
ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Maclean’s video: Questions about Mali
In this narrated photo gallery, Michael Petrou explains why taking on al-Qaeda in north Africa is unavoidable
Suddenly, a crisis that only weeks ago appeared confined to a part of the world that epitomizes Western notions of exotic inaccessibility—Mali is home to the fabled city of Timbuktu—is pushing itself onto the agenda of strategists in Washington, Paris and Ottawa. Drained from more than a decade in Afghanistan and Iraq, no Western government, including Canada’s, wanted another potentially bruising war in a poverty-ravaged Muslim country. But this one may not be avoidable.
Get the Best of Maclean’s straight to your inbox.
Sign up for news, commentary, analysis and promotions. Join 80,000+ Canadian readers.
By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.