why are the French involved in Mali - i don't undertand

[Tortington]

any information greatfully recieved - not ure i understand why they have anything to do with anythng - am thinking its some old colonial type history linkage or something.

[MrsMeeple]

Try:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Sudan
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali#Foreign_relations_and_military

www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/01/2013111135659836345.html

Mali was once a French colony. France has a military presence in various bases in neighbouring countries. The president of Mali requested help from France in the current conflict.

[Tortington]

thnaks so much

[MoreBeta]

Wars are always about resources and especially energy.

I found this on a website.

France produces 85% of its electric from nuclear and hence uses approximately 10,500 tonnes of uranium each year. About 45% of that total uranium is mined in Canada and 32% is mined in Niger (a neighbor of Mali) by Areva, a company whose major stockholder is the French government.

For similar reasons, the US and other Western powers also have interest in North and West Africa - a major source of valuable light sweet crude oil. Militant Islam is seen as a threat to the control of those energy sources.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I'm just loving all the references to Timbuktu. In my mind it's full of people in safari suits or fezes, lots of camels, bit 'Indiana Jones'...

[therugratref]

The economist has an interesting analysis of the Mali situation this week. It's well worth a read.

[Tortington]

thanks beta - that is ver interesting!