

The crisis in Mali and Algeria

Jihad in the Sahara

No sooner had France set about stopping jihadists from taking over Mali, than their sympathisers in Algeria perpetrated another outrage to display their regional reach

See article

Readers' comments


Dr Lou

While a substantial tragedy, Statoil seems a bit either naive or disingenuous to claim it as 'unimaginable...' I'd also be curious to know more about Statoil's in-house security teams and systems; did they fail or were they not in place based on Statoil's attempt to operate that part of its facility on the cheap?

The international community will at some point recognize that these so identified Islamist organizations will not be appeased and will not stop to 'negotiate.' Theirs is a skewed ideological commitment to which most everything done is subservient. It is, largely, how they rationalize actions from remarkable brutality and murder to drug and gun running; behavior otherwise seen by an alternative majority, to include a huge proportion of Muslims, as the antithesis of god and faith.

Though the Algerian military might have thought things out a bit more before dropping missiles on a collection of terrorists and hostages in jeeps, I am broadly supportive of the Algerian government's less than tolerant approach to the hostage takers. I'd also hypothesize that the actions taken by the Algerian government probably saved far more hostages than would have been otherwise the case. Both the US and the west still haven't fully recognized that this is not principally a country to country fight but one with an enemy who does not acknowledge national borders or governments.

Our strategy, then, should not target nations but organizations and related structures that are increasingly leeching onto nations to bleed them and their citizens. In this vein, the French assault on the jihadi groups in Mali who are brutalizing and trying to commandeer that suffering nation is valid and in need of international support and backing.

Similarly, the Algerians don't need US or British 'permission' to protect their country from a parasitic assault and I'd think the jihadi parasites will think twice before taking continued actions in Algeria. The Algerians put themselves directly on the line and deserve our credit and support rather than reproach and self righteous second guessing.

That way.... a real collaboration from a position of international strength with common goals can become possible.

Zubair Khan

Without diagnosing the actual problem it will remain a futile effort at the part of France. House of Saud is funding all such efforts to spread Wahabi Islam. KSA has two faces one for the Western world and one for the Muslim World. Alqaida and extremist Muslims all are the products of Sauid interpretation of Islam. This mind set playing havoc all around in Muslim countries. Western world leaders have closed their eyes to this fact for the reasons better know to them.
Nothing will be settled as long world leaders identify the actual reason and uproot it.


Another War. Seems like the rebels, Jihadists and all other warmongers just gave got a new job opening. All those who were shown pink slip in Afganistan will be be recuited again.


My Dear France,
Either you are befooling the all world or you are doing same mistake as done by America in Afghanistan. I can bet that this all expenditure which you have done on operations in Mali and more you are going to do; if you have given it to those handful of rebels, this problem could be solved easily in a very peaceful way. Dumbhead.

Garaboncias in reply to guest-laalsei

I honestly have no idea what you are going on about.
" Has France attacked Islam?" What on earth are you talking about?
" Yes it is more easy to kill?" More easy to kill than what? It seems for Islamists it is markedly easier to kill than to form a coherent, rational thought.
" Even if difficult to do, its also easy to start killing people." Well, which is it? Is it difficult or is it easy to kill people? Make up your Islamist mind - or what passes for it...

Dominique II in reply to guest-laalsei

Ransoming eight French nationals under threat of beheading is attacking France. Flogging free women, amputating hungry men and rubbishing mankind's heritage is an attack on mankind (including the Umma), a mankind of which France claims proud membership.

I'm especially happy that when François Hollande was asked what his plans were for the jihadists, he did not say "bring them to justice" or "expel them". He paused, smiled and said "why, destroy them".

