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Indybay Feature

"Liberating Mali": The President of France hails the beginning of a long-term occupation

by Cem Ertür
"Alongside the Malians and the Africans, we have liberated this town. Today Timbuktu. Tomorrow Kidal. And others are still to come. You have accomplished an exceptional mission." [France's President Francois Hollande, speech delivered to French troops in Timbuktu, 2 February 2013]


Le Monde, 5 February 2013



France is to stay in Mali for a long while

African Armies will find it difficult to take over

[caption]   Malian army convoy arrives at Timbuktu on February 2nd.


 




Le Figaro, 4 February 2013



left:    Hollande relishes French victory in Bamako
        
          caption:  After receiving a triumphant welcome in Mali, [France’s President] Francois Hollande delivered a speech which justifies French presence [in Mali] as fighting
                        "against terrorism" and repaying "today our debt to you".



right:   An interview of the U.S. Vice-President with Le Figaro

          "The United States supports France in Mali without hesitation."

          [US Vice-President] Joe Biden begins his tour of Europe and is due to be hosted this morning by [France’s President] Francois Hollande. He explains US logistic
          support for the military action led by France.


 




Le Journal du Dimanche, 3 February 2013



We are staying

[France’s President] Francois Hollande in Mali.

•    "We haven't accomplished our mission yet"
•    "We are very close to the hostages"  
•     The account of the most important trip in President's political carrier.


caption:  President Francois Hollande salutes French troops in Timbuktu yesterday.

[Note: The person standing next to Mr Hollande is Mali's interim President Dioncounda Traore]
 






Dimanche Ouest France, 3 February 2013



Hollande welcomed as a liberator in Mali

caption:  [France’s] President "Papa Francois Hollande" was warmly greeted by the crowds in Timbuktu and Bamako yesterday.




Note: The excerpts from French newspapers have been translated by Cem Ertür.  



____________________________________________________________________________________________________




From the archives:





The Independent, 16 September 2011



Conquering heroes hail new dawn for Libya - but have they jumped the gun?

caption:  In [Libya's capital] Tripoli yesterday, from left:  [French philosopher] Bernard-Henri Levy, [France’s President] Nicholas Sarkozy, [Chairman of Libya’s National Transitional Council] Mahmoud Jibril and [UK Prime Minister] David Cameron.


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________






“Liberating Mali”: The President of France hails the beginning of a long-term occupation



Propaganda alert

compiled by Cem Ertür

7 February 2013


___________________________________





"Yes, it’s true: I took a grave decision on 10 January to commit French soldiers alongside Malian soldiers. It was [in response to] the appeal made to me by [Mali's] President Traoré. It was the duty of France, who was acting on behalf of the international community with the support of the European countries, in the framework of the United Nations. Yes, we had to respond: it was important to fight, because it was terrorism. Terrorism here in Mali, terrorism in West Africa, terrorism everywhere. By acting in this way, France was living up to her history, to the Republic, to human rights and therefore to democracy."


[France's President Francois Hollande, speech delivered in Mali's capital Bamako, 2 February 2013]   [1]






"Alongside the Malians and the Africans, we have liberated this town. Today Timbuktu. Tomorrow Kidal. And others are still to come. You have accomplished an exceptional mission."


[France's President Francois Hollande, speech delivered to French troops in Timbuktu, 2 February 2013]   [2]





[1]  President Hollande voices resolve during Mali visit

website of the French Embassy in London, 4 February 2013


[2]  Timbuktu hails France's President Francois Hollande, its saviour in a suit

by David Blair, Sunday Telegraph, 3 February 2013


___________________________________


Related articles:


U.S. escalate imperialist war in Mali and Niger

Hollande visits Timbuktu and then escalates bombing operations

by Abayomi Azikiwe, Global Research, 4 February 2013



Hollande´s Mali visit: “Liberating” Mali by occupying the truth?

by Christof Lehmann, nsnbc, 3 February 2013



Illegal invasions, “rogue states”, forgotten victims and a shaming plea

The usual suspects have embarked on another mass butchery – sorry “training exercise” - in mega-resource-rich Mali, and are meddling, with lethality, in Algeria.

by Felicity Arbuthnot, Global Research, 31 January 2013



“France under jihadist threat”: French media promotes the war on Mali

propaganda alert by Cem Ertür, Indybay, 18 January 2013


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