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29 Jan 2013
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Drones?
Perhaps this article provides valuable additional considerations toward understanding another point of view...
[url=http://www.prisonplanet.com/here-come-the-drones-or-the-true-reason-for-the-mali-incursion.html]Prison Planet.com
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30 Jan 2013
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xfiltrate
Can you please add a [/url] tag at the end of your post to make our lives a bit easier...
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30 Jan 2013
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As usual the moor has done a good synthesis of Jihadi opinion on Mali as appearing on internet forums. Its a good read.
There is an emerging narrative that depicts France and her allies as Crusaders
There is a call out to support the Mali elements with parallels to Afghanistan
And a call out to expand the conflict
Early Perspectives on the Mali Crisis from a Jihadist Forum (II) | The Moor Next Door
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30 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xfiltrate
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Nope xfiltrate muy amable, no value added from that surly misinformed conspiracy thinker, quote:
"Next we need a little dose of the perpetual “Al-Qaeda” bogeyman in Central, Eastern, and finally South Africa and the US will have military control over a continent that China is rapidly doing all it can to colonize from the ground up"
US is using satellites rather than drones to monitor the chinese
They've had problems with their base in Ouagadougou but the planned move to Agadez (of all places) is a surprise. The stated mission is to monitor jihadist networks in the Sahara with unarmed drones.
Plans for US Surveillance Drones in Niger | Sahel Blog
U.S. expands secret intelligence operations in Africa - Washington Post
some reactions
Le Pentagone compte stationner des drones au Niger
I think the jihadists are in for their biggest setback so far, and all of WA is now thoroughly against wahhabism, and the Qatari-Saudi influence. In Bamako, people are taking it a bit too far, forcibly cutting the beards off islamists.
Last edited by priffe; 30 Jan 2013 at 20:04.
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1 Feb 2013
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Closing off the borders
Mali : l'impossible contrôle des frontières | Jeuneafrique.com
Algeria patrolling borders with Mali and Libya with 17 batallions, 10000 men. They say it would take "two NATOs" to really keep the borders safe. Just the other day they surprisingly signed a security contract with the Brits.
Mauretania with the longest (2240 kms) Mali border have established 48 guarded posts.
Libya closed its borders with Algeria-Niger-Chad-Sudan December 16.
Debdeb, entre menace terroriste et contrebande - Actualité - El Watan
The huge increase in military control should make smuggling along the old routes more difficult than ever?
With 2000 seasoned Chadian soldiers on the ground, 400 from Niger and 4400 French the jihadists should be facing some resistance. Now retreated into the Tigharghar, what can they do? MNLA touareg fighters may make the final move against them, if they can somehow strike a deal with Paris/Bamako.
I can't find an good assessment of what resources the jihadists have. I believe every experienced bomb maker and every seasoned field commander they loose, they are really hurting. This besides the fact that they would have a terrible time trying just get along with themselves, when their movements are restricted.
Guerre au Mali : le Tchad et le Niger veulent couper toute retraite aux jihadistes | Jeuneafrique.com - le premier site d'information et d'actualit� sur l'Afrique
Last edited by priffe; 2 Feb 2013 at 16:15.
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1 Feb 2013
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Not meant to be conspiratorial
Thanks Priffe, it was the New York Times article referenced in the last link I sent.:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/us...rica.html?_r=0
Not the conspiracy, that I did not even notice until you pointed it out.
Could you please explain the difference between the "jihadists" also called Al-Qaeda being fought in Mali and Al-Qaeda, also called "jihadists" being supported in Syria?
At this time is there an advisable land route from Morocco to Tanzania ?
xfiltrate
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1 Feb 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xfiltrate
Could you please explain the difference between the "jihadists" also called Al-Qaeda being fought in Mali and Al-Qaeda, also called "jihadists" being supported in Syria?
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Oh no! Don't go there!
Various media and pundits in the UK are asking this question, including a certain MP in the UK parliament just a couple of days ago, but no one from the UK government has produced an answer so far; not even the Prime Minister at his weekly question time in Parliament.
It is complicated though. 
And I mean that; it is really complicated.
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2 Feb 2013
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When facing a greater common enemy, your enemy may (temporarily) become your friend. Shifting alliances; the way it has always been and always will be - no mystery there, really.
But that discussion would take us off topic.
xfiltrate, no good short land route to Tanzania now.
Now I hear from the grapevine Aqim and MBM are moving operations to Libya - the next large unstable territory where they can move around and entrench themselves. Are they giving up on Mali already?
We will see.
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2 Feb 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by priffe
When facing a greater common enemy, your enemy may (temporarily) become your friend. Shifting alliances; the way it has always been and always will be - no mystery there, really.
But that discussion would take us off topic.
xfiltrate, no good short land route to Tanzania now.
Now I hear from the grapevine Aqim and MBM are moving operations to Libya - the next large unstable territory where they can move around and entrench themselves. Are they giving up on Mali already?
We will see.
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As you say, shifting alliances have occurred throughout recorded history.
But in this case, the point refers to the support, by "western" nations, of what amounts to more or less the same group at one and the same time in geographical locations which are not all that far separated; there lies a problem for governments and their spokespersons.
And the questions on those lines continue on the basis of "one mans terrorist is another mans freedom-fighter".
I don' see how it goes off topic either; the thread might be better labelled as being related to the Sahel rather than the Maghreb, if only because lots of these terrorist/freefighter groups do not work within the national borders of any single country - a bit like those pesky lapplanders who wander around and across national borders in the north
Anyway, what is the Swedish government's policy right now about the Sahel?
(France is reported to be calling for a UN peacekeeping force for Mali, which would be their means of dis-engaging from their ex-colony).
Might as well say it:
Syria; the aim is regime change and the downfall of a dictator.
Mali; the aim is to prop up a military-based government that is in place as the result of a recent coup against an elected government.
Discussion??
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Last edited by Walkabout; 2 Feb 2013 at 08:52.
Reason: Might as well say it added
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