Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, speaking on Press TV World News on the July 7, 2012 elections in the North African state of Libya. Azikiwe said that the vote had reinforced existing regional differences., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
To watch this interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, just click on the website below:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/03/08/292590/france-war-on-mali-creates-instability/
Fri Mar 8, 2013 7:33PM GMT
A political analyst tells Press TV that France intervention in Mali is going to make the world even more unstable and there is going to be instability in regard to the military affairs as well as the political apparatus of Western Europe.
The comments came after French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the war France launched on Mali has not “completely” finished. The French minister also stated that securing the region around Mali’s northern city of Gao was one of the challenges for France and added that the French troops were in “face-to-face combat” with local fighters.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Are you surprised that this war has continued as long as it has given the different statements coming from France that it was not going to take this long?
Azikiwe: It is not surprising at all. Over the last twelve years we have seen a similar pattern. Initially they say that these local populations will welcome them. They will of course use the theory of overwhelming force to wipe out the targeted adversaries. Then of course when the problems arise in regard to resistance at the grassroots level and also the failure of the local population to rally to the defense of the incoming interventionists, then of course we see an extension of the military intervention in these countries.
France initially said they would be withdrawing by next month in April. Just two weeks ago they announced that they will extend their intervention until July. And of course they have admitted that four of their own troops have been killed so far in this invasion of Mali. Also Chad, which is a country that is accompanying France, has lost over two dozen troops as well.
Of course they mentioned recently that there were two French citizens who were supposedly detained who were fighting alongside these Islamic organizations that are being targeted inside of Mali.
It is not surprising at all that they have extended their intervention inside that West African state.
Press TV: Well France has said that it is in a total re-conquest mode in Mali and it has gone in to prevent terrorists attacking Europe but don’t you think that this may backfire? I mean I can parallel this with the US-led war in Afghanistan eleven years on at this point. Do you think that it is going to make the world a safer place as France has said it would?
Azikiwe: No it is going to make it even more unstable and that is going to be instability in regard to the military affairs as well as the political apparatus of Western Europe and also on an economic level because these interventions cost a tremendous amount of money.
They also create economic instability within the various states that are initiating these conflicts and inevitably they draw in other allies from NATO and imperialist countries.
The United States is involved. They have been involved in regard to training the Malian military. Then they have been transporting troops and military equipment to support the France intervention. Also the United Kingdom, Germany and other NATO states are also involved in this invasion of Mali.
So it is a very unfortunate situation but I think it reflects the crisis that exists in Western Europe and also throughout the entire industrialized West.
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