Inshai in reply to Garaboncias

Your logic is skewd.Common yet popular quote "Islam spread by the swords"is flawed.
It is to do with re-distribution of wealth,Mahmood of Gazni never sought lasting abode in India,looting Somnath fled to Afghanistan to balance the treasury,akin to modern time QE method.
Islam as any other faith follows organic evolution.
Hinduism spread to SE Asia over millinnia emulating local cultural colours,values,customs...layers upon layers.
Islam as sub species of Indo-Pak type took more from Hindu Baghti such as new commers to supplicate with open palms(as opposed to closed palms: Namaskar) to retain any offering from the diety.
Submission to the will of the Almighty was core concept rather blind obedience..."submit to Islam" as you wrote.
Sufism,Hindu Bhaghti developed in parallel in India...wealth hoarding is frowned upon by both schools,for example.Charity as virtue practised with equal zeal and pride.Caste System still exists on both sides,though.Hence early inroads by Islam in India.Islam was thus boosted by Sufis not bigot Mullahs in Mosques. Christian Missionaries made faith transfer easier task in India or Africa,replcing existing idols with images,icongrphy,Bible in the vernacular,money for the poor.
Unfortunately,terrorism by so called Islamists is product of capitalism,Madrassas run by Mullahs for easy money combined with youth unemployment is global as far as Mali.
This again made worse by heavy handed millitary intervention by countries such as France.
Indo-Pak region will never be the same even after American exit from Afghanistan,aka,grave yard of Civilisations.
Indian intervention in Blauchistan and Pakistan response in kind coupled with usual sabre rattling is failure of creative diplomacy...

Garaboncias in reply to Inshai

" Your logic is skewd (sic)."
Oh, thanks for the enlightenment. And you are under the impression that, you are the one who will set me straight? Really, now. I have no idea what your post might have been about (did not bother to read it beyond the first two sentences), but just to spare you further effort - because I am a nice guy - I am letting you know that, I'll not read any further post of yours, for that is my prerogative, and in the event you address me with other posts and will not receive any answer, it is not because of your coruscating intellect will have stunned me into silence, but because I will not bother to read whatever you post.
Have a nice day and good luck to you.

guest-laalsei in reply to Garaboncias

My Friend Garaboncias you said "Yes. All the world would have to do is submit to Islam, that's all. Easy as that..." Right! Thats what I am saying what do you mean by submit to Islam. They are terrorists and Terrorists do not have any religion. Why don't you understand that? Where Islam has come in all this episode? Is it a war between Crescent and Cross? Who has called France to attack those rebels? This is what I wanted to make you understand.There agenda is not Islam? Regards

guest-laalsei in reply to Dominique II

My Friend Dominique II, emotional words will not change the sequence of events of history.Please read them again. Secondly, do not justify French attack with feeble reasons. What on earth had happened that France thought it as a matter of life and death to attack on those handfull of rebels? Thirdly, do you know what is Jihadist? or just heard this name from media or some politician? Where was your humanitarian logics of holocaust to 'destroy them' when Hitler smiled and said 'why, destroy them'? For God sake. I am not with those rebels but France is also doing wrong. It will not solve problem, it will aggravate it.

emmafinney in reply to Dominique II


Oh dear is Hollande going to do in Mali what De Gaulle did in Algeria?

We will never know would we. After all it took decades for the French media to finally reveal what was actually going on in Algeria.

Hollande's comments remind of a Quebecois's remarks that if France had suferred a terrorist attack of the magnitude of a 9/11 with 3000 dead, there would have been concentration camps for muslim immigrants with the French media & parliament averting its eyes.


Looks like 1800s slaves craving action by ex-colonizers. When will the Sun shines for Africa except blazing heat and foreign domination.

Dominique II in reply to lphock

You don't know much about slave trade history, do you. Malian and Senegalese sedentary villagers still remember vividly the raids (rezzou) by Tuareg slavers for stocking the Mauritanian and Arabic slave pens, minus balls of course (high mortality rate). Goes a long way toward explaining, if not excusing, today's resentment against Tuaregs.

An African once told me "We want the whites out, and the Arabs dead."


Gaddafi was a useful dictator. He used to manage extremists very well, giving the region stability. Sarko killed him, as you know well. There is no one who can control extremism in the region. Basically france opened the hell's gate. It's french problem and also ours. Avoid traveling that part of the world. Avoid mixing with french. Avoid becoming yourself victims of this madness.


Public wants to know how many civilians and other innocent have been killed by the French military in Mali.
It is because French love counting casualties caused by other countries fighting in the Middle East. Now time comes to count French hits and learn about "humanistic fighting".
By the way we are still waiting the dead civilians count from the Libyan war.


"they have weapons captured from Malian bases they overran in the north or smuggled from Libya after Muammar Qaddafi fell."
France fights rebels armed with weapons from the Libyan bases robbed after the unexplained attack on Libya by France.
However Mr. Hollande says nothing about the ties between the unresponsible agression in Libya and the fires in the North Africa and the Middle East.
Is it a blindness of the politician or the famous European hypocrisy?

