France says Mali victory 'will be swift'
France strongly defended its military intervention in northern Mali yesterday, dismissing any suggestion of a long-term commitment comparable to the West's operation in Afghanistan launched in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001.
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[France's foreign minister, Laurent Fabius,] said French strikes in Mali had succeeded in halting the insurgents' progress towards the south of the country but that the operation was designed to last only for a few weeks. "Later on, we can come as backup but we have no intention of staying forever," he said.
The "few weeks" term was also used by the Malian foreign minister:
The France-led military intervention in Mali to oust Islamist rebels from the west African country may last a few weeks, Malian Foreign Affairs Minister Tieman Hubert Coulibali said on Tuesday.
But now we get a different mission and a very undefined time table from the French president Hollande:
"As soon as there is an African force, in the coming days or weeks, that is backed by the international community and by Europe, France will not have a reason to stay in Mali," he told a news conference during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
"We have one goal, however. To ensure that when we leave, when we end our intervention, Mali is safe, has legitimate authorities, an electoral process and there are no more terrorists threatening its territory," Hollande said.
Ten years later …
There is very little chance that Mali, in its current configuration where a restive Tuareg/Berber north has for decades tried to separate from the south, will ever be safe, have legitimate authorities, an electoral process and no "terrorists".
By announcing these new nation building aims and by increasing the troop strength to, for now, 2,500, Hollande in effect announced a never ending occupation. It is highly unlikely that the locals will put up with that.