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.

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.

thnaks so much

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.

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'...

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

thanks beta - that is ver interesting!