France Invades Mali

[Tonitrus]

Is it too late to make a "I didn't know Greenpeace had occupied part of Mali!" joke?

[CountDeMoney]

Yes. Yes it is.  Like 30 years late.

[mongers]

Did anyone else see the film of the Nigerian army unit celebrating at their farewell ceremony ?

Some what odd, doing press-ups on mass, dancing around with their weapons.

I know at times the Nigerians have been quite effective, but I worry about how controllable they are, once in the combat zone.

[Ed Anger]

Just toss a watermelon towards the enemy and they will be fine.

[CountDeMoney]

That's a Technical Foul on Ed.

[Razgovory]

US grants request to airlift a Frog Mech Battalion.

Not that I oppose doing so, but we're better friends to them than they deserve sometimes.

Yeah, we're transporting someone else to the front lines to battle our enemy.  How selfless of us.

It's not exactly cheap to do something like that.  I'm sure they are quite grateful.  I hope the French kick the shit out of these guys.

[Zoupa]

My cousin is being deployed there from the Ivory Coast. Says there are African troops pouring in from every neighbouring country.

And Hollande saying his election would be the end of the Francafrique... The puppets still have their strings attached it seems.

[Duque de Bragança]

And Hollande saying his election would be the end of the Francafrique... The puppets still have their strings attached it seems.

Those who believed Flanby's promises are beyond help.

[Martinus]

Don't know why, but whenever the French are invading something in Africa, it makes me positively giddy.

Allons enfants de la patrie! 

[Martinus]

Reading this makes me want to pick up my French lessons again. 

[Martinus]

There's no dishonor in a French War Boner, man.

The French are like the High Elves/Eldar army in Warhammer.

[Sheilbh]

Not seeing this mentioned much yet, but apparently al-Q-linked militants took some hostages (including Americans) & killed others in Algeria because of the Mali intervention.

Is that credible? From what I've read the Algeria attack's been described as very well planned - for example they'd spent some time studying the layout of the camp - and international. Isn't it more like opportunistic blaming than an actual response?

Now should we follow others' examples and blame the French for this, holding mass protests & burning French flags?

[The Brain]

There's no dishonor in a French War Boner, man.

The French are like the High Elves/Eldar army in Warhammer.

Really?

[derspiess]

Is that credible?

Quite a few news sources seem to think so.  But maybe you have access to more reliable news than I do

From what I've read the Algeria attack's been described as very well planned - for example they'd spent some time studying the layout of the camp - and international. Isn't it more like opportunistic blaming than an actual response?

I thought the terrorist group in question cited Mali as the reason. 

Now should we follow others' examples and blame the French for this, holding mass protests & burning French flags?

I know South Koreans and possibly others have similarly blamed the US when they had people taken captive and/or murdered in Afghanistan & Iraq.  Not saying that would appropriate for us to do here.

[Sheilbh]

I thought the terrorist group in question cited Mali as the reason. 

They did. But given that they're an international group (with very few Malians, Libyans and Algerians) and this looks like it's been in planning for some times I wonder if that's more because it's a convenient excuse. If not it's a remarkably rapid response. That's where I'm unsure about the credibility of the claim.