Garaboncias in reply to Barbaris1

" France fights rebels armed with weapons from the Libyan bases robbed after the unexplained attack on Libya by France."
Unexplained? Maybe you were back on your home planet when Qaddafi promised to kill all rebels as rats?... Or maybe you had your head stuck in a place where the sun does not shine?.. Or, whatever, but it was explained rather well for the rest of us... Have a nice day and good luck to you. Don't forget to take your medication, please. They are no good unless you take them...

Barbaris1 in reply to Garaboncias

Dear Garaboncias,
Did you put your attention that 90% of your comment are dedicated to my health instead of the discussed issue? Do you really have something to say?
From my planet I sow that Qaddafi was a regular dictator, not harder than Saddam Hussein beloved by France or this gentleman ruling Mali now. Yes, Qaddafi forces killed rebels, but what do our French boys in Mali right now? Prepare popcorn?
Did anybody count people killed by French and British bombs in Libya? Did anybody count people killed by rebels after Qaddafi's fall? Is anybody counting people killed by weapons leaking from the Libyan bases?

Garaboncias in reply to Barbaris1


Isn't it nice that some one cares about your health? Since you don't seem to...


Within days of France’s intervention in Mali, French troops were reported to be engaged in street-to-street fighting to repel the Islamist forces’ advance. This rebellion can be traced directly to the Tuareg tribesmen, warriors that have returned from neighbouring Libya after the fall of Gaddafi and the superfluous stocks of loose weapons readily available in the region.

With Bashar al-Assad still holding power in Syria and civil war raging, Libya and Yemen volatile, popular discontent rising in Jordon and the Gulf, and the post-revolutionary regimes in Egypt and Tunisia following the Arab Spring only just holding their own, the spectre of instability, if not all-out war, in a region extending from West Africa to southern Asia, is a very real one. This threat of instability comes at a time when the United States and other NATO allies are losing their appetite for military intervention. Yet, whether the French can extract themselves from Mali as quickly as they hope – dependent on African Union troops arriving and sufficiently trained – some analysts may wonder whether other members of NATO have a responsibility to support France given that the Islamists have shifted from Libya to the vast, barren and unregulated territories of north Africa, and the fact that France intervened in Mali on the basis of authority granted through a number of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Nevertheless, other than Britain despatching two RAF transport aircraft in ferrying French troops and equipment, neither Britain nor the US have shown any enthusiasm in providing anything more than logistical support.

Such widespread unrest has long-term implications for global security. In addition, the kidnap of foreign nationals in Algeria can only add to the tension in a region in which vast swathes of territory, from north Africa to the Middle East and adjoining regions, have to be regarded as unsafe.


Another world flashpoint involving Islam and another damage control by the blatant lies: all is caused by the fringe extremists misinterpreting Koran. There is never an outrage from the mainstream at their “beautiful” religion being high jacked by the fundamentalists. No, the silent Muslim majority is always tight-lipped and clandestinely sympathises with the medieval cowards whenever targeting innocent infidels.

sikko6 in reply to Seven839

Your religion is much worse than Muslims.
Religion is something that people with low brain capacity believe.

Just follow the teachings of Richard Dawkins! He is a real good person that I respect.

Excession60 in reply to sikko6

Seven839 asked a valid question. And we, the rest of the world, want a valid answer: why is the maintstream global Muslim community 'so' quiet about the hijack of its beautiful religion by a minority of extremists???

guest-laalsei in reply to Seven839

My Friends althought it was not a religious issue yet you have made it. Don't forget that the govt is also Muslim who asked for help from France against rebels. If you say why mainstreem Muslim are quite, reasons is simple it has nothing to do with Islam. Its a humanitarian issue which is being dealt wrongly by France. If other Muslims are quite, why are you quite against the atrocities of Jews and Indians in Palestine and Kashmir respectively? Why are you following media blindle? Go and see at your own, listen to the sries of people there.

You are presenting it fack to bront. Islam is at war with ALL of it's neighbors. Islam has been at war with Jews, killing Jews wherever they can find them. Islam is at war with Christians (in the M.E., Europe, USA), at war with Hindus (Kashmir) and with Buddhists (Lashkar-e-Toiba, Bali bombing). More tellingly about the "religion of peace", Islam has ALWAYS been at war with itself (Shia vs Sunni, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Jordan, Palestinian terrorists, Egypt, Libya, etc.)

