France ALONE - Mali Crisis Update 3

Telegraph: Reports on the political position of France and President Hollande, " ..for the moment, at least – Mr Hollande is very much alone in his campaign to bring a halt to al-Qaeda’s relentless advance. ..Mr Hollande’s military adventure is set to run for some time to come. ".

Lets Get Real:

The question that has to be asked is how long France places pressure on the UK to to a Libya, the Libyan operation lead by NATO but its face was the UK and France, while the Oval hide behind its desk, SORRY, lead, also the UK might need to borrow the French Navy should the Falklands come under attack again, in other words folk the UK might get dragged in one way or another, but there should be a price, if we place our grounds troops in Mali the French have to agree to support the UK taking back powers from the EU, and many other issues.   The French have to learn that an ally can not be stabbed in the back as with Iraq and there is no payback, if we have to save the French again it will cost, and it will hurt, the Germans wont be happy but then this blog does not see them placing ground troops in Mali.    War is hell folks, but political payback is worse, a lot worse. 

The Fog of War - Mali Crisis Update 2

BBC News: Reports that the French have denied a report from the Mali Government that the Central town of Konna had been retaken by the Mali Government forces. 

Lets Get Real: 

If the France and the Mali Governments can not agree on the press line how are they doing on the military front, it seems that the Mali Government forces from the article can not follow through, in other words the like South Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan the Central Government needs outside help, the French are it, its their colonial backyard, will Paris send in more ground troops as to follow through the successful French air strikes, how long and it will come folks before the US and the UK are asked for Special Forces,  if they are need it should be a limited force of the UK's SAS and the US Delta Forces, its a lot of sand folks, the size of Spain under the control of the Al Qaeda linked terrorists.   The French should be allowed to sink or swim on their own for a time, just a limited time, if nothing else to show them that when an ally calls for help you do not get on your high horse, because you might need that ally in the future, and they might not be that keen to help.  One is sure that the Oval is leading from behind again, that is his character!  Mali could get very bloody soon folks, lets hope the UK and the US do not bleed for French colonial history. 

Mali Crisis - Update

Guardian: Reports that President Hollande of France has stated the following on how long France will stay in Mali, " ..only end its intervention in Mali when political stability and an election process have been restored to the chaotic west African country and Islamist groups have been wiped out,.. ". 

Lets Get Real:

This does bring memories of the UK and the US in Iraq and Afghanistan folks, and what did it get us, no US military presence in Iraq after 2011, and the UK was forced out of Iraq for a second time, the first being in the 1920s.  Thus the UK and US should give very limited support to the French, the French it seems have found their inner backbone, lets see how long it lasts, the French are not that great when fighting without UK and US support, the campaign Mali does have echoes of Afghanistan, just more sand, and you never know who the enemy is, this is a French colonial problem, its their area of influence, how long before the need US and UK support in the ground in the air, let the Oval and Downing Street offer drones etc, but NO GROUND TROOPS, in any shape, this a French made problem, let them solve it, Iraq has a price folks, lets hope Paris understands that fact. 

Mali, A Critical Crisis - Crisis 3

The New York Times: Reports the following from Mali, " French Defense Ministry said on Monday that a town in central Mali had fallen to Islamist insurgents from the north,.. ". 

Lets Get Real:

Thus folks the French say that their military plan is working in Mali, and now it seems that the Islamic terrorists are making progress in the North of the Country, the Western action by the rebels has been slowed in the view of the French, it would be nice to have some reporting from the other side but these terrorists kill reporters with ease, they do NOT understand importance of getting their message across, even the Taliban have gotten the fact that they need good PR or at least reporting that shows their side.  One can see a 3am call to the White House and 10 Downing Street, the message will be simple, the French are in trouble, if they fail Europe could come under new terrorist attacks, and of course so could the US.   The last thing the Oval wants in in last term is for a major terrorist attack to occur on its watch, then nothing would matter, the Oval would have been seen to lie to the US voter that the War on Terror was coming to end, LBJ had the liberal Great Society but this was not enough after the disaster that was Vietnam, thus the Oval should be careful that it does not become another LBJ, politics and history has a way of playing the card you should have, sooner or later, lets see if the Oval understands that fact. 

Obama and the Gun Lobby

Telegraph: Reports that President Obama has stated that he " ..may fail to outlaw high-power assault weapons..president warned that it may be blocked by Congress. ".

Lets Get Real:

The point of Presidential leadership is to take a major political risk, LBJ kept civil rights on the Hill in till it was passed, even knowing that the Republicans would benefit in the long term, the article notes that Conservative Democrats are not going to support major gun reform as they would be finished back home, that was the argument that LBJ faced, but he knew how to get Congress to pass things that hurt, Obama is not that popular with Democrats, never mind Republicans, he thinks if he argues the case he can win people over, so far a majority of Americans still do not support ObamaCare, wait in till their taxes go up to pay for it, on this issue the Oval has to go 100% for gun control, only the military, police and sport men/women should have guns, and those that ranch.    There is no reason for the average man or woman on main street to have a gun, its a matter of public health, less people shot, less time Doctors have to deal with the issue, the same goes for the crime rate.   The liberals in the Democratic Party should force the Oval to 100% for massive and complete gun control, it will not be easy, it will be hard, and it will cost, but its the right thing to do, time for the Oval to lead. 

France in Mali - Crisis 2

Guardian: Reports that Islamic terrorists in Mali have stated the following on the French action, " France has opened gates of hell, say rebels  ".

Lets Get Real: 

The French might find that the US and UK will give non combat support but will halt at actual troops, the French have burned their bridges with blog after their actions leading up to the Iraq War, the French would not allow the UN to pass a UN Resolution that would have made the Iraq War legal in the eyes of many, yes folks payback is harsh.   This matter is Mali is a French colonial problem, after Algeria and Vietnam one would think that the French would have learned that they do not WINS wars without the UK and US backing them up, and you don not get that kind of favours if if you knife a ally in the back at the UN.   As to the threat of Islamic terrorists to Mali, well if they get close to the Capital then the West will have to take action, it can not have another Afghanistan at the time of the Taliban and their allies.   Thus the UK and US should wait, be ready to send in Special Forces, troops ready on the air planes to go, but and this is the important but, we the US and UK should not clear up the mess of the French and their colonial past. Payback is harsh folks. 

The UK and Mali - Crisis

BBC News: Reports that the UK Government has stated that it is concerned about the crisis is Mali and is supporting the French in a limited manner. 

Lets Get Real:

This is how it starts folks, lets cut to the bare bones here folks, the French at some time are going to ask for more military help from the US and the UK, well we should say SORRY but no, we have finished the Iraq in 2009 and the UK is leaving Afghanistan in 2014 or faster by the sounds of things, the UK and the US should not help France on this matter as it is a past French colonial problem, can you see  France coming to help the UK should there be another War in the Falklands, HELL NO, let the French ego deal with this problem, if the US and UK have to help lets send in Special Forces.   The US and UK Defence Establishment after Iraq and Afghanistan needs a rest, not another Civil War, this can wait folks, if the French really mess things up then we might have to run to their rescue again, but lets wait, this is a another War that the West needs like a hole in the head.