[GPSCC-chat] Perpetual conflict

[Wes Rolley]

In one recent post, I mentioned the book "Drift" by Rachel Maddow. That 
is the story of how we have gotten into posture of perpetual conflict 
against enemies that no US Politician can ignore.  If they do, they risk 
being called "weak" by the opposition.  So, all conflicts become in some 
manner part of our "national interest".

So, along with Iran and Syria, attention must be paid to Mali. In brief, 
the Tauregs, a minority (10%) ethnic group from Northern Mali, has 
always resisted the centralized government in Timbuktu. The Taureg are 
Muslims.  However, when the resistance to a centralized Mali government 
was taken over by another ethnic group with  Al Qaeda links and 
financing, the Tauregs have been forced to flee to Mauritania to escape 
living under a version of Sharia law that they do not accept.

Note: this conflict pits Muslim against Muslim in the same manner as the 
"troubles" in N. Ireland pitted Christian against Christian.

I am sure that the Al Qaeda  linkage has been enough to attract the 
attention of Panetta's CIA and our military planners.  But this will 
continue as long as we refrain from questioning what role America should 
have and how much of that is the responsibility of our military in 
carrying out that policy.  Right now, I cringe every time I hear a 
politician respond to a question about what they will do by saying "I'll 
listen to the commanders in the field."  It is not their responsibility 
to set policy.