Connecting the dots here makes it plain to see. Islam is at war with everyone. It always has been. Islam has a stated goal of imposing Islam and Sharia on the ENTIRE WORLD. What has changed in recent decades is that Islamists have found the money and weapons to make their religious wet dreams come true.

So long as politicians pretend that it's just some shadowy group called "al Qaida" which never had an address or a leadership structure, then they will never solve the problem. Islam is the problem. Face it.


Interestingly, the Malian military, who know how to throw a coup, cannot handle the Jihadist Rebels. They wait for the French to do the work for them. They might as well allow a re-colonization. It is so sad to see so called African leaders look so weak when a real crisis comes along.

Michael Dunne in reply to anokwale

I believe the excuse for the coup was that the prior government was proving too weak and incapable at handling the Jihadists and/or possibly discontented Touregs.

Seems things didn't improved much afterwards.

I am not sure France's influence in what were once its military territories of French West Africa ever diminished significantly. I think support for the budgets for several countries was quite large, while France had military forces stationed around the continent (Chad and Gabon come to mind).

So, they may not have decolonized too much, or moved into a model of neocolonialism to justify the ideas of some on the left.

Between Jihadists and the reintroduction of significant French influence and military presence, seems like the public is more for the latter (maye some in the far north beg to differ, or the Touregs may have additional opinions/grievances of their own?)....


I would like to learn more about the specific motivations France has to intervene in this country and why Europe including UK, supposed to be so pragmatic, are just watching.

The only thing I understand is that apart from France interests (French residents, uranium, etc...), Europe is benefiting from a French strike against terrorists linked to al qaida.

At least me as a European Citizen, I am grateful to France.

Barbaris1 in reply to chuchi1

I am sorry. There is nothing to be proud of. The new colonial war shall be stopped. Two state solution shall be proposed. Touareg people are the ancient nation known from the times of Roman Empire and they deserve their own state.
As we know France supports two state solution in other part of the Middle East, where the "nation" invented at the last XX century is involved and already received to the UN. But when it comes to their colony, French prefer killing instead of looking for peaceful solutions and negotiation.

kamouni in reply to Barbaris1

I' would like to remind you that the touareg people live across a large region covering many countries, so the creation of a state would involve very complicated diplomatic repercussions. Besides, the touareg are not the only ancient nation who doesn't currently have a state, hence, enacting your idea would equivalent to opening a pandora box.

Barbaris1 in reply to kamouni

I would like to remind you that modern borders in the Africa and the Middle East are product of the British-French colonial politic. Do you think people living in the Mali-Algiers area or Syria-Iraq area carry about lines depicted in Paris or London?
They cross valleys, mountains and dunes as did hundred years whatever gentlemen with cigar drew in exclusive clubs.
You relate to the international borders as timeless and there is no larger mistake. Borders set after the WWII change as arrangements set after the WWII change. In the same way as borders set after the WWI collapsed with WWII start.
Hopefully you know about states like Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia established recently crushing the known borders in Europe.
What is called "the Arab Spring" is a collapse of the known states and raising of formations based on tribal and religious ground. The Pandora Box was opened a long time ago.

kamouni in reply to Barbaris1

Of course post colonial borders are artificial.I'm from west africa and am very aware of the fact that people cross borders easily.
Furthermore, international borders have changed time and time again through various means (purchase, war, political agreements...). Slovakia etc. are accurate examples but I'm not sure these states where based on tribal/religious grounds, those where "nations" (and not "people" or "tribes") who wanted an independent state.
Therefore I do not think the arab spring (in africa) will lead to new independant states. You're surely aware that in the "touareg region" of mali for instance live other tribes (mainly songhai), hence a touareg state will include other tribes which, if we follow this tribal-state-creation logic, will also ask for a state. Elsewhere in west africa, the mandingo people will ask for the same, the haoussa too etc. This would be a never ending nightmare because a viable independant state can only be based on a nation's will.
There's a reason why african states decided in 1963, not to change boarders, at least not through warfare: there would be countless wars over the same territories and thus genocides.

