By Bonnie Faulkner and Prof. Michel Chossudovsky

From Global Research | Original Article

"Guns and Butter", KPFA, with Bonnie Faulkner. Interview with Michel Chossudovsky

The French troop deployment and aerial bombardment of Mali raises important questions about the nature of recent events there, the causes of the escalating violence, the factions involved and the broader geopolitical interests of major powers and corporations, not only in Mali, but in the continent of Africa as a whole.

We begin with an overview of the broad historical process taking place in the post World War II environment, with the United States systematically replacing former European colonial powers with neocolonial Anglo-American influence and control.

The application of “strong economic medicine” under helm of the IMF and the World Bank –starting in the early 1980s– sets the stage for unfolding social tensions.

Al Qaeda affiliated groups are examined in detail, as are the covert operations of western powers, with specific attention to important roles played by individual American diplomats.

We take a look at the economic situation in Mali, its agriculture, natural resources, and the plight of its people in the face of recurring famine.

The recent hostage crisis in Algeria is explored, with a focus on the perpetrators in an historical context.

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