why does france care about mali? >> here is why france cares. mali say former colony of france.ht? >> stephen: okay. wait, they had colonies? >> they had a ton of colonies. >> stephen: really? there were countries that surrendered to france? [ laughter ] >> and for many decades. >> stephen: no longer colonies. >> no longer a colonies. the french gave up the colonies around 1960 but kept them on a longer or shorter leash depending on which country and how much stuff they had. mali is in the middle of a part of africa where there's natural resources, tons of oil offshore. a lot of that oil gets dealt to the french on good terms. algeria is a place where there's all kinds of stuff the french want and get. >> stephen: is this al qaeda in there? >> it's al qaeda. >> stephen: there a guy like bin laden? is there a name i have to peoplerrize again? >> not yet and i hope there won't be any. >> stephen: my abu and bin this and bin that bin is kind of full right now. [ laughter ] >> think of these groups is a combination of mexican drug organization and islamic terrorist group. how many n

france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict british prime minister david cameron has already acknowledged that battling radical insurgency in the region could take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects from its libyan intervention. r t paris. now in the face of a possible long and bloody conflict france's other ally germany has refused to fly ammunition to mali to help french troops the decision is seen as a test of their friendship amid the pomp and partying in berlin to celebrate fifty years of their post-war alliance but the very duet which was supposed to be at the heart of the european union is also proving to have deep divisions on some other core issues as artie's peter all over reports. well it's certainly a meeting that's filled with pomp and circumstance but they as they celebrate the formal icing of the friendship between former foes but what we are seeing though is that the hoping that the celebration can paper over some of the divisions between europe's power couple of course france and ge

so france says its aim is to liberate mali from insurgents and is bracing itself for a long conflict after initially forecasting a short operation and murray a few notional reports france could also be aiming to secure vast amounts of natural resources in the west african nation. the french have died headlong into the military operation in mali but the discussion is due on go in as to exactly why the western nation has deep roots on african soil again costing money and people's lives. official rhetoric remains in line with the mantra of the war on terrorism but some statements suggest another layer of france's defense minister has declared total become quest of mali is the main goal with the president echoing french troops twenty five hundred so far who remain in the region for as long as necessary there are ten thousand to militarize huge sections of africa so that they want to monopolize access to the city to the resources this is the that we're seeing this effect the complete specifically in relations view of the states i know we're seeing it with problems in other parts of the eur

following frances raid on mali they seized a gas facility and more than a hundred hostages. and to stop algiers from helping france. french president warns mali will be a long and difficult mission as with any inurgency especially in a nation size of texas. careful deliberation is required. and the blood will be in vein if al chi cofran cando it aloni must not be allo >>> in the innovation race, as europe falling behind the u.s. and asia? two venture capitalists say no. i'm eric pierce, welcome to "biocentury this week". >>> your trusted source for biotechnology source and

now that france is in mali, do you think the group will be weakened? and not only there, but that entire region. will they be much more involved? >> i think we should state thank you to the french, merci, for coming in, because in my view, they have saved mali the would have been under harsh, sharia law. they follow sufi law, which is very mild, which is not be jihadist religion as opposed to that going on in northern mali. the french, they have done quite well. i think they have retaken timbuktu and some other northern cities. the next step is to go into the sierra, and that can only be done with help of countries like algeria, which really have the experience in desert warfare. united states can help. we can bring our experience from our fighting in afghanistan and iraq and provide -- the african soldiers are going to fight this battle with trading. we can provide training and logistics, and we definitely have interest in doing this, because this aqim, the body is now in mali. it has links, arms, into nigeria and libya, including the one you possibly

. >> of french troops on the ground in mali. france has pulled out every stop to get them there. pulling on every one of its bases in africa back and spare a man. islamist forces have controlled the deserts' of mali. they were pushing south. the air strikes began. the french claim to have pushed the rebels back. the forces push on another front. france now needs land forces to capitalize on the campaign. some of those forces will be african. they are slow in coming and they need military equipment. >> the main fighting will take place north of here. in the vast somalian desert. so far, the capital has remained unaffected. they were concerned that if the islamists cross a line in the sand, this would have been there next top. the war has come here in the form of wounded government soldiers. this is not just an air campaign. the suffering is on the ground. >> for more on the situation, i enjoyed by someone from the institute for policy studies. so i would suspect that a year ago people had not even heard of mali, let alone the islamist threat. >> a year ago, nobody anticipated this

