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Lucia Helgren

Dr. Fabian

Course: HONR-230-01

The Meia is !he "irs! source !ha! !he #orl goes !o "or an$ crisis !ha! occurs. The %roble& is

!r$ing !o "in !he co'erage !ha! is !he &os! in"or&a!i'e an accura!e o" !he ac!ual si!ua!ion( an no! one

!ha! is s)e#e !o sho# !he %ublic #ha! !he$ #an!. Mali*s crisis in +anuar$ o" 2013 is a grea! e,a&%le o"

a s!or$ #i!h &an$ i""eren! le'els o" &eia co'erage a'ailable !o !he %ublic. There are a #ie 'arie!$ o"

#ebsi!es #i!h a'ailable in"or&a!ion on Mali( bu! !he &os! accura!e an hel%"ul are !he  New York Times,

as #ell as !#o online blogs- Africa is a Country an Bridges from Bamako. Man$ i""eren! 'ie#s o" !he

crisis in Mali are sho#n b$ !he &eia( bu! no source has all as%ec!s o" !he si!ua!ion( so !o "ull$

uners!an #ha! #as an is ha%%ening( one &us! !a)e in"or&a!ion "ro& each source an !hen %iece

!he& !oge!her !o crea!e a "ull %ic!ure.

The con"lic! in Mali ca&e as &os! coun!r$ con"lic!s o( #i!h a change in go'ern&en!. s

e,%laine in No Easy Answers in Mali an Widening War in Mali, !he ar&$ o""icers o" Mali o'er!hre#

!heir e&ocra!icall$ elec!e o""icials( #hich !hen crea!e a grea! 'ulnerabili!$ "or e,!re&is!s !o co&e in

an !a)e o'er. "!er !he &ili!ar$ cou%( !ha! is e,ac!l$ #ha! ha%%ene. sla&ic &ili!ia an Tuareg rebels

s#oo%e in an gaine con!rol o" nor!hern Mali. The$ !hen en"orce cruel an harsh %unish&en!s on

!he ci!i/ens o" Mali. ci'ilian-le go'ern&en! !hen ha !o be crea!e( bu! !he real %o#er #as in !he

hans o" !he ar&e "orces( crea!ing ins!abili!$ in Mali*s ins!i!u!ions. The N s!e%e in !o !r$ an hel%(

 bu! !he$ ha !o rel$ on Mali*s &a)e-shi"! go'ern&en! an ar&$( !ha! #as no! !raine in "igh!ing-onl$

 %eace)ee%ing( !o !r$ an regain con!rol o" !he Nor!h. "!er all !he &a!h #as one !hough( !he es!i&a!e

cos! !o su%%or! !he& #as "oun !o be !#o hunre &illion ollars a $ear an i! #as un)no#n #ho

#oul su%%or! !he& an %a$ "or !his. 1( 2

1 i!orial( No as$ ns#ers in Mali( Ne# 4or) Ti&es 5Dec 30( 20126

2 i!orial( 7iening 7ar in Mali( Ne# 4or) Ti&es 5+an 20136

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The$ #ere e'en!uall$ su%%or!e b$ surrouning "rican coun!ries( !he 8( an o" course !he

N. France %la$e a &a9or su%%or! role an #hen !he$ reali/e !ha! un!il !he Mali "orces regaine !he

 Nor!h "ro& !he rebel &ili!ias li)e l*aea an sla&ic Maghreb( !he ci!i/ens o" Mali #oul be !or!ure

an !errori/e( so !he$ ecie !o "l$ in an hel%. France i no! #an! !o ge! in!o !he !hic) o" #ar righ!

a#a$( so !he$ onl$ use airs!ri)es a! "irs! !o !r$ an s!o% !he sla&ic "orces "ro& !a)ing o'er &ore o"

Mali*s 'illages. These hel%e( bu! i! #as soon reali/e !ha! !he$ #ere no #here near a subs!i!u!e "or

#ha! Mali*s ar&$ neee !o acco&%lish. 7hen !he rebels "inall$ !oo) o'er Diabal$( France reali/e !ha!

 bo&bing #as no! enough an !he$ #oul ha'e !o s!e% in on !he groun. France #as !hen in !he hear! o"

!he #ar( !r$ing !o s!abili/e !he sou!h( #hile using airs!ri)es in !he Nor!h agains! !he sla&ic "orces. The

&o&en! !ha! Mali beca&e a %lace "or !erroris& an barbaric %unish&en!s( #i!h !he !hrea! o" !ha!

s%reaing( #as !he &o&en! !ha! !he 7es! ecie !o s!e% in #i!h hel%. Ho#e'er( e'en #i!h !he su%%or!

o" !he 7es! an N( i! is s!ill unable !o sa$ #hen a solu!ion "or a s!o% !o !his #ill co&e. 1