Barbaris1 in reply to kamouni

You are right, Slovakia is a"national" state. But not most of the states in Africa, Except from Egypt and may be Morocco. As we learn now, there is no such nation as "Libyans", as well "Malis". There are tribes unified by the power of dictator. When the dictator is weak, rebels come and parts of the state are not controlled by the central government, as it happens in Nigeria and other African states. When the dictator disappears, the state falls to the anarchy threatening the world. It happened in Somalia, it happens now in Libya.
As to the Mali, can 2000 French soldiers control such huge country? We learn from Afghanistan and Iraq that the answer is NO. They could control only the south close to the capital and the airports and also this by the price of thousands lives of innocent. Because of this I called for counting the French victims.
On the rest of the area an independent state will come, officially or not officially.

kamouni in reply to Barbaris1

Yes very few nations exist in africa, that's exactly my point: with less nations than europe, borders have been more stable in africa than in europe since 1960!
If new states are allowed to be created based on tribes in africa, the whole continent will descend in chaos. That's in the interest of nobody (african, european, american or asian). That is why I think nobody will let this pandora box officialy open.
Now, unofficial (meaning unrecognized and thus unthreatning) independant states already exist in various parts of africa: kenedougou (mali-cote d'ivoire-burkina border region), haoussa (niger-nigeria)... on that we can agree!


i hope when frane will surrender and she will believe me ; to not come and cry to the us
we are already in big miss

Michael Dunne in reply to amrarar

France's military contingents provided invaluable service to the Americans in the first year of the Korean War.

They also contributed to settling the Balkans in the 1990s, (granted they should have done that on their own), and was a partner in the air operation over Libya recently.
Otherwise, they capably handled rebel incursions into Zaire and Chad in the 1970s and 1980s respectively. This seems to be their specialty.

emmafinney in reply to Michael Dunne

So kind of the French to have helped in the Balkans conflict which was on European soil creating instability on France's doorstep with war refugees flooding into France.

Yes, France did a great honor to the USA even though geographically isolated America was not affected by the Balkan's war at all.

Likewise the same with Libya. On Europe's doorstep with war refugees flooding into cash strapped Italy facing euro crisis. European dependence on Libyan oil. So kind of Franch to have helped the USA on that one too even though the USA was affected by Libya at all and had no oil contracts with Libya. The French and Italians did.


The west became powerful by stealing knowledge from the rest of the world, Europeans have perfected the art of technology thieving.

"C. K. Raju has argued that the Catholic Church has systematically stolen mathematical knowledge from Muslim, Hindu, Persian and Arab sources, then gave these ideas a theologically correct Greek origin.[7] Calculus was developed in India 250 years before Newton and Leibniz claimed independent rediscovery[8]. C. K. Raju argued that Calculus was imported to Europe from India by Jesuit missionaries in order to calculate trigonometric values which were in great demand for the Mercator chart which was indispensable for European navigation.[9]"

Seven839 in reply to Mizutofu

Mizutofu:”The west became powerful by stealing (Muslim) knowledge from the rest of the world, Europeans have perfected the art of technology thieving.”

What is your point? Your Muslim world must be quite miserable and poor despite your advance “knowledge” when you coming in thousands to “thieving” Europe. Your post typifies the world of fanaticism.

Michael Dunne in reply to Mizutofu

Actually I believe the church or some Italian localities debated whether it was good to use hindu arabic numbers back in the 12th century or so.
The church had bouts of obscurantism later on too.
Most people know the middle east and India generated some good math concepts. Having had five years of Latin, I am certainly greatful for hindu arabic numbers.
The history of STEM is interesting, and there are all sorts of claims ejaculated out there (like the famous Soviet statement along the lines of "we invented it first" from the cold war). Maybe some claims are valid, maybe some are not, and maybe the real history is still being overlooked?
Otherwise, the industrial revolution was a phenomenon of W. Europe, foremost Britain, from the 1780s on into the mid-19th century.
You could say they got capital from less than wonderful sources, like exploiting the new world, slavery, etc.
But, the working out of a heavily mechanized society and culture of applied science and innovation stemmed from those local markets (Britain, then some continental countries, followed by the US a bit later, etc.).

Garaboncias in reply to Mizutofu

How does one go about stealing mathematical knowledge?... And, your silly bout of inferiority has what bearing on the article, exactly?... What else has C.K. Raju argued that gets his lot and his ilk off the hook?... And blames everything on somebody else?... I am guessing that, the Catholic Church is responsible for the latest earthquakes, too; and the Jihadis in Mali and Algeria, isn't it so?... This is a blog on TE. Are you aware of it?

argumentative sree in reply to Mizutofu

don be ridiculous. I am a hindu residing in India and i hear this bullshit daily. When boson particle was invented some morons started saying that it was already stated in the holy books. We have many good things which world has accepted but don think there is nothing beyond the holy books. Hindus,christians and moderate Muslims began to think and view the world through a human perceptive once the jihadis change their perception world will be safe place. Hope it won't take much time .

