There was global condemnation today as France's President Hollande admitted that French Warplanes were simply targeting rich people in Mali and not in fact attacking Islamist Rebels as had been thought.
"Why not ?" said Monsieur Hollande today with a gallic shrug, " they deserve it, with their big houses and mattresses stuffed with the money. For me, death is too nice, they should be garnished with garlic and onions in a traditional French style and slow roasted over hot coals."
He also announced that the Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici was in "advanced discussions" with Mali President Dioncounda Traoré over the introduction of a new 98% income tax rate for anyone who looked like they might actually have got somewhere in life and not spent 20 years on the take in a council flat.
The military campaign in Mali has proved controversial with the French Military as the land locked country does not provide any oppurtunity to block sea Ports and ruin innocent people's holiday's. In addition the very nature of an Air Campaign only has met with limited success after the Islamist Militia soon discovered they could freely go about their business between 11am and 2pm each day as the Pilots were on their lunch.
Neighbouring Niger was preparing itself for an influx of completely minted refugees.
"We've drafted in the Belgian Red Cross, who seem to know a thing or two about dealing with this kind of thing" reported Finance Minister Abou-Bakar Traore who had travelled especially to the border to 'share the pain' of the approaching convoys of blacked out Range Rovers. "We will make sure they have food, warmth and a roof over their head" he said "then shortly after, a passport, lots of caviar, a bags of cok and some hookers. We recognize the importance of our international obligations under the Geneva convention and also understand the value of a Range Rover with the entire boot filled with gold bars and forged 500 EUrO notes".