The African Union thinks NATO needs to take a major direct role in the fight against al Qaeda in Mali:
The Malian conflict was an "international question" and Nato should intervene just as it had done in Afghanistan, Mr Yayi said.
However, the campaign against the militants should be led by an African force, he said.
Mr. Yayi can pretend that America didn't lead that campaign, but that doesn't erase the idea that a NATO state should take the lead (ahem, France).
Eight months before the sainted international community is planning to deal with the jihadis (at the earliest), the core of the already small ECOWAS force that is supposed to lead the drive north is eroding:
Security challenges, which have prompted the Federal Government to deploy troops to many parts of the federation, have forced Nigeria to scale down the number of men of the armed forces it will contribute to a sub-regional military contingent for peacekeeping in Mali.
THIS DAY learnt yesterday that Nigeria would now contribute 450 soldiers to the contingent put together by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), down from the original 600 soldiers it had intended to contribute to the 3,300-strong troops.
Seriously. The most powerful and capable military in the regional body can't afford to send 600 men. This will work out swell.
As I've argued, the multi-state ECOWAS force and the coup-riven Mali army will lack the cohesion to spearhead the drive north.
I dare say that unless the French send in a Foreign Legion regiment, the jihadis will have more more ground combat power than the liberation force by the time the glorious day of liberation arrives sometime late this year. Unless that European training program is just awesome, that's the reality. How much progress has been made since April 2012 to prepare to retake the north? Will it really get that much better in the next 8-9 months?
Or the day of liberation will be celebrated by the jihadis. We've given the jihadis the gift of time. Why do we think that they can't use it?
UPDATE: The jihadis have captured Konna, a city of 50,000 less than 50 miles north of Mopti. The Mali army defenders fled when attacked:
A Mali army spokesman refused to comment on Konna but a soldier, who refused to give his name because he was not authorized to speak, said the army had retreated from Konna to the town of Sevare.
Savare is where Mopti's airport is.
I'm sure the Mali army will do much better in its new frontline, right?
UPDATE: More on the Konna battle:
After hours of gun battles, Islamist fighters paraded in victory through Konna's center, saying they would push on to take Mopti and Severe, towns some 50 km (30 miles) south, residents said.
"We took the barracks and we control all of the town of Konna," MUJWA rebel spokesman Oumar Ould Hamaha told Reuters. "The soldiers fled, abandoning their heavy weapons and armored vehicles."
News of the fall of Konna sowed panic in Mopti and Severe, site of a large military barracks and airport.
Panic in Mopti already (and Severe, where Mopti's airport is). And the government forces fled after several hours of fighting, abandoning heavy equipment.
Trained troops will best ill-trained fanatics. Ask the jihadis who took on 3rd Infantry Division at the desperate fights at Larry, Curly, and Moe in April 2003 (I remain disappointed that no movie has been made about this battle). Heck, ask the Iranians who took on the Iraqis in the 1980s.
But in a battle between armies of ill-trained troops, the fanatical ill-trained troops will beat the normal ill-trained troops, even if the normal troops have better weapons.
But no worries! In 8 or 9 months, the international community will lead the counter-attack.
I'm sure this will work out just swell.
