Via Al Monitor
Thanks to French President Francois Hollande, who felt the need to step
in to contain the collapse of Mali, and a calamitous rescue operation by
Algerian forces that resulted in the deaths of 37 hostages, the Western
media has discovered Mali.
The largest West African country is under threat of division in a war
that sees government troops, along with a Western coalition led by the
French, battling well-armed ethnic Tuaregs and the al-Qaeda-affiliated
Ansaruldin group, who were already at war with each other.
Once known as French Sudan, Mali is one of France's main allies in
sub-Saharan Africa. Fears are growing in Paris that the chaos might
spill out to neighboring states fom what was anciently called "French
West Africa," drastically affecting regional and international stability
and peace. But that’s not all. France is concerned the spread will put
what remains of its influence in this part of the world under serious
threat.
The war in Mali, many believe, wasn’t entirely unpredictable for those
keeping a close eye on the situation. There were strong indicators, such
as weaponry and fighters crossing the loose borders. The country was
forced to face the ambitions of well-armed ethnic Tuareg fighters, who
returned home after the fall of Moammar Gadhafi’s regime in Libya.
Tuaregs revived their 100-year-old dream of an independent state in the
Azawad territory to the north of Mali. They took advantage of a coup
d'état that ousted President Amado Toumani Toure to control their area
and declare independence with the help of an al-Qaeda-affiliated group.
The latter were looking for a safe haven in a hostile environment,
especially amid the end of the Libyan war. The Islamists, later on,
overthrew the Tuaregs and installed Shariah law in the area, a move some
sources suggest was prompted by post-revolution Libya, whose leaders were keen to uproot any pro-Gadhafi sentiments near their borders.
Post-revolution Libya
is perhaps the most critical factor in the struggle for Mali; the fall
of Gaddafi and the links the Ansaruldin have with the new rulers of
Tripoli gave this war a different perspective. It is as if Mali were the
arena where another version of the Libyan war resumed, though with
different objectives.
Less than two years ago, NATO strikes helped the rebellion in Libya and
paved the way for the opposition to end 40 years of Gadhafi rule. At
that time foreign intervention was welcomed by Libyans, and not much
opposed by Arabs and Muslims. This was in stark contrast with the
reaction to foreign intervention in Iraq in 2003.
While in Libya, I had the chance to meet Abdulmonem Al Mukhtar, once a
member of the Islamic Libyan fighting group, who was killed just weeks
after we met in April 2011. Al Mukhtar fought against the Americans in
Afghanistan and returned to Libya on March 2011 along with 100 of his
loyal fighters to take part in the war.
Near Ajdabiya, to the east of Libya, I asked how he could be an enemy
of NATO in Afghanistan and an ally in Libya. He laughed, told me not to
be a “fanatic" and added, "In Afghanistan, they are an occupation force.
Here, they are helping us topple the dictator."
It wasn’t only Abdulmonem who approached the situation this way.
Everyday people gave similar answers, and mainstream media organizations
weren’t far behind in that logic. There was a common belief that in a
war for liberation, all means were justifiable.
Later on some of the Syrians revolting against President Bashar
al-Assad started demanding foreign intervention to help them defeat the
regime, and so did those who supported them around the Arab and Muslim
world. People initially welcomed foreign intervention — at least, until
they contemplated it further.
As a result of the Libyan war, a new war started in the region. Once again, the tables are turned. Yesterday’s allies in Libya
are today’s enemies in Mali. Voices refusing foreign intervention
became louder and louder, calling on the West, specifically France, to
respect the sovereignty of the sub-Saharan state. Some dubbed the
military intervention a new crusade, while the presidents of Egypt and
Tunisia and the prime minister of Libya all warned the intervention will
fuel conflict in the region.
Many didn’t realize that a war in Mali had surfaced until news of
foreign intervention made headlines. Some are starting to raise
questions about the consequences of foreign military intervention, and
the forces it will unleash. The Libyan “success” preceded the terrorist
attack on the US consulate in Ben Ghazi, which killed Ambassador Chris
Stevens and three other Americans, and now we have Mali.
It is not that the war in Mali started only now; it's only now that the world started thinking of its consequences.
Ali Hashem is an Arab journalist who is serving now as Almayadeen news network's chief correspondent.
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