France's military presence seems to have paid off on some level, at least for now. Not sure if it is of noble intentions, or rather a "Wag the Dog" type of tactic in an attempt to deflect attention away from the poor economic and political conditions of Europe in general, and France in particular. Yet, on this level at least, there was some measurable success. The Islamic militants who had held the country have been driven out.
Again, for now. Let's see if it lasts. After all, we have seen short term military successes celebrated as permanent victories, only to find a far different diagnosis very soon thereafter. The rebels might have been driven away for now, and surely, that's a good thing. Still, who's to say that they won't be back?
But it was doubtful for a while there if any good would come from France's involvement in this conflict. The United States, and particularly the White House, had apparently wanted Western nations to stay away from it, so as not to lend a Western face to yet another conflict involving Islamic militants, and thus reinforcing the possible perception that this was another chapter of a new "crusade" of sorts.
Adama Diarra of Reuters reports (see link below):
"Without a shot being fired, 1,000 French soldiers and paratroopers and 200 Malian troops seized Timbuktu airport and surrounded the town on the banks of the Niger River, looking to block the escape of insurgents."
He went on to add:
"A French military spokesman said the assault forces at Timbuktu were avoiding any fighting inside the city to protect the cultural treasures, mosques and religious shrines in what is considered a seat of Islamic learning.
"But Timbuktu Mayor Ousmane Halle told Reuters departing Islamist gunmen had four days earlier set fire to the town's new Ahmed Baba Institute, which contained thousands of manuscripts."
Nor are the books and manuscripts the only things that these militants destroyed while there. Here is one paragraph that I really felt hit the nail on the head, from the article "Fleeing Islamists leave legacy of destruction in Timbuktu" by Pascal Fletcher and Giles Elgood.
"The burning of a library housing thousands of ancient manuscripts in Mali's desert city of Timbuktu is just the latest act of destruction by Islamist fighters who have spent months smashing graves and holy shrines in the World Heritage site."
Now, here's a list of some relevant updates from Shawn Humphrey's article: "Mayor Says Timbuktu Libraries, Manuscripts Burned" (link also available below):
Here's the latest information on the war in Mali and the reported destruction of the libraries.
* According to the Tombouctou (Timbuktu) Manuscripts Project, there are four major manuscript libraries in the city. The project was in the process of translating and digitizing the manuscripts collections held in Timbuktu prior to the city's capture by extremists in 2012.
* The Guardian indicated that two libraries containing the most ancient manuscripts, one older location and a more state-of-the-art research center known as the Ahmad Babu Institute, were both set on fire. It is unknown whether any of the manuscripts survived.
* Some collectors and manuscript owners had managed to relocate and hide a number of manuscripts prior to the takeover by the rebels. The estimated 20,000 texts, scrolls, and manuscripts, mainly written in the 14th through 16th centuries, were notable for recording sub-Saharan Africa's medieval history.
* Another report from the AP indicated that French paratroopers had landed north of the town while ground forces invaded from the south. Although the French had taken the Timbuktu airport Sunday and were entering the city on Monday, they had not gained full control of the city by Monday afternoon.
* In addition to the library, rebels destroyed nearly all of the 333 Sufi shrines in the city during the occupancy of the city. * During the 10 months the al-Qaida-linked group controlled Timbuktu, they had imposed a strict form of Shariah, religious law which included amputations and public executions, according to the AP report.
* Two other major cities in the north, Kidal and Gao, appear to be out of extremist hands. Gao fell to French and African forces on Saturday, while local Tuareg militia claim they have regained control of Kidal following the sudden exit of militants from the city.
* Though militants had threatened to march on Bamako, the capital of Mali, the French and Malian forces have found little resistance in retaking northern cities in the past week.
Now, I am not the biggest fan of Western military operations in the Middle East or the rest of the Islamic world (Mali is actually in western Africa, not the Middle East). But that said, I am not about to shed a tear for them once they are thrown out, either. The triumph of extremism anywhere, in this case religious intolerance, is a defeat in general for humanity.
A militant intolerance of anything that does not strictly fall into line with what they deem acceptable, in thinking as well as in practice, has swept the Islamic world, and destroyed some priceless treasures in the process. All because it is perceived that anything that does not adhere to their particular brand of Islam is sacrilege, and apparently a threat to all would be believers. In their attempts to impose some religious "purity", they will desecrate anything that does not strictly buttress their own very narrow beliefs.
To those ends, they have shown a willingness to destroy priceless treasures of the world, things that will never be restored. Such as the giant Bamiyan Buddha statues of Afghanistan. The historic old market of Aleppo, in Syria, was recently destroyed as a result of fighting in that country (I know that the responsibility for this was disputed, and that Islamic militants are likely not responsible, but the theme of destructive extremism in yet another Islamic country cannot be missed). Now, some of these priceless treasures in Timbuktu that they destroyed, including the recent books and manuscripts lost after the departing rebels set fire to the library.
What is happening in these places is a crime. Yet, there will never be a trial, surely. There will be no bringing these people to justice (unless killing them like dogs in the street is considered justice). No Nuremburg trials, no world trials in Hague. These crimes will likely be viewed with sadness, but that is the extent of it. he only court where they are being tried is the court of public opinion.
Let's just hope that we see this era, where such militant stupidity is currently in fashion, will soon be swept away, and where future generations will look upon these times, and the people responsible for them, in the same way that we here in the West look at fascist extremists, and the price that so many had to pay for their own push towards some kind of "purity", albeit an ideological one then in Europe, as opposed to a religious one now in the Islamic world.
Although it should be noted that Mali is, in fact, a rather secular country, and is not strictly bound to being labeled an "Islamic" nation. In fact, to my understanding, many of these rebels who have been fighting, and were until recently in control of Timbuktu and many other parts of Mali, were in fact from outside of the country - militants from numerous other nations, presumably fighting their "jihad".
I tend to be critical of many western nations, admittedly, including both France and the United States (I am a dual citizen). But when I hear reports like this, I take time to be grateful to live and have been raised in countries where there is a greater measure of freedom and stability than such places as the ones that we see falling to such extremists.
"French seal off Mali's Timbuktu, rebels torch library" by Adama Diarra:
http://news.yahoo.com/malians-celebrate-french-led-forces-clear-timbuktu-091349664.html
"Mayor Says Timbuktu Libraries, Manuscrip[ts Burned" by Shawn Humphrey
http://news.yahoo.com/mayor-says-timbuktu-libraries-manuscripts-burned-210400407.html
"Fleeing Islamists leave legacy of destruction in Timbuktu" by Pascal Fletcher and Giles Elgood.
http://news.yahoo.com/fleeing-islamists-leave-legacy-destruction-timbuktu-181117605.html
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