Tag: Dashiell Bennett

After French forces changed the dynamic of the conflict in Mali, it has now taken on another new, and sadly predictable, turn—suicide attacks. A Tuareg militant blew himself up next to a group Malian soliders on Friday, but fortunately he only killed himself and injured just one. It’s the first suicide attack in Mali since French forces joined the fight against Islamic militants last month.

It probably won’t be the last, either. For the first 10 months or so of the rebellious conflict that began last spring, it’s been a series of battles between armed militant groups and poorly-trained, but better armed Malian soliders. That meant skirmishes that more closely resembled a traditional guerrilla war. However, as we’ve seen in Afghanistan, Iraq, and even Pakistan and Yemen, as Western forces take over the conflict, they can overwhelm and scatter the insurgents, which is when they begin to rely on suicide attacks, IEDs, and other tactics that don’t require a stand-up fight against a much stronger force.

If that patten happens in Mali, France may soon find itself in a situation that will feel very similar to Americans, as they watch a traditional shooting war turn into a peacekeeping and counter-terrorism operation. And just like the American military in Afghanistan and Iraq found out, those are much harder to extract yourself from.

via The Atlantic Wire http://da.feedsportal.com/c/35094/f/648528/s/285e03b5/l/0L0Stheatlanticwire0N0Cglobal0C20A130C0A20Cmail0Egets0Eits0Efirst0Esuicide0Ebomber0C619350C/ia1.htm

The United Nations envoy to Syria says Bashar al-Assad has agreed to cease fire during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, but will he honor it? The U.N. and many Muslim leaders had been pushing for a truce ahead of the four day observance, but both sides in the ongoing civil war have shown no willingness to lay down their arms. Lakhdar Brahimi, the new U.N. negotiator is meeting with Arab League leaders today, this week in the hope that a temporary cease fire can lead to a longer peace, but given the current level of violence in Syria, 

The U.N. previously announced a cease fire way back in March of this, but neither side formally agreed to or honored it. Some rebel groups have reportedly agreed to this newest deal, but it seems unlikely to contain all of them. It may also be seen as a ploy by Assad to stop the gains made by rebels in recent weeks. The captial of Damascus has been hit by ever more powerful bombs and the Syria army has lost control of sever major highways and even some military installations.

In other Syrian news, a Russian military source says Syrian rebels are now using shoulder-mounted, anti-air-aircraft missiles that are made in the United States. Western countries have been hesitant to directly arm rebel groups, but the black market for these advanced weapons is clearly being supplied by major dealers. Russia supplies the Syrian government with most of it’s weapons.

Eid al-Adha begins on Thursday evening and is a celebration in honor of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for God.

 

via The Atlantic Wire http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/10/syrian-warily-discussing-holiday-cease-fire/58283/