France: The right kind of intervention

Francois Hollande rightly and deservedly got a rousing welcome in Mali. Hollande's intervention was to support the state of Mali and enhance its stability.

This is in stark contrast to the intervention of Sarkozy in Libya which was to attack the state of Libya in the guise of attacking Gadhafi, weakening and destabilising the state. To this date Libya has not recovered from that destabilisation. To this day Libyans are living in a condition of insecurity, near lawlessness and virtual warlord rule because of that unwise intervention.

That unwise intervention also opened doors for terrorists and other hardline militants resulting in the murder of the American ambassador to Libya. Such doors would never have been open if a properly managed transition had been allowed in Libya.

It is also worth noting the Hollande's intervention came after a long period of careful consideration and consultation. As a result France has the full backing and support of the African Union and regional countries. This is in stark contrast to the intervention in Libya where the attitude towards the African Union was disdainful to the point of bordering on insulting.

I hope this also opens the eyes of those with myopic vision to the fact that criticism of the West does not amount to hate of the West.

There are people who hate the West for no good reason. Some of us criticise the West because of very good reasons.

The fact that Hollande could mingle with a crowd in Timbuktu illustrates my point. Would he dare to go and mingle with a crowd in Benghazi? Let alone would he hope to hear even one person shouting 'Vive la France' in the later.

Hollande stood with the people of Africa the right way. Sarkozy led the humiliation of the people of Africa through direct snubs to the African Union. Yet if we look at events in Mali and Libya today, it is clear that the AU were wiser than Sakorzy.

Unfortunately we live in a world where the mistakes and misdeeds of the powerful countries are swept under the carpet of international justice. Only the weak, and particularly African, countries who don't have the power to veto appointments to well paid international civil service jobs, are pursued with quixotic vigour.

Such justice clearly influenced by the politics of the stomach and pockets can never be truly balanced justice.

If Obama was half as wise as Hollande the world would be a much better place. The truth has to be said. I am not going to stand in his corner simply because he is an African brother.