at least anticipating that there might be some attempt at bringing the fight that france is taking to other countries, mali and somalia, back to its own country within france itself and it's making preparations to try and ensure that that doesn't hamilton >> and, rory, is french public opinion on the side of these type of operations, whether it be somali or mali? >> well, french public opinion is quite difficult to gauge at the moment because things are moving so fast that the public hasn't really had the chance to express -- express what it thinks about it. the parliament hasn't even hp a chance to discuss what's going on in mali. they will have a chance to do so monday. president hollande has said he thought the mainstream parties here, his sense of what they're doing, he said there is a broad consensus for what france is doing with its military in mali but i think the opinions of the french population in general will develop and will actually see what we think about it as this conflict progresses and if french soldiers start dying in any serious numbers, obviously that will turn public opinion against i

a french fighter plan bombed north mali. france said radical groups including al qaeda are trying to extend their power. >>> now here's bill karins. good morning. gold in the west and california. >> on the red carpet and every where else they were chilly. it's cold. 32 in phoenix this morning. you know it's cold every where when they are down to freezing. the jet stream took this big huge dip and loud all the cold canadian air to sink down through the rockies and especially through these calm, clear nights very cold in a few spots. let me show you what we're dealing with. the temperature in the intermountain west is very cold. boise is at 11. cold air spilled into medford. 36 in l.a. at this hour. 27 right now in vegas. some areas have a breeze. others are wind free. the wind chill making itself known. wyoming minus 22. san francisco, you're at 41. the wind isn't much of an issue but down right cold and will see a struggle tonight with the sunshine getting up to the low 50s in phoenix. l.a. possibly low 60s. watch out for freezing

france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict british prime minister david cameron has already acknowledged that battling radical insurgency in the region could take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects from its libyan intervention. r t paris. the u.s. secretary of state has acknowledged they are revelation which the u.s. bank of both vocally and militarily and that a rise in extremism on wednesday hillary clinton testifies to congress about last year's deadly attack on the american consulate in the libyan city have been gone missing so she took responsibility for security failures that led to that talk in september that said as you have not seen a request for more security beforehand and a u.s. senator john kerry is now widely expected to win an easy confirmation from senator a place hillary clinton has leaving how position but some analysts don't believe a new face will change u.s. foreign policy at home but the clinton legacy is pretty much i think the legacy of american wars and a counterterrorism p

countries did indeed urgent financial help from the united nations to help fight rebels in northern mali. frances urging regional leaders to take over the operations. opposition activists are accusing syrian soldiers of using a new type of silence missiles. but as has have shown how the zero craters and shrapnel caused by the unidentified weapons. -- witnessess have shown us the craters. the inauguration ceremony of president obama will be public on monday after the private swearing in on sunday. a cease-fire declared by it the rebels in colombia ends on sunday. the altered a truce as a gesture of goodwill, but now's the billions are bracing for a surge in violence. in one of the worst conflict zones, we have a report. >> they enjoy the last hours of relative peace in the village in the valley, a stronghold for the rebels. over the last two months, they have been fraught with combat and skirmishes. now the unilateral cease-fire is over. how long will it be until they are running for cover? >> they are some of the ones most impacted by the arbitrary actions. we live in constant tension. what the

france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict prime minister david cameron has already acknowledged that battling radical insurgency in the region could take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects. from its libyan intervention plenty boy can t. harris. and the former u.k. ambassador graeme hand told my colleague and now we that he believes britain will continue its involvement in the north african intervention the spy fear is of being bogged down in the conflict i think the united kingdom will continue to support the french intervention what is britain's interests that. well i think britain's interest is in having stability on the on the if you like the southern flank of nato just across the mediterranean from from western europe. i don't accept these conspiracy theories about minerals i think it's really about knowing that we have we have stable neighbors stable neighbors but at the same time britain openly backs rebels who are known to have sort of attachments to al-qaeda and other islamist groups in s

the militants said they attacked in retaliation for a french assault in neighboring mali. francen islamicunsurgency. >> the attack will have huge consequences on the global war of terror, which has so far focused on iraq and afghanistan is now shifting in africa. >> reporter: one jihadist leader warned that the french action had opened the gates of held. there is no proof of the link, but many believe it is not a coincidence. >> reporter: it's a direct consequence of the french intervention in the ongoing crisis in mali. algeria has openly supported the french intervention and it seems that it's a revenge attack against such a support. >> reporter: but in this complex tonight in algeria, the situation is far from over. a u.s. surveillance drone is now flying overhead, and u.s. officials are hoping that somehow

