France's fast moving military offensive in Mali is being greeted happily by many residents of Mali. It seems that Islamist rule was not much fun. One 26-year-old Malian student was quoted in the New York Times lamenting:
“No smoking, no music, no girlfriends. We couldn’t do anything fun.”
However, Max Boot warns at Commentary,
The French troops are currently in the “clear” phase of their counterinsurgency campaign, but unless they stick around for follow-on “clear and hold” operations, their initial gains are likely to prove fleeting. The Islamist guerrillas are retreating so they can fight another day. Stopping them from coming back is going to prove, at least for the short term, beyond the capabilities of the African military forces on the ground. Either France stays and helps to do the job itself or the cheers its troops are now hearing will soon turn to jeers.
Read more here: http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/01/28/iraqs-lessons-for-france-in-mali/#more-817256
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