The Necessity of Defending Democracy in Mali

The Necessity of Defending Democracy in Mali

   For intelligence insiders, national security experts and international security amateurs the Mali attacks are no surprise.  In Mali, we had the shinning light of Democracy, first see a coup d'etate by its Military leadership (primarily out of frustration on the part of the military with the president's unwillingness to provide the resources necessary to combat al-Qaeda and other Islamist rebels in the north), and then Al-Qaeda linked rebels grab a junk of territory in northern Mali twice the size of France while raping and pillaging the countryside, imposing Sharia law against the public's wishes, destroying world heritage sights and flogging uncovered women.  For the Alex Jones fans of the internet, looking for conspiracy motives and allowing for the manipulation of your paranoia to push an anti-governemnt, for profit sensationalist agenda disguised as journalism, just watch this youtube video by independent journalists  (http://youtu.be/Sj6e0fZqG-k) and take the time to listen to the testimonies of young women forced to flee their homes after having Islamist militias kidnap their teenage daughters and drag them to the woods where they were raped (as I listened to on public radio).  With my own ears I heard the pleas for support, military intervention and cries from these same women for weapons to go fight these turbaned and bearded lunatics themselves if necessary.  Military action is clearly justified.  The tougher question is whether to expose the military families I spend so much time with, worn our by years of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, to another conflict in a separate theater of war, albeit essentially the same enemy.  To defeat the international terrorist group Al-Qaeda, which has attacked American territory, troops and interests time and time again, action is necessary, however, to allow for heavy lifting from regional nations and France is certainly welcomed and tactful in terms of America's overall efforts to combat the rise of Islamist extremism.

    Posed with the awkward dilemma of either backing a military coup or allowing Islamists to continue gaining territory towards Timbuktu, the US had pulled its financial aid from Mali's military as rebel forces formerly backed and armed by Gaddafi continued their advance towards the city of Konna with around 900 armed militia men.  UN authorization had been approved for the regional African economic bloc, Ecowas to take action, but even as Secretary State Hillary Clinton visited Algeria and regional partners it seemed Nigeria was the only nation willing to take any significant action.  Cries for help continued to remain unanswered, and finally with trucks full of armed Islamist militias encroaching on key port cities as under-armed Malian forces retreated, calls for outside intervention from Mali's President were answered and the French Military has taken action, launching bombings, building up supplies and regional assets, while landing commandos to help drive back the Islamist militias from Konna.

   This is not going to be another Afghanistan, this is a winnable war that needs to be fought.  The free world cannot afford to stand by and allow for the establishment of terror states in free democracies.  The Malian government is not equipped, trained or resourced sufficiently to take on this threat on its own.  While America may not involve itself directly in the fighting, it needs to take an active role in supporting the humanitarian components of this mission and helping with the logistics, intelligence and transportation components of such a mission.  America needs to help provide drone and satellite surveillance, share intelligence and encourage dialogue between intel assets, along with providing refueling and transport equipment to add substance to Pentagon consultations and CIA counsel for all involved military parties.

    There is opportunity to improve operational coordination between Nigeria's military which will be heavily involved in the mission, along with our allies in France who could have a significant role in anything surrounding another one of its former colonies, Syria.  Algeria may not involve itself directly in the fighting, but if they could stack a troop presence at their border to prevent the escape of terrorists and narco-trafficers aligned with the Al-Qaeda linked insurgents as French, Nigerian and Malian troops squeeze them against the border the threat posed by Al-Qaeda and Ansar Dine can be eradicated.  While these Al-Qaeda linked groups may not have direct operational control from the core of Al-Qaeda, they directly wear their banner and have close correspondence with Al-Qaeda in Somalia at minimum, and as the history of Al-Qaeda dictates, would use rebel controlled territory to recruit, plan and train for future attacks on America and our European, North African and Middle Eastern allies including Israel and possibly France; so as Al-Qaeda has largely been decimated on the battlefield in Afghanistan, it has spread across North Africa and expanded its influence in Yemen.  This is not a pentagon manufactured boogie man, this a very real threat to Western Civilization, democracy and humanitarian interests everywhere that demands decisive action from the global security community.   Additionally, by taking a larger role in Mali's defense, western nations will have a stronger hand in demanding the restoration of power to the elected president and the holding of future free elections as outlined by the Malian constitution.

http://youtu.be/Sj6e0fZqG-k

About the author:
Theo Johnson is a Political Scientist from the University of California, Santa Barbara
currently working on a Master of Science in Homeland Security at San Diego State University.
Available by phone at (650) 787-7063
or by email at johnson.theo@gmail.com