The French War on Al Qa'ida in Africa

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.

Preface; 1. France, Mali, and African jihad; 2. Al Qa'ida's North African franchise; 3. French security strategy in the age of kidnappings; 4. Merah and Malistan; 5. Leading Africa from behind; 6. Crisis and opportunity; 7. Serval; 8. The elusive 'political' dimension; 9. The road ahead.

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.