OK so great to see the Military doing what they said they would do....and stepping aside.
Now the attention goes to the forthcoming elections and solving the issues in the remote and poorly populated northern half of the country.
One complexing factor in the north here is the appearance of the so called self appointed "partners" ... the Islamic Rebels, who have fought along side the Touareg group, who are also Islamic (and animist). The part that is very complexing is the leadership of the extremist group, its financing (drug traffic?), its propensity to use violence to align sparse populations etc. There objectives are different to the Touareg MNLA.
An additional complexing factor is the appearance on the scene of the dear French fraternity, who have had conflicts of interest and a general lack of understanding of the issues in this region since time began (and of course since the discovery of West Africa by the French).
Hopefully we will not see the French becoming involved as they are hated passionately by both sides. Wouldn't it be great if the French stayed at home and fixed there own debt and productivity issues and saved Europe? and the people who love and live in the sand dunes be allowed to develop and get on with their lives?
The best reporting on the issues is still at Al Jazeera,
Just some thoughts...
PIR Price at posting:
94.0¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Held
