We need to learn quickly to keep up with the massive change around us so we don't get run over. We need to outrun change.
Here are a few articles on the ongoing turmoil in Mali. Haven’t noticed much, but perhaps that is because I haven’t been watching closely.
3/3/17 – France 24 – Three jihadi groups active in Mali announce merger – The three groups that have merged include:
The new name will be Group to Support Islam and Muslims.
Continue reading “Mali and Central Africa Republic update – 7/1”
Turmoil continues in Mali. A few recent articles I noticed:
1/19/17 – Strategy Page – Mali; Europe Agrees to Stay and Fight – European Union has decided to keep 500 military trainers in Mali to provide ongoing training to officers and NCOs for the long-term. Article says it takes a decade to professionalize a military force. Corruption is so endemic in Mali and other African countries (I will make a guess same concept applies in Asia and South America as well) that it takes that long to train officers and the NCO cadre to avoid corruption.
Continue reading “Mali and Central African Republic update – 2/17”
The US is increasing its troops and surveillance resources in Africa.
10/10 – Strategy Page – Intelligence: Long Eyes in Central Africa – (Yeah, I’ve been holding this post for a while.) The U.S. is building its second airbase in Africa, this time in Agadez, Niger. Aerial surveillance aircraft will fly out of the base along with unmanned UAVs, including armed UAVs, according to the article.
This base will serve growing intel needs in Libya, Chad, and Nigeria, according to the article. It is also next door to Mali so it can support intel needs there.
You can see Agadez in the following map:
Continue reading “U.S. increasing drone and aircraft resources in Western Africa”
Some sadness from Mali along with an encouraging dose of justice.
3/14/16 – Wall Street Journal – Al Qaeda Turns Sights on Africa Success Story – On 3/14, terrorists from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb shot up a beach resort in Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast, killing at least 15 people. That is the al Qaeda offshoot operating out of Mali that has been terrorizing Mali.
Quoted experts have been concerned that group would start reaching out to economically developed countries, such as Ivory Coast or Senegal.
The attack was in Grand-Bassam, which is about 25 miles from Abidjan.
Ivory Coast has worked hard to achieve an average 9% growth rate over the last four years. Good for the people there and their government!
9/27/16 – Wall Street Journal – Islamist Sentenced to Nine Years for Timbuktu Shrine Destruction – Soldiers of Ansar Dine destroyed Muslim shrines in Timbuktu that are many hundreds of years old. Nine mausoleums in total were destroyed. The door to the Sidi Yahia mosque, so the story goes, hasn’t even been opened in 500 years. All but one of the destroyed sites were on the World Heritage roster of UNESCO.
(Over five hundred years old! Here in California, we are impressed by buildings that are standing 50 or 60 years later. A notable historical restoration project in my city consists of sprucing up a gas station from the ’50s that is on the old Route 66.)
Continue reading “A nice dose of justice for the citizens of Mali”
Barron’s suggests Mansa Musa, the Emperor of Mali in the 1300s, was the richest man who ever lived.
(This discussion is cross-posted from my other blog, Attestation Update. The article is brought into this blog because previous discussions addressed the tragic civil war in Mali. Mansa Musa provides background to the rich history of the country.)
Since I firmly believe that I am richer today than John D. Rockefeller was back in 1916, I would also insist that I am, right now, richer than Mansa Musa was in 1324. But that isn’t the point of the story. I’ll mention travel costs momentarily.
The 7/23 article from Barron’s gives a glimpse into ancient finances by wondering Who Was the Richest Person Who Ever Lived? / The Emperor of Mali lived on top of a 14th century Goldmine so prolific that it probably made him the richest person who ever lived.
Musa Keita I is referred to as Mansa, or Emperor, Musa. He was born somewhere around 1280 and died somewhere around 1337. He was the ruler of the Mali Empire which stretched across Western Africa.
Consider the economic resources in the area: gold and salt.
Continue reading “The incredible wealth of Mansa Musa, the ancient emperor of Mali”
A few articles I’ve seen on Mali and Central African Republic:
(Update: Oops. Title of post corrected. I dropped an “n”.)
