You know a military crisis subject has run its course in the news when it becomes political and Mali just has.
As the events unfolded in Algeria. hostages were freed or killed and time to reflect has come. Yes, those terrorist were buddies with the Al-Qaeda inspired ones in Mali. Yes, they chose their moment for best media attention in relation to their cousins in arms’ struggle under the French bombs. And yet, there seems some will not see the link nor learn the lesson.
To wit, this piece by the Washington Post which ponders the curious minimal reaction of the US towards France and derisive help so far. America will help with transport but the French will foot the bill.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/stiffing-an-ally-in-mali/2013/01/18/b093ef02-61a7-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_story.html
For a country that provides 70+ billion dollars a year to Israel in military help, it is rather stingy, a miser move? Or maybe, it’s but damage control. After all, the US did train the Malian Special Forces * that staged the coup in April? And were trying to infiltrate countries like Mali to veer them away from traditional French influence. So that it comes as a bad surprise that France is now doing the job and showing it retains its importance to those nations and their populations in most instances.
It also serves the purpose of not making too much of the AQMI resurgence. The administration in Washington like its three predecessors sold the war on terror to its constituents by saying more or less that a couple months in Afghanistan would do the trick … and 12 years haven’t sufficed so far? I mean Bin Laden is gone but Al-Qaeda endures? Hum? If France managed the wrestle in Northern Mali’s sands … some peeps would look a bit dumb?
It may also be seen in the way the press covers the adventure. Many sources began mistakenly giving the French original scenario as that of air strikes only and for a limited time. Which is completely false. It may be that those writers are having flashbacks from last year’s Libyan outing held under those exact pretenses but it is simply not the case here.
From day one in his initial press conference on Somalia and Mali, President Hollande said : ” This operation will last the necessary time.”
And, in turn the first comments by Fr Foreign Min. mention : “… a few weeks at least!.”
And his first press conference said : “… take the time that’s needed.”
“cela prendra le temps qu’il faut.”
Found here : http://basedoc.diplomatie.gouv.fr/vues/Kiosque/FranceDiplomatie/kiosque.php?fichier=bafr2013-01-14.html
And the MinDef, ( Defence Secretary ), in his first conference on the matter also said : “as long as necessary.”
En ce moment même, nos moyens aériens sont engagés, des unités convergent vers ce théâtre. Nous poursuivrons notre soutien aux Maliens aussi longtemps que nécessaire.
Found here : http://www.defense.gouv.fr/actualites/operations/conference-de-presse-sur-la-situation-au-mali-et-en-somalie
So that one wonders how these folks :
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130116/NEWS02/701169959
like many others found proper to write : “The move reversed France’s earlier insistence on providing only aerial and logistical support for a military intervention led by African ground troops.”
I hope that this helps convince my readers of the necessity to check and double check the informations that they acquire in general. I will make mistakes in talking and reporting to you on occasion for sure and I’d really like it if a well-versed reader of Definitive Lapse of Reason, having been wary of my piece had the graciousness of explaining it to me so that I may publish an erratum, an admission and more importantly a correction of the erroneous data or opinion as the case may be! Doubt all sources,; doubt me as one too, please!
It could also be that the reasons behind some of these “errors” is an attempt at manipulating public opinion in which case again, we have reached that all-encompassing no-man’s land of truth, politics.
And as the politics become primordial, the event itself will now grace page 2 only, a snippet on TV between Syria, A-Stan, etc. Like those disasters and gun-control in the US or India’s women, they will be brought back to you on occasion, time permitting …
Israel plays the medias darn well, as I explained before so that a little Palestinian ruffling is going on while the world’s attention is concentrated in Africa :
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/15-year-old-palestinian-critically-injured-by-idf-fire-in-west-bank.premium-1.494959
Good luck Mali, good luck all, Tay.
* And some that defected to the rebels over time even!
Additional reading on refugees,
story - http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/01/201311933937656575.html
numbers- http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/542558
Hi back Humanity ( what a nice pseudo to use in sentences
) and good day TK 
*whispers* and the counter did not register your passing by mascaraandwideeyes but I know you are there …