Connect The Dots

In 1939 few Europeans saw the rise of Adolph Hitler as the beginning of World War II.
They thought he was a wacky dictator that could be easily contained.
The views of Neville Chamberlain, French President Albert Lebrun, Ambassador Joseph Kennedy and Charles Lindbergh believed that staunch level headed German common sense would prevail.
And we all could get along with our nutty neighbors.
Then Hitler Invaded Poland, The Nederlands, and France and Russia.
Started Genocide. Bombed England. Torpedoed world trade.
And Europeans woke up in WWII.
It was a big surprise!
The Europeans are also in denial and ignorance about the NEW WAR in their midst.
For the past twenty years, if the West goes to War, it is predominantly with Islam.
Radical Muslim Terrorists have declared war on the West.
Every Terror Incident from 9/11 to 7/7 to 3/11 to the underwear bomber to the Liege Shootings to any next catastrophic terror attack => is Connected to this War.
There is NO MYSTERY when the next commercial jetliner explodes and a bomb is suspected.
We see these as isolated events, when they are all connected to Radical Islam. And financed by oil.
And now the West has no choice but to wage brutal full-frontal War on Islam.
France is NOT going to War in Mali.
This is only one battle in the whole connected World War III spanning the past generation:
Algeria, Cyprus, Somalia, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Kurdistan, Turkey, Chechyna, Libya, and now Syria. Perhaps next Iran.
To say that France is going to War in Mali, is similar to saying WWII was fought ONLY in the Philippines.
In fact, WWII involved the Whole World comprehensively for a generation.
WWIII is no different.
But it has already lasted 3x longer than WWII!
War on Terror = War on Islam.
Mali intervention is no different than NATO/ EU/ Western/ UN warfare in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.
They are there to kill Muslim guerillas.
It is Christians vs Muslims.
World War III will go on for at least another generation, if not several generations.
The tragedy is when you refuse to see the Large Picture.
The first step to Cure is to make the right Diagnosis.
It is Muslims vs the World( Predominantly Christians, but including Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists, Agnostics and Atheists, and now other Muslim minor sects as in Syria.)
Now let us seek solutions.
If you stay in the same rut, it will continue for a century.
A newborn baby born today will be outlived by this Muslim-West Terror War.
Or we just suffer through another round of home land terror that leads to another heavy handed war intervention.
And await the next Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Syria and Mali that is guaranteed to erupt somewhere in the Arab World.
WWIII is happening today.
All Arabs know this.
But Westerners are in a spell that blinds them to reality.
Peace loving liberals argue appeasement and tolerance.
We are in 1939. And the future is dire unless action is taken.
Cast off Denial and Ignorance...see the REAL WORLD.
Make a correct diagnosis.
Then cure the disease.

"The Europeans are also in denial and ignorance about the NEW WAR in their midst."

Oh what a nonsense. I think you are suffering from an Islamophobia.

Some European countries may have in regard of their special attitude little problems but these problems are nothing but national problems which are out of any interest to anybody in a foreign country.

It depends where you live in Europe and regarding to most European countries I can only underline that in some European countries people of all religions live together in real peace and full of respect.

The so called islamic attack is as true as the fairy tales of George W.Bush and his government about Saddam Hussein and therefore it is very obvious and everybody knows very well which kind of people is reluctantly trying to demonize the whole islamic world.

The end of this kind of propaganda against a religious group is too obvious.

In many countries- and especially in Germany which is after the opinion of the spiritual fathers of these fairy tales and lies the most racist country in the world- there are living millions of muslims completely peaceful and friendly together with other religions.
Millions of muslims have German passports and are German citizens.

So the Armageddon may happen in some weird fantasy but never in reality.

And Europe will have to accept that Africa and the Arab countries are going their own way without asking their former colonial masters in Europe.
The time of colonies and big Empire has gone for ever.
China is overtaking leadership fortunately and new centers of power are in creation.

Some old and big European nations are now in a position of a battle of retreat.

