[1010RD]

Unless troops from Algeria, Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso form an anvil; the work being done by the French will be in vain. They’ll fade and resurface in a year.

[agere_contra]

That's true - though maybe the French just want to control Mali's gold production for a decade (just until they've paid Germany what they own). They might be able to do that with a cordon sanitaire.. No need to control every village.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

The Islamic radicals have alienated the local people and the Tureg Tribesmen. Without popular support the Islamic groups will have a hard time holding off a modern European Army—Especially if the French are real bast*rds and don’t give a fig about civilian deaths. That being said—the French will need to send in more troops—maybe get some help from Germany and England as well. While they are at it they should put in a decent puppet in the nation to run it like a modern state.