 The New York Times ar!icles online %ro'e !o be a 'er$ hel%"ul source o" in"or&a!ion "or !he

e'en!s !ha! !oo) %lace as !he$ occurre( #hile also %ro'iing !he necessar$ bac)groun in"or&a!ion !o

ha'e an iea o" !he con!e,! in #hich !he si!ua!ion ha%%ene. Ho#e'er( !he sources "ro& !he Ti&es i

no! al#a$s gi'e a clear goal "or ening !he si!ua!ion or !al) abou! an$!hing long !er&. The$ also onl$

"ocuse on !he 7es!ern 'ie#s o" !he si!ua!ion an ho# #e nee !o hel% Mali( bu! a! !he sa&e !i&e #e

can no! "ull$ co&&i!. One %ar! !ha! grea!l$ "ocuses on !he in"luence o" !he 8 is in Widening War in

 Mali, !he &erican &ili!ia !raining %rogra&s are !al)e abou! in grea! leng!h a! ho# !he$ ha'e ha a

 ba his!or$. ! is e,%laine ho# &an$ o" !he Mali &ili!ia&en !ha! #ere !raine !urne aroun !o 9oin !he

Tuareg rebellion( #hile so&e 9oine !he cou% !ha! o'er!hre# ;resien! Toure an #ea)ene !he

coun!r$. This #as 'er$ sur%rising !o "in in an &erican ar!icle because i! is sho#ing !he &illions o"

ollars s%en! !o !rain !he Mali &ili!ia( an i! see&s as i" i! #as "or no!hing.2 Then a! !he en o" !he

1 a& Nossi!er an Neil MacFar<uhar( On !he =roun in Mali( French an Local Troo%s Con"ron! sla&ic Froce(

 Ne# 4or) Ti&es 5+an 20136

2 i!orial( 7iening 7ar in Mali( Ne# 4or) Ti&es 5+an 20136

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ar!icle i! s!a!es !ha! &ore &one$ #as as)e "or !o con!ribu!e "or s!reng!hening( bu! #ha! #as sai

irec!l$ be"ore #oul no! &a)e an$one #an! !o gi'e &one$ !o #ha! see&s li)e an un9us! cause. n

 Nossi!er an MacFar<uhar*s ar!icle( !here #as also so&e con"usion in France*s s!or$. The$ !al)e abou!

ho# France ha "inall$ &o'e !o !he groun( bu! !hen in !he ne,! %aragra%h s!a!e !ha! France sai i!s

aerial assaul!s #ill be !he onl$ "igh!ing. This souns li)e !he$ are con!raic!ing !he&sel'es in !he sa&e

ar!icle( #hich &a)es !he in"or&a!ion no! see& as legi!i&a!e an reliable. No! &uch is sai abou! !he

 bac)groun an roo!s o" !he %roble& in !he ini'iual ar!icles( bu! once !he$ are all %iece !oge!her i! is

&uch easier !o uners!an.

The New York Times r!icles !ha! #ere use abo'e ha no s%eci"ic au!hor( #hich crea!es a

"eeling o" grea! is!ance be!#een !he reaer( #ri!er( an !o%ic. Ob'iousl$( #e #ere !augh! a! a $oung

age !ha! !he Ne# 4or) Ti&es has a grea! creibili!$ ra!ing( an #e o no! <ues!ion i!. 7e !rus! !ha! !he$

)no# #ha! !he$ are !al)ing abou!( bu! e'en i" !he$ o( b$ no! ha'ing an au!hor s!a!e !here is no #a$ !o

loo) !he& u% an "eel as i" #ha! $ou are reaing is no! 9us! ano!her ne#s re%or!.

The #ri!ers o" !he blogs #i!h in"or&a!ion on Mali assu&e !ha! $ou ha alrea$ %iece !oge!her

!ha! si!ua!ion an ha an uners!aning o" i!. The$ shone a #hole i""eren! ligh! on Mali !ha! #as &uch

less li)e a ne#s%a%er 9ournal ar!icle( an &ore li)e !ha! o" so&eone #i!h a s!rong %assion "or #ha! he

#as #ri!ing. n =regor$ Mann*s blog ar!icle( Welcome to Mali, !here #as an i&&eia!e "ocus on Mali*s

ci!i/ens( #hich ne'er occurre in an$ o" !he New York Times ar!icles. ! "eels as i" he is #ri!ing abou!