france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict british prime minister david cameron has already acknowledged the fastenings radical insurgency in the region could take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects. from its libyan intervention. i t. harris. front and stepped up security measures at home fearing reprisal attacks from islam is to have valid to avenge the nanny intervention dozens of foreign hostages were killed when terrorists seized a gas plant in algeria last week middle east expert topicality thinks that further strikes will likely be focused in africa i don't think europe is under threat from any terrorist group but while my already said that the phrase war against terrorism is true the united states will abandon it sort of ironic that the french romo taking it up the french intervention which has many people in the south a lot because they're completely desperate but if this intervention goes on it'll get worse and worse because these guys are going to fight back and then you will have probabl

france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict british prime minister david cameron has already acknowledged that battling radical insurgency in the region could take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects from its libyan intervention. r t paris. second time's a charm during his inauguration speech in washington president barack obama forcefully laid out the priorities for his second term in office and with a special stress on backing democracy around the world he's pledges how already led to concerns of further u.s. involvement in foreign states are just going to you can explain and his inaugural speech president obama sort of for spawn it to those who have been wondering whether the u.s. will continue on the track of interventions here is what he said we were new those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. we support democracy from asia to africa from the americas to the middle east because our inter

the leader has promised reprises attacks against leaders in mali, africa, and europe. >> france's and intervention in mali is raising questions -- france's sudden intervention in diabaly is raising questions. -- in mali is raising questions. >> how can we help our french neighbor and friend with logistical, political, humanitarian, or medical assistance? >> the french are trying to shore up mali's embattled armed forces, which have been in disarray since last year's coup. the rebels imposed sharia law and are suspected of links to the bolkiah -- to al qaeda. german opposition parties are calling for better coordination within the european union. >> when we say that what france has started is a step in the right direction, that does not mean we will just jump in. it must mean that we way what makes sense and what contribution germany could actually make. >> the french soldiers expect to be joined by soldiers from neighboring west african countries. britain and the u.s. are offering logistical support. >> and canada has promised france air transport. there will be a meeting this week to

telling me what to do we're scared of anything that threatens us france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict fresh prime minister david cameron has already acknowledged that battling radical insurgency in the region could take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects from its libyan intervention polyploid ati paris. german chancellor angela merkel's coalition has suffered a blow ahead of the parliamentary election later this year they've been defeated in a key regional vote losing one seat in the lower saxony and the disappointing result potentially puts merkel in a vulnerable position ahead of september's general election in which she seeks to win a third term in office peter all over reports on the fragile support for the german leader both at home and abroad. it's the thirteenth setback in local elections that angle merkel's christian democrat party and their coalition partners the free democrats have suffered it's also more importantly the fifth. the fifth state government which they've lost to the social democrats since two thousand

france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict prime minister david cameron has already acknowledged that battling radical insurgency in the region could take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects. from its libyan intervention polyploid can see how rice. well early and my colleague in isa now we spoke with the former u.k. ambassador to algeria graeme and he says the killing of several british hostages isn't enough to dissuade london from helping the french intervention the united kingdom will continue to support the french intervention i imagine that the british government will also want to support our friends in algeria in any way that they might ask mr. david cameron has said that the fight against islamic terrorists in north africa could take decades can britain really afford to get involved like they did in afghanistan which i should mention of course started out with george bush saying that we would be in and out. well politicians tend always to say we'll be in and then we'll be in sync mr cameron k

the leader has promised reprises attacks against leaders in mali, africa, and europe. >> france's and intervention in mali is raising questions -- france's sudden intervention in diabaly is raising questions. -- in mali is raising questions. >> how can we help our french neighbor and friend with logistical, political, humanitarian, or medical assistance? >> the french are trying to shore up mali's embattled armed forces, which have been in disarray since last year's coup. the rebels imposed sharia law and are suspected of links to the bolkiah -- to al qaeda. german opposition parties are calling for better coordination within the european union. >> when we say that what france has started is a step in the right direction, that does not mean we will just jump in. it must mean that we way what makes sense and what contribution germany could actually make. >> the french soldiers expect to be joined by soldiers from neighboring west african countries. britain and the u.s. are offering logistical support. >> and canada has promised france air transport. there will be a meeting this week to

