I dispute that conclusion as long as the Moslem world is such fertile ground for regenerating whackjob jihadis.
But let us savor the moment of the left asserting we've beaten the terrorists after the left spent the last decade claiming that we couldn't kill our way to victory because killing terrorists "just creates more terrorists," as they liked to say.
We killed them in Iraq, we killed them in Afghanistan, we killed their leadership in large numbers in Pakistan with drone strikes, and we shot Osama bin Laden up close and personal in his Pakistan home.
I guess we didn't just create more terrorists, eh?
UPDATE: This analysis about intervening in Mali would be funny if it wasn't so sad:
From the point of view of the leadership of AQIM in North Africa, and Boko Haram in Nigeria, military intervention would actually be welcome as further evidence of external interference, in particular if there was French and US involvement.
From that perspective, any escalation would be expected to increase support for their own movements, especially if an early phase of military support included a reliance on armed drones and Special Forces.
The author of this analysis wants negotiations, instead. As if the jihadis want to negotiate. They're destroying Moslem historical sites for Pete's sake.
I don't care if the jihadis would welcome intervention. Al Qaeda welcomed our attack on Afghanistan and we smashed them up there and eventually dumped Osama bin Laden's body at sea. Al Qaeda eagerly sought to battle us in Iraq and we killed them in large numbers and broke their back.
Jihadis are nuts. If the welcome our military intervention in Mali, I say send in the French as the spearhead with our special forces and drones, and kill as many jihadis as we can.
If we fall for the jihadis' deep plans much more, there won't be many jihadis left, eh?
Yes, the Tuaregs have real grievances. Western-led military intervention with ECOWAS and the AU following in our wake won't solve those. And I would do the least harm to Tuareg forces to scatter them and allow the Mali government to reassert control of the population centers and bases. American focus should be on the jihadis while France leads the offensive to reverse the secession of the north.
But the Tuaregs crossed a line by joining with the jihadis to defend what they won. No hard feelings over backing Khaddafi, in my view. But this is an offense we cannot overlook.
Come on France. Do your job.
UPDATE: Strategypage has more useful thoughts. On the bright side, by the time France decides to lead the counter-offensive, the jihadis will likely have alienated so many Tuaregs that they might not be too motivated to resist--until the Western and ECOWAS forces leave after smashing up the jihadis.
