Geo-Political - The War in Mali

So can you identify the funky shaped country in the middle of this map? Well, it's Mali and while I know the Mali has been in turmoil since last year and that France and other countries have sent troops to fight Al Queda in the northern provinces, I really don't know that much about the country or their problems, which began when Tuareg rebels launched a major offensive against Mali's security forces and military in a bid to seize the northern town of Kidal on February 6, 2012. This was followed on February 8th, when the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) took control of the Mali-Algeria border town of Tinzaouaten as Malian soldiers crossed into Algeria. Islamist Ansar Dine demanded the imposition of Islamic law in northern Mali, while the secular Tuareg nationalist Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA) have stated they want an autonomous, if not completely independent, homeland. Things intensified  (from Wikipedia)

 on 21 March, when mutinying Malian soldiers, displeased with the management of the Tuareg rebellion, attacked several locations in the capital Bamako, including the presidential palace, state television, and military barracks. The soldiers, who said they had formed the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State,[7] declared the following day that they had overthrown the government of Amadou Toumani Touré, forcing him into hiding. The coup was followed by "unanimous" international condemnation, harsh sanctions by Mali's neighbors, and the swift loss of northern Mali to Tuareg forces, leading Reuters to describe the coup as "a spectacular own-goal".[8] On 6 April, the junta agreed with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) negotiators that they would step down from power in return for the end of sanctions, giving power to a transitional government led by parliament speaker Dioncounda Traoré. In the following days, both Touré and coup leader Amadou Sanogo formally resigned;[9] however, as of 16 May, the junta was still "widely thought to have maintained overall control". 

Since then the French (Mali is a former French colony) and other African countries, have sent troops to regain control of the northern provinces and have been for the most part successful. Barry Lando writes at Huffington Post:: Mali: Mission Accomplished -- Hollande's Bush Moment

Now in mid April, 4,000 French troops are still in the country, supported by about 6,000 soldiers from several African states. Led by the French, they've retaken most of the major population centers from the jihadists who had threatened to overrun the country. They've also pummeled rebel redoubts in the North, reportedly killing hundreds of radicals and destroying tons of equipment.

Yet the situation is still tense. Islamists who had faded into the villages and rugged mountains are still capable of deadly hit-and-run attacks. And the ethnic Tuaregs in the North, who began the rebellion, are still demanding autonomy or independence.

and the current solution is for

  ....France will turn over the mess in their former colony, as soon as possible to a new "democratically elected" Malian government.

Thus it was that Hollande dispatched Foreign Minister Fabius to Bamako to lay down his dictat to the major political actors: presidential and legislative elections were to be held by July.

The rebel Tuaregs were supposed to lay down their arms, though they still occupy Kidal and a part of Northern Mali; a French reaction force would stay in place to ensure that "the terrorists" didn't come back. 

At this point there is no guarantees that the elections will produce a government that will be able to put Mali back together again. You can read more about the situation and possibly Six steps to fix a broken Mali at Bridges from Bamako a blog written by Bruce Whitehouse an anthropology professor from Lehigh University.

Ok so this is my first attempt at putting together a geo-political piece any additions or thoughts by any readers when be appreciated! I would like to follow up maybe with another post about some of the history and culture of Mali, particularly the Dogon.