We dearly hope that people will have learned the lessons from Afghanistan and other countries the west has interfered with! Alas, history is often written by the people who profit most from such invasions!
The French and Brits should pull out of Mali immediately. Let the people decide their own fate. We cannot and should not interfere with real democracy. Yes, it's bloody and cruel but sometimes this is how other countries wish to pursue change for themselves. We have to respect these rights even though we might not like it. Certain parts of Africa are heading towards a new Renaissance. We would love to see such potential growing without the pains of such birth but we live in a society where the ruling elite govern us! The people do not have a true representational democracy. The politicians and corporate interests are governed themselves by the big financial interests...and that is where their interests lie...not with the people but with themselves. People are slowly, very slowly, realizing this and certainly in certain parts of Africa this is becoming increasingly known by the many who live and see such corruption everywhere in society. They've had enough and want to push towards a Direct Democratic system where 'Big Money' and elitist lobbying is thrown away as one would throw away a thorn in one's feet!
The Tuareg people demand and deserve their own autonomous state - Azawad - from Mali which is now, as I understand it controlled by the military! (Sounds familiar!) The same military which formed the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State (CNRDR)....always beware of any political/military party with democracy in it's name! This so-called democratic group forced President Amadou into exile in a coup d'tate! Doesn't seem very democratic to me! The Tuareg People will fight in any way they can to reclaim their nation from the military and we should respect these people as the brave soldiers for Peace that they are. Peace cannot come with a military government. It is illogical to think so. But, sometimes extreme circumstances demand extreme measures! I'm not, of course, saying that force should be used against force, but sometimes the quickest point from point A to point B is a straight line! Personally, I'm against war of any kind, but if it became a choice between cowardliness and Bravery I know which one I would choose!
No good will come from foreign 'boots on the ground' it never has and never will! After every recent invasion, and we like to call a spade a spade, we've left these nations far worse than when we originally went in! Afghanistan is now one of the most profitable centres in the world for illegal drugs and human trafficking! I would serious ask why exactly the French Government wish to interfere with Malian Democratic process, as violent as it is! Again it comes down to motives. Have the hearts of French intelligence suddenly become overwhelmed in humanitarian motivations for the Malian people...or could it be that we have yet another movement towards Succession around the world! We have people dissatisfied with the way their countries are being manipulated and the people are being lied too over and over again...that they are beginning to form their own sovereign nations in their own image! Could it be that western so-called democracy feels threatened by other countries finally getting their acts together in the midst of such madness to form newer forms of democratic rule! Imagine an African Nation with a Direct Democratic system something we in the west could only dream about! Wouldn't that put us to shame!