Canadas military mission in Mali ends in silence
By Matthew Coutts <http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/author/matthew-coutts-20121029/> Description: http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/N37Xy4Ao8_CZM62ZJ.5bnw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7c T04NTt3PTM0MA--/http:/media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-04-15T180806Z_ 1_CBRE93E1EDN00_RTROPTP_2_CNEWS-US-MALI-CRISIS-UN.JPGA French soldier holds his weapon in the village of Sarakala, Mali January 18, 2013. REUTERS/Joe PenneyHey, remember all the fighting and complaining and debating about the Canadian military getting involved in a mission in Mali the mission so fraught with peril our army was bound to be dragged into a decades-long battle? Yeah, we can stop that all now. The Canadian Forces mission in the West African nation ended two weeks ago and Canada pulled out of the area without issuing an official announcement or explanation, according to the Ottawa Citizen. Military sources told the Citizen the Royal Canadian Air Force C-17 transport plane and personnel sent to help the France-led mission against terrorist organizations in Mali returned to Canada on April 3. Military personnel were told to remain quiet about the end of the mission but were not given any explanation why it abruptly ended. Fighting continues in Mali and while France is starting to pull its troops from the country, at least 1,000 are expected to still be there until the end of the year. It is not clear why Canada abruptly ended its mission, but it likely wasn't at the request of the Malian government. The country's ambassador urged the Canadian government to extend its mission just weeks before the pull-out, according to <http://www.ipolitics.ca/2013/03/13/malian-embassy-hopes-canada-will-extend- mission-in-west-african-country/> iPolitics. The mission, which involved little more than providing transport for France forces, was already extended. Originally intended to end in February, it proceeded through March and ended silently in April. The decision to extend the mission came with some backlash from many corners <http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/canadian-special-forces-soldiers-m ali-mean-going-war-194751956.html> , concerned that the extension was the first step of mission creep that slippery slope where, as in the case of Afghanistan, a small military roll turns into full-blown engagement. That apparently has not happened in Mali, and blessings for that. But we dont really know what did happen. Just that whatever Canada was doing has ended, and ended quietly. Thé Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Kiiza Besigye Uganda is in anarchy" Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi "Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni na Dk. Kiiza Besigye Uganda ni katika machafuko"
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