!he si!ua!ion #hile si!!ing in Mali( #hile !he Ti&es ar!icles are being #ri!!en b$ so&eone #ho 9us! "le#

o'er !he coun!r$ in a %lane. He !al)s abou! ho# !he ci!i/ens "el! asha&e !o ha'e o!hers "igh! "or !he&.1 

The o!her ar!icles ne'er e'en &en!ione ho# !he %eo%le o" Mali "el! unless i! #as abou! ho# !he$ #ere

 being !or!ure b$ !he sla&ic rebels b$ ge!!ing !heir hans( ar&s( an legs cho%%e o"". Their "eelings

#ere onl$ seen in a es%era!e an hel%less ligh!( ins!ea o" !hin)ing !ha! !he$ coul be e&barrasse b$

so&e o" !his. Then he !ouche on ho# France*s in!er'en!ion &a$ no! ha'e o""ere a real solu!ion !o an$

1 =regor$ Mann( 7elco&e !o Mali( las! &oi"ie March 2013( ###.a"ricasacoun!r$.co&

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o" Mali*s %roble&s. 4es !he$ i hel%( bu! onl$ b$ crea!ing %roble&s !ha! #ere be!!er !han !he ones

!ha! Mali #oul ha'e ene u% #i!h i" France ha no! s!e%%e in. He also con!inue !o bring u% ho#

!he !#o coun!ries #ere no! "igh!ing !he sa&e #ar !oge!her. 4es( !he general goal #as !o hel% Mali( bu!

France ha a i""eren! iea o" #ha! !ha! #as !han Mali i. Mali #an!e !o ha'e !he %o#er o" !he

cen!ral s!a!e re!urne an )ee% secularis& an !erri!orial in!egri!$. He rei!era!es !ha! France*s #ar is no!

Mali*s #ar. The$ are &erel$ con"lic!s !ha! are en'elo%e insie o" each o!her. 1 ! !he sa&e !i&e !ha!

France #as s!ruggling !o hel%( !he 7es! #as a! #ell bu! #i!hou! ac!uall$ ge!!ing in'ol'e enough !o

 beco&e res%onsible "or an$!hing i" i! #en! #rong. The$ sa$ !ha! !he$ #an! !o hel%( bu! !ha! hel% onl$

co&es i" !he$ are no! a""ec!e b$ an$ harshi%s !he&sel'es( an #ill no! ha'e !o !a)e !ha! bla&e "or

an$!hing. ! !he sa&e !i&e !his is being rea !hough( !he !hough! o" is !his ac!uall$ creible co&es !o

&in. 7hen reaing a blog $ou ha'e !o be %re%are "or o%inions an in"or&a!ion !ha! &a$ no! be "ull$

!rue. Mann*s %os! "ollo#s #ha! #as s!a!e in o!her ar!icles !o be !rue( bu! also as e%!h !o !he li'es o"

!he %eo%le li'ing in Mali. Ho#e'er( !he #ebsi!e "ro& #hich is ar!icle co&es "ro& oes no! sa$ an$!hing

abou! i" he #as a creible #i!ness !o !he e'en!s !ha! !oo) %lace. This lea'es roo& "or oub! in !he &in(

 bu! a! !he sa&e !i&e( e'er$!hing !ha! he sai &a)es $ou "eel as i" i! #as all !rue.

The Bridges from Bamako is so&e!hing co&%le!el$ e'o!e !o Mali. This crea!es a sense !ha!

!he #ri!ers ha'e a legi!i&ac$ an grea! %assion "or !he !o%ic. There are cons!an! re%or!s an u%a!es

#ri!!en b$ Dr. 7hi!ehouse on e'er$!hing !ha! is ha%%ening in Mali( e,ac!l$ as i! ha%%ens( #hich &a)es

$ou "eel &ore %ar! o" !he s!or$ ins!ea o" an ou!sier loo)ing in. The cons!an! bu//ing o" in"or&a!ion

also &a)es !he #ebsi!e "eel li)e a !$%e o" social &eia. He brings u% <ues!ions !ha! %eo%le ha'e( ins!ea

o" 9us! s!a!ing !he "ac!s an "eeling &ore %oli!ical li)e !he Ti&es. This &a)es $ou "eel as i" no!hing is

 being hi "ro& $ou or a'oie. ! co'ers all %ossibili!ies o" #h$ !he 7es! is so in!eres!e in !his crisis.

This is !he onl$ si!e !ha! e'en brings u% !he %ossibili!$ o" &inerals an oil being in'ol'e( #hich #oul

&os! li)el$ see& !he case( bu! !he$ e,%lain #h$ i! is no! !he reason. This being !ha! i! is a s!ra!egicall$

