Sen. Coons: U.S. will likely have more active military role in Mali

[unhappycamper]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/18/sen-coons-u-s-will-likely-have-more-active-military-role-in-mali/



Sen. Coons: U.S. will likely have more active military role in Mali
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, February 18, 2013 17:42 EST

The United States is likely to play a more active military role in Mali, where French-led forces are battling Islamist rebels, after the country holds elections, the chair of a key Senate sub-committee said Monday.

Washington has been providing intelligence, transport and mid-air refuelling to France, which launched its intervention last month, but cannot work directly with the Malian army until a democratically elected government replaces current leaders who came to power after a coup, said Christopher Coons, chair of the Senate foreign relations committee’s Africa sub-committee.

“There is the hope that there will be additional support from the United States in these and other areas, but … American law prohibits direct assistance to the Malian military following the coup,” Coons told journalists in the Malian capital.

“After there is a full restoration of democracy, I would think it is likely that we will renew our direct support for the Malian military,” added the senator, who led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Mali to meet with interim president Dioncounda Traore and French and African defence officials.

[Victor_c3]

1. There is a lot of wealth to be had from their natural resources

Of course we'll be there.