With U.S. troops out of Iraq and leaving Afghanistan, the last thing the American people want to hear about is the potential for another war. But the growing conflict in Mali is not a new war; it is another front in the same struggle against violent extremism America has been waging since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The insurgency in northern Mali is a collection of local tribal militias and international jihadists united by a common belief in political Islam and opposition to Western influence. One of the most important members of this coalition is al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. In addition to violently exporting its radical ideology, AQIM is involved in drug smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering and the illicit arms trade.
Obama administration policy precludes direct military assistance to the current government of Mali because it came to power through a coup. However, the United States is not banned from providing assistance to coalition countries attempting to restore stability in the country, or taking independent action against al-Qaeda.
The United States already supplies France with intelligence support, including satellite imagery and signals intercepts. The White House is also considering providing refueling for French aircraft. But there are a variety of additional means the U.S. could employ short of a major ground action.
The U.S could conduct airstrikes in support of French troops and the African forces expected to deploy in the coming weeks. Special operations forces and CIA paramilitaries could conduct raids against insurgent headquarters and heavy weapons caches.
These low-cost, low-commitment measures would have a devastating effect on the jihadist insurgency. Guerrilla groups are at their most vulnerable when they attempt to seize and hold terrain. The opening months of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001 demonstrated the effectiveness of augmenting non-U.S. coalition ground forces with such critical capabilities.
A similar effort in Mali would break insurgent control of the northern part of the country and allow the government to reassert its authority. It would also be an act of good faith in support of our French allies, who sent thousands of troops to serve in Afghanistan over the course of 11 years.
James S. Robbins is senior fellow in national security affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council.
