Brits sending troops to Mali
TSO sends a link to the story in the Guardian that the British are preparing hundreds of troops to lend a hand to the French in Mali as the news that rebels are being forced out of Timbuktu, leaving a smoldering ruin in their wake;
As news emerged that insurgents retreating from Timbuktu had set fire to a library containing thousands of priceless historic manuscripts, Downing Street said the prime minister told François Hollande on Sunday night Britain was “keen” to provide further military assistance to France.
Britain is prepared to provide hundreds of troops to help the operation and is considering a few options:
• Forming part of an EU military training mission in Mali. The British contribution to this would be in the “tens”, according to Downing Street.
• Training troops from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) in neighbouring countries for possible operations on Mali. This is likely to be the main focus of Britain’s contribution because Ecowas members include many countries with strong links to Britain. British troops could be used to train Nigerian forces.
• Providing “force protection” for the trainers. This would be armed protection but would not amount to a combat role.
But, history keeps trying to tell us that declaring troops won’t participate in a combat role, that usually assures us that there will be a combat role forced on them. Especially when the troops are dealing with al Qaeda.
I’m sure it makes the public happy when they read those words, but it also pisses the public off monumentally when the worm turns.
Category: Terror War
The last 2 times the Brits and French got together to stop bad guys and train troops we ended up with Bosnis/Kosovo and Libya, which means American troops and equipment and discombobulated ROE.
The Europeans start it, we end up having to come in an finish the job and look like the “bad guy” aggressor. Alternatively, we do nothing, and get criticized for it. Lose, Lose.
@ 1 Old Tropper lets not forget … Monty and DeGalle
The Brits could be very very busy in near future…the Falkland Islands tensions are rising with Argentina – again.
Burning priceless books of historical significance among other relics. For spite, no less. No tactical or strategic objective involved.
But we love our Islamic brothers and sisters here in the great NW. And it is our fault this happens, too boot. Colonialism gone awry, and all.
Yes boys and girls, class is back in session and this is what I hear everyday.
And people wonder why I put copious amounts of booze in morning coffee?
I wasn’t aware the Brits had troops to spare after years insisting that they could only offer less than 10k troops for Afghanistan.
Getting tired of Euro shitbags not carrying their weight and the U.S. military rushing to carry it for them.
It’s not just the Brits. Obama is considering sending 300 Troops and drones to Niger (neighboring country, with its own Islamist issues) to support the French in Mali. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2013/01/us-considers-basing-uavs300-troops-in-niger.html
The Nigerians are also dealing with Islamist Boko Haram in their own country. That Al-Qaeda affiliate has a special affinity for attacking Churches, most particularly on Christmas and Easter.
AQIM, or Al-Qaeda in the Islamic West, is in fact a growing threat. Despite some partisan claims otherwise (and many that believe it) AQIM is in fact a part of AQ, not just an “affiliate” with a similiar name. It’s a regional “command” like CentCom is to DoD, and is different from AQI (Iraq), like AfriCom is to CentCom.
Mali’s current problems popped up after Libya, when the Islamists previously occupied against Qaddafi, or in his prisons were released.
Had “the world” paid attention, and done something a year ago, AQIM would not have had the chance to entrench itself. Instead, they kept talking about someone else doing something, someone like ECOWAS, or the AU, neither of which really has a track record of Human Rights, Successes, or the actions that would achieve it.