Overview

In January 2013, France intervened in its former African colony, Mali, to stop an Al Qa'ida advance on the capital. French special forces, warplanes, and army units struck with rapid and unexpected force. Their intervention quickly repelled the jihadist advance and soon the terrorists had been chased from their safe haven in Mali's desolate North - an impressive accomplishment. Although there have been many books on the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are almost none on the recent military interventions of America's allies. Because it was quick, effective, and relatively low cost, the story contains valuable lessons for future strategy. Based on exclusive interviews with high-level civilian and military officials in Paris, Washington and Bamako, this book offers a fast-paced, concise, strategic overview of this war. As terrorist groups proliferate across North Africa, what France accomplished in Mali should be a key reference point for national security experts.

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9781107121034

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Reviews

An excellent one-stop analysis of a complex situation and successful intervention, focusing on the military but not limited to it. Chivvis's superbly informed book illustrates the rich potential of French-American exchanges on this subject. Justin Vaisse, Director for Policy Planning, French Foreign Ministry

'Well and comprehensively researched, using multiple interviews with key actors (including a former President of Mali and the French commanding general), The French War on Al Qa'ida in Africa provides a compelling analytical narrative of the important French mission in Mali since 2013. It will stand as a - if not the - major study in English of these important events.' Jolyon Howorth, Yale University 'Following Toppling Qaddafi, his study of the Libyan air war, Chris Chivvis has produced another first-rate campaign history, this one of the lightning 2013 French campaign in Mali. Intervening as that country was about to fall to Al Qaeda-linked militants, French troops conducted a daring and unexpectedly successful operation the nature and significance of which Chivvis captures well in this excellent and highly readable account.' Ambassador James Dobbins, Distinguished Chair in Diplomacy and Security, RAND Corporation 'The best American analysis of Serval, this book fills the gap on how the United States judged the operation.' General Bernard Barrera, commander of French Forces in Mali during Serval 'An excellent one-stop analysis of a complex situation and successful intervention, focusing on the military but not limited to it. Chivvis's superbly informed book illustrates the rich potential of French-American exchanges on this subject.' Justin Vaisse, Director for Policy Planning, French Foreign Ministry

Author Information

Christopher S. Chivvis is Associate Director of the RAND International Security and Defense Policy Center and teaches at the Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Chivvis has worked in the Pentagon, published in Foreign Policy, The Huffington Post and The New York Times, and appears frequently in media such as CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera. His previous books include Toppling Qaddafi, on NATO's military intervention in Libya, and The Monetary Conservative, a biography of Jacques Rueff.

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