Weak Mali, already experiencing domestic divisions, is apparently the first to feel the effects of the war.
We tried to bolster the Mali government in the face of Tuareg rebels, but we haven't been able to stop the tide of revolt:
With the fall last weekend of the northern Mali garrison town of Tessalit, and its airstrip, to Tuareg secessionist forces, U.S. counter-terror policy in Africa is dealt a stunning setback. A USAF airlift brought supplies on February 14 to the besieged town, which reportedly was overwhelmed by a column of Tuareg fighters in early February only to be retaken by a Mali Defense Forces (MDF) column a few days later, which then found itself – with the military families – surrounded by a more numerous and better armed rebel detachment. Bu there are no reports of further U.S. involvement.
The big worry is that al Qaeda or other jihadis could find a safe haven in the wake of a Malian government defeat in the region. AFRICOM is probably trying to figure out what we can do.
