One of the great movies of all time was made in 1943. It was clled Sahara, and starred Humphrey Bogart as Sergeant Joe Gunn trying to get his M-3 General Grant tank across the desert and back to his own lines. We seem to be having a reprise of that movie, with the French Foreign Legion being deployed to Mali to fight the invading al Qaeda forces.

The M-3 trundled up the rise

Sand crushed beneath each straining track

Until, at last, the crest was reached

And there, before them, dressed in black

Stretched lines of men all dressed in robes

Upon their backs AKs they bore

And seeing them, said Sergeant Gunn

You know, I think it’s the wrong war