Dakar Rally cancelled over safety concerns

this is huge mistake by the organizers.. we cannot give in to terrorists.

so they have won without firing a shot.. the French who were killed were killed by thieves, not as a political statement.

on a better note, the annual Budapest to Bamako rally will continue.. this event is the 'working mans' dakar.. i am planning to do it next year

more info at www.budapestbamako.org

( i hope i am allowed to post links )

This is a big mistake... So they won... Again. And now what? What will be next?

arm the navigators. Avoiding terrorists and bandits adds an extra.........challenge to the entire event.

And extra points to the Russian drivers, if they can leave the Martyrs shoes in place in the sand.

Likely the French government made that recommendation because Mauritania objected to a French military presence. France usually does not hesitate to interveen in Africa but is likely reluctant to defy the Mauritanians over something as trivial as a race.