Pentagon Plans to Ferry More French Troops to Mali

Using American cargo jets

After a weeklong delay while the Obama administration debated whether to assist French forces fighting in Mali, the Pentagon is planning to begin ferrying additional French troops and equipment to the West African nation in coming days aboard U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo jets, according to Air Force Maj. Robert Firman.

But the Obama administration has so far balked at a French request to provide tanker aircraft for in-air refueling of French fighters, because the administration does not want to get directly involved in supporting combat operations.