The Washington Post revealed that the United States has quietly opened talks focused on counterterrorism with Mali’s governing junta. Last month, House and Senate delegations visited Bamako. In July, Deputy Assistant Secretary Will Stevens, the State Department’s point man for West Africa, also met Malian officials. A few months earlier, between February 19 and 21, United States Africa Command – the Pentagon’s headquarters for operations across the continent – had staged its first military-to-military engagement in Mali in five years.
These apparent efforts by Washington to woo Mali’s military regime mark a US return to a game where African lives are pawns and power is the prize. Sure, “security” is the buzzword on everyone’s lips, but to anyone paying attention, it is obvious that the newfound US interest in collaborating with Bamako is less about “counterterrorism” and more about gaining ground in its new Cold War against Russia.
Indeed, five years ago, when General Assimi Goita, leader of the Malian junta, carried out two coups in the space of nine months, the US showed no inclination to collaborate with him, even in the name of fighting terror. In fact, Washington strongly condemned the general’s power grab both times, and even suspended security assistance to the country after the second coup that toppled the transitional authority tasked with overseeing Mali’s return to civilian rule.
Since then, Goita’s regime has shown no desire for democratic governance or respect for the rights and freedoms of everyday Malians. In fact, just a couple of months ago, Mali’s military authorities officially granted Goita a five-year presidential mandate, renewable “as many times as necessary” and without requiring an election.
Source: Here
