A report in The Telegraph suggests the White House is considering drone strikes in Mali against Al Qaeda.
According to the report, the attacks could be carried out by intelligence agencies rather than the U.S. military per se. This allows the Obama administration to attack Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and simultaneously stand by head of U.S. Africa Command General Carter Ham’s statement that there are “no plans for U.S. direct military intervention.”
When asked, White House spokesman Tanya Bradsher did not confirm or deny the report. She would only say: “The President has been clear about his goal to destroy Al-Qaeda’s network and we work toward that goal every day.”
Perhaps these strikes are to be the October surprise intended to make a flailing foreign policy president look strong?