re: #288 BeenHereAwhile

The best outcome of the Amenas situation would be for Algeria and other adjacent countries with experienced *desert* fighters to become involved in suppressing the Mali insurgency. With the West offering material support, but no overt involvement.

That’s been the tactic so far that unfortunately helped create this mess. NYT had a scathing article a few days ago about how the us supplied arms, money and training to people in the military and government who ended up defecting (along with the arms and money) to the Islamists. The hands off approach has been a significant part of the problem.