The first batch of African Union (AU) troops arrived on the Comoros island of Moheli Thursday, joining Comoran forces massed for a military offensive to retake the rebel island of Anjouan.
The Indian Ocean archipelago -- between Madagascar and Mozambique -- did not recognise the re-election of Anjouan leader Colonel Mohamed Bacar in June 2007 and a tense stand-off is now poised to turn into an AU-backed invasion of the island.
"Massing" is perhaps a bit misleading:
According to Comoran military sources, the first AU detachment consists of 200 Sudanese and 150 Tanzanian troops.
These troops are the first of a thousand African Union forces that will arrive to support 400 Comoran troops.
With a population of 240,000 (as of 1991), Anjouan would need to be policed by 4,800 if we are to accept the 2% rule about controlling a rebellious population.
Who is planning this farce with insufficiently resourced invasion troops? How much armor do they have? Where's the post-conflict plan in five parts and three appendices? Just where is Rumsfeld these days?
The French are transporting AU troops for the operation. I smell ulterior motives, here. I think we have a conspiracy unfolding before our eyes!
Consider that Anjouan is the primary source of ylang-ylang oil, which is an ingredient for almost all perfumes!
So who will benefit from the ylang-ylang oil pipeline contract?
What Chanel executive is bribing the French government to benefit from the French support of this blatant perfume grab?
Are poor minority soldiers (Well, they aren't minorities there, I admit. But you know what I mean) to die so French hookers (or New Jersey ones) can smell nice?
I blame the NeoCons.
No blood for ylang-ylang oil!
UPDATE: Sadly, I can't copyright the slogan. Someone else appears to have coined it.
