As reported previously, not only are there currently US boots on the ground in the latest geopolitical “anti Al-Qaeda” snafu in Mali, but it turns out a US presence had been secretly in place for many months prior to the recent escalation in French-led hostilities against the western African nation. And while this would likely have opened up numerous media inquiries under any other administration, so far these has been zero interest as to just why the US is “assisting” the French in this latest military deployment of military forces outside of the US: after all, one of the biggest complaints about US spending is that so much of it goes for military purposes (ignoring that all the tax revenues can’t even cover just the monthly entitlement spending of the nation).
Perhaps one reason is that, at least to date, the general consensus was that since the French operation in Mali is spearheaded and organized by the French, it is also funded by them. As it turns out that is not the case.
As Reuters reports, “The U.S. military has flown five C-17 cargo sorties into the Malian capital to help bring a French mechanized infantry unit into the fight against al Qaeda-affiliated militants in the north of the country, Pentagon officials said on Tuesday.” But surely the French are paying for these sorties which are there only to help the French, right? Wrong. “Little said the United States had decided not to seek compensation or reimbursement from France for the flights.” Luckily, the US is in such a healthy financial position it can afford to not only open one more front in the war against “Al Qaeda”, but will sign for the French tab too. With Joe Sixpack’s money of course.
More from Reuters:
A small group of U.S. military troops, including two communications personnel, have been on the ground at the airport at Bamako temporarily to help coordinate the logistics for the C-17 flights, a military official said.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that while the United States supported France’s decision to put troops into Mali to stop the advance of al Qaeda affiliated troops toward Bamako, the Pentagon had no plans to put U.S. combat troops on the ground there.
There have been boots on the ground there longer than a few months. They pulled most contractors out last year after the coup and sent in SF teams to prep when it was learned
Ansar Dine was headed there. But, yea we are footing the bill on this too.
http://sfmedic.blogspot.com/2013/01/qaeda-ansar-dine-convoy-headed-for.html