Maybe you are right.
Or maybe you are Neville Chamberlain 2.0
In the 1930's, many wise Germans--including your relatives-- were waylaid by the Rise of Hitler...they went with the flow, built his empire, killed for him, and hoped for his victory.
"in Germany ....there are living millions of Muslims completely peaceful and friendly together with other religions.
Millions of Muslims have German passports and are German citizens."
-German Ambassador
Sometimes invasions come by marching armies...sometimes it comes by baby foot steps.
But either way it comes.
Muhummad is in the top ten baby names in Germany.
I do not think you should take comfort in the millions.
Is Muslim integration in Europe perfect and seamless? ---I would disagree.
Wait for the next terror bombing and ask yourself this question.

TinGlass in reply to Connect The Dots

So what do you propose the West should do with these mooslum immigrant communities in its midst? Do you agree with a "final solution" for these "aliens"? Or do you think there should be wholesale expulsions and repatriations back to their homelands?

Connect The Dots in reply to TinGlass

Let us say there is a religion that has a central tenet of their belief of Cannibalism.
They believe that eating human flesh of a strong individual with courage and intelligence propagates those virtues.
And only require a human sacrifice only about once a month.
And they eat what they kill.
And are otherwise a benevolent religion, valuing children, family, nature, and honesty.


And this may be cultural acceptable in the tribal, dog-eat-dog jungle.
But then these believers move to the West, learn modernity and participate in the global economy.

THEN, this religion CANNOT be allowed to practice their violent sacrifice and cannibalism.
Cultural Relativism has its limits.

They MUST change and adapt to modern social norms.
Because Western values forbid murder and cannibalism.
This is a zero-tolerant, non-exceptions, ABSOLUTE LAW.


In the same way we can accept ALL religions of the world.

Allow Islam => But strictly forbid Violence.

Otherwise eliminate ANY violent religion or religion that condones violence.

whether you are an individual or a world religion.

Only the State/ Police/ Government/ Army has this power.
Never with religious clergy.


Excession60 in reply to Connect The Dots

Please stop trolling this site with your ridiculous cut and paste shopping lists of xenophobic nonsense.

You may impress your backwoods inbred neighbours with your posts...but you're really boring the heck out of the rest of us.



Hollande is trying to justify bombing civilians by claiming rebels are all al qaeda when only a tiny minority of rebels are affiliated with al qaeda.

Michael Dunne in reply to Dominique II

I certainly don't believe the French are out to bomb civilians. Statements so far suggest a very tough set of rules of engagement (when in doubt, don't shoot).

However, it is conceivable that civilian caravans comprising refugees could get mistaken for rebel formations.

I wouldn't discount that.

Also, the Mali military seems a bit weak, out of form, and could get trigger happy (or have discipline break down, leading to atrocities, who knows, anything is possible).

As for the assertion that only a minority of rebels are Al Qaeda, I would have to see.

My understanding is that some from the Toureg community are involved in rebellion and for now supporting that islamist control of the north. Don't know specifics those or the extent such views are true.

Garaboncias in reply to Dominique II

Mon ami, you warn others about trolls like that "Sikko" character - and rightly so - so let me return the favor: don't feed the troll. They all are something you don't want to step into on a hot summer day...


What is happening in Mali is a rebellion against the tyrannical Hollande regime bombing and killing innocent activists and civilians. This can not end in any way other than the collapse of the french economy and Holldande meeting the same fate as Saddam.
The french are clearly bombing civilians in order to protect their Algerian gas facilities.

diemm in reply to Mizutofu

I think you got names wrong... maybe you wanted to write "tyrannical AQMI regime", but made a mistake and put "Holldande", plus you wrote "french economy" rather than "Jahidist delusion" and you put "Hollande" again when you really meant "Iyad Ag Ghaly". But it's understandable, in the hurry and all... when you work is not easy to focus on posts.

Keep up the good work though.

Michael Dunne in reply to Mizutofu

Are you a partisan of the Jihadists?

Right now I don't believe it is possible to take a gallup poll of the entire country, but it seems the populace in Mali currently support the French.

Seems many people don't like the idea of being killed or brutalized over severe interpretations of religious laws.

