They were polite. They were skeptical. The president of Mali, one Moussa Diokité, was a personal friend of Prime Minister Louison. The two countries shared fraternal bonds and had contemplated cultural-exchange missions. Unfortunately, plans for peaceful exchange had fallen through, because of the constant state of crisis in all the Sahara countries. Mali had nothing at all to gain from an attack on Grenada; Mali was desperately poor and racked by civil disorder.