, some with known al Qaeda ties, who are forcing radical Islam on the defenseless Malian population in the Northern regions of Mali. You contradict your own claims to being opposed to al Qaeda and in favor of freedom of religion!
In addition, since you support the militant forces trying to replace the existing Malian government, you must also support their recruiting children to fight their battles. This from an eyewitness in the North, “These so-called Islamists are sending our innocents to be slaughtered in the name of Jihad…I ask you, what kind of Islam is this?” {3} Or this, also from the Human Rights Watch, “The witnesses have described how within Mali, the Islamists have recruited substantial numbers of boys from small villages and hamlets, particularly those where residents have long practiced Wahhabism, a very conservative form of Islam.” {4}
I know it is now pretty late. I hope, Max, you have had a pleasant evening.
{1} http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/19/world/afr … index.html
{2} http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/108512? … ost2310641
{3} http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/15/mali … d-soldiers
{4} Ibid.
Hello again, Max. I am just making an observation.
When I shape my opinions, I consider that there is a huge rational gap between “I think” and “I know.” It is clear to me now that you do not. Still, you have a right to form your own conclusions while ignoring the difference.
Have a great night, Max.
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