De Sang Mêlé

NATO Intervention in Lybia undoubtedly saved thousands of civilians and allowed the revolution to take the necessary turn that would lead to the fall of the tyrant. But due to lack of political support, because we failed to mobilize it - beyond the initial enthusiasm- the available knowledge on the Arab-Islamic societies of France, & Europe went to waste. The intervention of France and NATO in Libya has led to the implosion of the country in a myriad of local factions, ethnic or ideological supported on katibas over armed which the post-quadafists puny state cannot impose any monopoly of legitimate force.

Because of this lack of foresight of our decision and policy makers, the entire region, the Sahel is embedded in an influx of weapons from Libyan arsenals massive looting - and this has been a boon for radical Salafist groups. Proliferating rapidly, taking advantage of the widespread disenchantment of disappointed populations two years after the Arab revolutions, facing economic recession and increasing poverty.

The Impunity benefiting jihadists of all kinds has also weakened regional forces of order after the fall of authoritarian regimes, as well as most dubious party leaders come to power through elections, from the Muslim Brotherhood and encourage them covertly to fight their common laic enemy (So do the Gulf states with their petrodollars). May I recall that surely these same mad dogs, AQMI, MUJAO & Ansar Dine are the ones behind the Benghazi & Tunisia US Embassy attacks.

Even Algeria, who felt safe during the Arab spring thanks to its very capable repressive forces, is now suffering the attacks of jihad. The Hostage situation should be a wake up call for the West.

How long will these mad dogs remain uncontested, undefeated, unchallenged?! Westerners stand divided when All Muslim extremists stand united. France had a part in creating this mess, she’s trying to fix things and do the right thing. But the USA, UK, Italy, and many other European countries are also responsible. Will they answer their call? They MUST!

I am confident on the competence of French armed forces. Still this is neither Iraq nor Afghanistan, no one is chasing oil or lithium. This is a justified & righteous intervention. We have Mali, the ECOWAS, the UN & most of the West supporting this "diplomatically". If the rest of the West acts now prompt success awaits. If you dont want to send in boots on the ground at least triple your logistical & intelligence support.

What is at stake in Mali is not only a matter of military interventionism and we see that in the days following its occurrence, the war is spreading in a large neighboring country. Terrorism might soon reach Europe again. This requires the implementation of an international strategy and mastery of complex social issues - it is a challenge to civilization in the era of globalization, the interpenetration of cultures and accelerated circulation of doctrines and ideologies, images and videos, people, goods and weapons across borders.


Barabarian (Jihadists) are at Europe's door ! What does Ashton, Van Pouic Pouic (President and Baroso (fat guy)..... put their heads in the sand. It looks terrible to see unconcern from Germany (business as usal and other non participative countries. Guys (politics) cancer gains territories, move your a..... Troyan Horse. Cheers

Germanambassador in reply to Swisscitizen

If you like - Switzerland can join with its huge Army. Nobody will stop you:)
Probably the Germans will even take care of the transport of Swiss troops to Mali:)
And as Mali is no German problem nor a German business, people have much important problems as Mali.


What most European don't understand is that this conflict is not only concerning France but whole West Europe. What is Aqmi's main goal : Being closer and closer to Europe... in Order to what? Attack it. Everybody knows it but as always, Europe is flabby and act at the last time. Maybe you will find that not objective because I m french, but I m bored of reading basic french bashing comments from UK and USA. We do what we think is right as we acted like this in Iraq 10 years ago. That's it. As far as USA is not concerned in that conflict, all west Europe countries should be. That is as simple as that.

Germanambassador in reply to PeteIDF

This conflict (if it is a real one) is nothing but a mere national affair and business of France.
It is very closely noticed that the French are trying to change this national local affair to a European affair.
Mali has been since ever a French colony and so please handle and tackle your own problems by yourself:)
As less as the little conflicts in Northern Ireland are an affair of international importance the less the French conflict in Mali is an international affair.
No other European country, except France alone, is concerned by this little and locally limited riot in Mali.
In other countries they have police-forces for solving local problems of this type.
So the interest into this topic in the rest of Europe is rather little.
So the attempt of the French political class trying to create their national local problem into an international conflict has completely failed.
Even the USA and the UK stay very reluctant.
Any participation of another country would mean an intervention into the inner affairs of France and include a serious attack on French sovereignty.


Latest blog posts - All times are GMT
Writing worth reading: Dark matter
Babbage March 15th, 14:43
Bits and mortar: Babbage visits Ada's
Babbage March 15th, 10:22
Deportations: A kinder expulsion
Democracy in America March 14th, 21:38


Products & events