Jihadis are digging in in northern Mali. The international community is springing into action:
International military intervention to oust Islamist militants from northern Mali is almost inevitable, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said on Wednesday, but he said no action was likely for almost a year.
So perhaps in September or October. Whatever. No rush, right?
Well, there is this (via Belmont Club with a tip to Stones Cry Out):
Al Qaeda’s affiliate in North Africa is operating terrorist training camps in northern Mali and providing arms, explosives and financing to a militant Islamist organization in northern Nigeria, the top American military commander in Africa said on Monday.
The affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has used the momentum gained since seizing control of the northern part of the impoverished country in March to increase recruiting across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Europe, said the commander, Gen. Carter F. Ham.
General Ham thinks action must be taken:
“As each day goes by, Al Qaeda and other organizations are strengthening their hold in northern Mali,” General Ham said in remarks at the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University. “There is a compelling need for the international community, led by Africans, to address that.”
Yeah, no rush. No compelling need, anyway. Right?
In less than half a year in charge, jihadis from northern Mali participated in the sack of our diplomatic compound in Benghazi, killing our ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.
I'm sure al Qaeda won't get into any more mischief with 10 or 11 more months sitting in northern Mali waiting for Africans to address the problem.
President Obama says the tide of war is receding under his wise guidance.
I really must lack the nuance gene. Under President Obama, to me it just looks like the tide of American power and influence is receding.
