US begins transporting French troops to Mali

[unhappycamper]

http://www.macon.com/2013/01/22/2325584/islamist-rebels-gone-from-malian.html



An elderley man looks at the charred remains of a truck used by radical Islamists on the outskirt of Diabaly, Mali, some 460kms (320 miles) North of the capital Bamako Monday Jan. 21, 2013. French and Malian troops took control Monday of the town of Diabaly, patrolling the streets in armored personnel carriers and inspecting the charred remains of a pickup truck with a mounted machine gun left behind by the fleeing militants.

US begins transporting French troops to Mali
By KRISTA LARSON and BABA AHMED — The Associated Press
Published: January 22, 2013 Updated 46 minutes ago

SEGOU, Mali — U.S. Africa Command says American planes have begun transporting French troops and equipment in support of the country's mission in Mali.

Tom Saunders, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany said Tuesday that the U.S. Air Force C-17 transport began flights on Monday from the French base in Istres, France, to Bamako.

He said two flights arrived in Bamako on Monday and a third arrived Tuesday morning.

Saunders said the missions will operate over the next several days. He said he could not give any details on how many more flights were envisioned for operational security reasons, and referred any questions about how much equipment and how many soldiers were being transported to the French Ministry of Defense.

[Leslie Valley]

1. Talk about who's ox is being gored

During the 1986 Libyan raid, the United States was denied overflight rights by France, Spain and Italy as well as the use of European continental bases.

Now we're flying out of Istres, France in support of their military adventure?

Algeria and Mali must be hitting a little too close to home for the French.

BTW, We are moving "assets" from Japan to Diego Garcia too, that's half the distance to Mali/Algeria.(don't ask)