During the period under consideration, foreigners, in particular Malian and Nigerian nationals, were victims of acts of aggression, looting and vandalism .

The UNESCO Bamako Office and the Malian non governmental organization Route du Sud organized a one day celebration around the theme of women and HIV AIDS entitled The South helps the South in the struggle against HIV AIDS .

This is a profound error. France has no interest in protecting a Malian regime that it knows to be corrupt and incompetent indeed, France recently refused to support a request from President François Bozizé s regime in the neighboring Central African Republic for aid in dealing with rebels.

And the United States indifferent to the integrity of the Malian state and the welfare of its citizens in normal circumstances was aware of the possibility that Mali s vast territory could fall under fundamentalist terrorist control. So it decided to take part in the transport, communications, logistical, and intelligence components of the French led operation.

While the Islamists have been temporarily defeated, they are well armed and receive supplies from Libya via Algeria, which has suppressed Islamists at home but seems to turn a blind eye to their transit through its territory. Moreover, the capabilities of the Malian army and those of other West African countries that are supposed to join the operation are too weak to turn the tide.