Islam in West Africa

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/world/africa/13mali.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ei=5070&emc=eta1

An interesting article in the NY Times about the American military presence in West Africa. We see the Marines in Nouakchott all the time, and according to the Times, they are here training West African nations to secure their borders against al-Qaeda. Necessary and unnecessary. Necessary because countries like Mauritania and Mali share thousands of miles of border in the middle of the Sahara desert with countries that house active and dangerous al-Qaeda cells. Yes, 12 military personel were brutally murdered in Mauritania in September, and al-Qaeda claimed responsibility. Yes, there have been several attacks since my service began, and some branch of al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for all of them.
Then, there's the part of me that agrees with this Malian gentleman in the article. I have found Mauritania to follow a very peaceful, relatively accepting branch of Islam. Yes, I occasionally encounter people trying to save my soul by converting me. Yes, prothlesizing is illegal here. However, Americans are popular here, and al-Qaeda has a weak, if any, following with the general public. I understand Mauritania's strategic value and the need to secure it against extremists, but luckily, I believe that this is one job for the American military that is entirely do-able.
Anyway, read the article.