11/28 – AP at Bismarck Tribune – Mortar attack on UN base in North Mali kills three, injures 20 – An estimated six mortar rounds were fired at a UN base in Kidal, killing two UN peacekeepers and 1 contractor, with 20 people injured. The two soldiers were from Guinea.
Kidal is in the far northeast corner on the above map. The terrorist attack earlier in the month took place in the capital, Bamako, which is in the far southwest corner of the country.
Article reports the government has arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the November 20 hotel attack.
11/29 – Bismarck Tribune – The Latest: Pope welcomed to Central African Republic – Continue reading “Mali and Central African Republic update – 11/30”
al-Qaeda attack on hotel in Bamako is over. Hostages are free.
11/20 – AP – Islamic Extremists Attack Hotel in Mali’s Capital – Militants, “Islamic extremists” is the AP’s approved word, attacked a luxury hotel in Bamako taking over a hundred people hostage. The Malian army quickly moved to take back the hotel. At the time the article was filed, the rescue efforts were still underway.
Interesting tidbit is the Malian army troops were being supported by US and French special forces. A quote from an official spokesman from the U.S. Africa Command said special forces are training the Mali troops.
Continue reading “Terrorist attack in Mali capital of Bamako is ended”
Media coverage of the tragedy in Central African Republic is taking on a slanted, agenda-laded bias worthy of American media in a U.S. presidential race.
(I have been sitting on this post for months. Think it is time to post.)
Shouldn’t be necessary, but I suppose it is necessary to say I denounce the destruction of religious houses of worship, especially when such facilities are targeted because they are houses of worship. I also denounce violence targeted against people because of the way they worship.
Let me know if you think the following articles are talking about the same country.
Continue reading “Biased, slanted, propagandistic updates on Central African Republic”
Hasn’t been a lot of news from Mali lately, or at least that I’ve seen. Probably just a reflection on my poor ability to pay attention.
Well, there was news last week.
Islamic extremists (that’s the description in the AP article) attacked a hotel in Sevare, taking hostages and battling government troops. A Malian special operations team flew in from Bamako to join the fight and retook the hotel. The rebels held the hotel for about 24 hours.
Not a lot of news from Mali and CAR. Here are a few articles I’ve noticed from recent months. Two terrorist attacks this weekend.
9/19/14 – Wall Street Journal – Spare a Thought for This Little-Noticed Disaster – Charlize Theron calls attention to the humanitarian disaster in Central Africa Republic. She provides good background.
Continue reading “Mali and Central Africa Republic update – 3/8”
Not a lot of news from Mali and CAR. More likely I’ve not been paying much attention.
7/19 – The Feed – France Sets Up Permanent Anti-Terror Force in Africa –
Continue reading “Mali and Central Africa Republic update – 9/4”
Iraq seems to have blown up in the last week or so. Is it really necessary to say I don’t have a clue what is happening? To see what give me a vague, fuzzy hint of something that looks like a clue, check out…
6/16 – American Interest – The Middle East and Beyond – Iraq: What a Way To Go – Adam Garfinkel provides deep background on how Iraq came into being and helps sort out the mess that is happening now.
Continue reading “Mali and Central Africa Republic update (and Iraq) – 6/17”
A few updates on the conflicts in Mali and Central Africa Republic.
Mali
3/22 – Economist – Hurry up, or it’ll be too late – Continue reading “Mali and Central Africa Republic update – 5/6/14”
Not much news to mention on Mali, which is probably a reflection on my attentiveness. Sad news continues to come out of CAR.
Mali
12-7 – Economist – Taken down a peg – Behind the indictment and pending trial of the captain who led the coup leading to the current instability, the Economist staff see continuing political turmoil and institutional weakness. It does show, to the writer, that the new president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, is in control.
Not a lot of news from Mali, but perhaps that is just a reflection on my limited observation abilities. I’ve also been watching as conditions in Central Africa Republic disintegrate. Unlike most people, I’m aware of the country. Why? Many years ago I actually had my feet on the ground for a day.
A few news articles on the situation in Mali before I mention CAR.
Continue reading “Mali and Central Africa Republic update – 12-10-13”