france's global allies are showing signs of being sucked into the mali conflict british prime ministerdavid cameron has already acknowledged the fastenings radical insurgency in the region to take decades rather than months and all this so that france can remedy the knock on effects. from its libyan intervention. i t. harris. now the outgoing u.s. secretary of state has admitted to the arab spring revolts which washington did support led to a rise of extremism and shattered security in the region hillary clinton testified before lawmakers about last year's attack on the american consulate in libya which saw four u.s. diplomats killed and she took responsibility for the failures that led to be a sold all stressing that washington should continue to exert its influence across the arab world in the meantime u.s. senator john kerry is expected to take over from clinton but some analysts doubt that a new face will do anything to overhaul the u.s. foreign policy. but the clinton legacy is pretty much i think the legacy of american wars and a counterterrorism policy that has usurped the usual

you look at it closely it's quite big and it's almost as big as the size of france and some of some of the weapons used by mali's insurgents came from the french led overthrow of the khadafi regime in libya france itself air dropped arms to the libyan rebels while gadhafi is arsenal was also right after his fall and now there are concerns about libyan smugglers taking more arms through jury and into mali all this could make it difficult for france to fully secure the area in a short amount of time as it initially planned at a national relations professor mark almond says the current situation in mali could lead to even further unrest across the region. we're getting a kind of and i would add to this problem is a kind of backwash from that intervention because you have not really through what's going to happen if you overthrow gadhafi but you don't actually put anything stable in its place quite culture spreads and similarly in mali the argument is that france is intervening to stop chaos but the risk must be from what we've seen with interventions before that the french intervention will actually tend to send re

in libya one thousand percent or so i think that predicts or i should say the reoccupation of mali by france and. in the west african nations future and only four percent or so expect western troops to withdraw amid growing pressure on french president hollande will go online today r.t. dot com and have your say. britain's prime minister cameron has warned the u.k. to prepare for bad news confirming several british citizens have in fact been captured by militants in algeria now the crisis forced david cameron to postpone his long awaited address on britain's status within the e.u. which he was due to deliver this friday details now for you from archie's saraf earth. oh i'm going hostage situation in algeria of course that was the reason for the postponement but of course we've seen some of the extracts coming out of that speech that he was to to give in the netherlands today and certainly there was some strong words in it he said that there was a gap between the e. and the citizens and that if something wasn't done to address these challenges that europe could fail so a very strong message t

clients in today. [ male announcer ] save on ground shipping at fedex office. >>> war and terror in mali. >> franceas 8 hoo troops on the ground and getting support from 1700 soldiers in the region. the offensive against al qaeda linked militants trying to take mali over has gotten now full support from the white house. >> we share the french goal of denying terrorists a safe haven in the region, and we support the french operation. we are supporting the french by sharing information and we are considering a request for logistical support. >> but is the offensive working and will the united states have to get more involved? lindsey, thanks for taking the time. the basic question is when the world tries to determine can france handle this and resolve this, what progress are the french making in pushing the militants back? >> reporter: oh, i think the french are making huge progress at the moment. there have been bombing raids overnight and in the early morning for several days now. i have been speaking to people here who have relatives up in the area where the fighting has been going on and they say

we're seeing in recent weeks is that the insurgency is starting to spread south into southern mali so france and britain i'm thinking no no no this is not the idea at all so now they're bombing mali to try and bomb the rebels back into algeria to have them back north into algerian we could see this it's very interesting as you say regarding algeria because when it comes to the hostages being taken this happened in algeria extremely close to the border with libya and here we are dealing with an issue in mali and the hostage takers saying this the these hostages are being taken in response to what france is doing in mali and it happened just across the border from libya what what what how does that how does that really how do you read into that well jiri has been has been a dead against any kind of military intervention in mali since that was first kind of mooted several months ago u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton was there desperate to try and get out urea to intervene in mali as a way of sucking out the resources of mali destabilizing of algeria story do stabilizing and you remember a

. >>> plus, france tripling the number of troops the country is sending to mali. what does this mean for america's role in that fight? >>> and an "outfront" investigation into a booming business, birth tourism. foreign women giving birth in the united states so their kids will be citizens, but this time, we're not talking about people south of the border. let's go "outfront." >>> good evening. i'm erin burnett. "outfront" tonight, the battle over super storm sandy. so the house of representatives is going to vote tonight, really just imminently, on a controversial relief package for the victims of the devastating october 29th storm. a $17 billion aid package was approved earlier today and at this moment, another $34 billion is at stake. i know this might sound like an easy vote because disaster relief always gets approved but right now, when it comes to spending this country's money, every single dollar is getting subjected to scrutiny and just as we saw with the fiscal cliff battle, not everyone in washington thinks this disaster relief should pass. >> $16 billio