1 =regor$ Mann( 7elco&e !o Mali( las! &oi"ie March 2013( ###.a"ricasacoun!r$.co&

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i&%or!an! "or !he 7es! because o" !he sla&ic grou%s on Mali*s soil.2 The Ti&es ne'er s!a!es an$!hing

abou! reasons or s!ra!egies "or !he 8 an 7es! being so in!eres!e in !his !o%ic( bu! !ha! &a$ be

 because #e #an! !o "eel as i" #e are hel%ing %eo%le because !he$ ac!uall$ nee hel%( no! because i! #ill

hel% us in so&e s!ra!egic #a$ !o sa'e ieing %eo%le. Fro& seeing !ha! !his blog brings u% e'er$!hing

an !he "eeling !ha! !he large 9ournals li)e !he Ne# 4or) Ti&es coul no! be !ouching e'er$ 'ie# %oin!(

i! crea!es a sense o" !rus! in #ha! Dr. 7hi!ehouse is #ri!ing. The "ac! !ha! he is also a cul!ural

an!hro%ologis! a! Lehigh ni'ersi!$ #ho has ac!uall$ s%en! !i&e in >a&a)o &a)es his creibili!$ see&

li)e !here is no!hing &ore he coul o "or us !o !rus! hi&.

7hile all !he sources #ere "air( !he$ #ere no! all e<ual in !heir balance. The New York Times le"!

a grea! eal o" in"or&a!ion on al&os! an$ "ac! $ou #oul #an! !o )no# abou! !he chronological e'en!s

!ha! occurre in Mali. The$ ha u%a!e ar!icles on !he e'en!s as !he$ occurre( ho#e'er e'er$!hing

#as "ro& a is!an! s!ance. ! #as co'ere an #ri!!en in a #a$ !ha! "el! li)e !he go'ern&en! #as ha'ing

a robo! #ri!ing "or !he& !ha! ha all !he "ac!s( bu! i no! e&bellish an$!hing. 7hi!ehouse*s blog i no!

necessaril$ e&bellish an$!hing bu! he %u!s all %ossibili!ies on !he line ou! in !he o%en !o crea!e a line o"

!rus! an connec!ion be!#een his #ri!ing an his reaers. His co'erage is also "ull$ e'o!e !o Mali( so

$ou )no# !ha! he is gi'ing his "ull a!!en!ion an &in !o haning ou! !he &os! correc! an reliable

in"or&a!ion !o his 'ie#ers. Mann*s ar!icle on !he Africas a Country blog brings a ne# sie !o !he

si!ua!ion. He "ea!ures !he %eo%le o" Mali ins!ea o" !he ar&ies o" Mali an !he 7es!. This &a)es

e'er$!hing &ore rela!able !o ci!i/ens( as #ell as crea!es s$&%a!h$ "or !he %eo%le o" Mali( an no! 9us!

!he "eeling !ha! e'er$one !here is %ar! o" a &ili!ia an )illing.

 None o" !he 'ie#s on Mali "ro& !hese ar!icles or sources "ull$ e,%lains !he si!ua!ion !hough. n

orer !o uners!an #ha! is ha%%ening( se'eral sources ha'e !o be rea care"ull$. ! is uners!oo !ha!

one can no! uners!an !he en!ire!$ o" a crisis in "i'e &inu!es( bu! !here shoul be &uch &ore clear

in"or&a!ion a'ailable !o !he %ublic on sub9ec!s li)e !he crisis in Mali( es%eciall$ i" !he$ are "ro& a

2 >ruce 7hi!ehouse( >ehin Mali*s Con"lic!? &$!hs( reali!ies an un)no#ns( las! &oi"ie +an 1@( 2013.

###.briges"ro&ba&a)o.co& 

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coun!r$ !ha! is in'ol'e in !he &a!!er. Man$ %eo%le also o no! #an! !o ha'e !o %iece !oge!her a %u//le

o" in"or&a!ion on Mali( or an$ crisis "or !ha! &a!!er( bu! #oul li)e !o be gi'en a reliable o'er'ie# o"

!he si!ua!ion a! !he !i&e( an also !he bac)groun o" #h$ i! is ha%%ening. ll o" !hese ar!icles succeee

in %ro'iing accura!e in"or&a!ion on !he crisis( bu! "aile !o in"or& !heir reaers on !he en!ire si!ua!ion.

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7or) Ci!e

i!orial( 7iening 7ar in Mali( New York Times 5+an 1A(

20136h!!%:BB###.n$!i&es.co&B2013B01B1Bo%inionBa-#iening-#ar-in-&ali.h!&l 

i!orial( No as$ ns#ers in Mali( New York Times 5Dec 30( 20126

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Mann =regor$( 7elco&e !o Mali( 5re'ise March 22( 20136 h!!%:BBa"ricasacoun!r$.co&B#elco&e-!o-

&aliB 

 Nossi!er a& an MacFar<uhar( On !he =roun in Mali( French an Local Troo%s Con"ron! sla&ic

Forces( New York Times 5+an 1@( 20136h!!%:BB###.n$!i&es.co&B2013B01B1GB#orlBa"ricaB"rance-&ali-

in!er'en!ion.h!&l 

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 Bridges from Bamako h!!%:BBbriges"ro&ba&a)o.co&B2013B01B1@ Bbehin-&ali-con"lic!B