Military Coup in Mauritania

[amadeus]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4741243.stm

In the typical saga of African affairs, military members have seized the capital's major media outlets and declared themselves to be in power. More typical yet, the military leaders have announced that there will be "temporary military rule" as they supposedly transition to democracy.

Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya who was overthrown on his trip to Saudi Arabia seized power in a coup in 1984. Libya has in the past (and most recently in 2004) apparently supported coup attempts in the West African nation.

It sounds like Taya wasn't very nice, but I can't imagine the new guys to be any better. What does everyone think about this?

If there is found to be Libyan involvement, how will this impact their relationship with Western Europe and the United States? Will France intervene?

 

[luiz]

I doubt Lybia is behind this. Kadafi is more than happy with the blind eye the western powers have turned to his autocracy, and would not want to risk it all by funding military coups.

I also doubt that France or anyone elese will intervene.

 

[MarineCorps]

Will France intervene?

Excuse me while I go laugh my ass off. The chance of any coutry much less France interveneing is slim


As for the coup I think I'll see what happens

 

[amadeus]

Mauritania is a former French colony, MC. Believe me, they've got no bones about digging in to West Africa to protect their interests (Ivory Coast.)

 

[MarineCorps]

Mauritania is a former French colony, MC. Believe me, [//QUOTE]

Yeah I figured that out when you mentioned France.

Believe me, they've got no bones about digging in to West Africa to protect their interests (Ivory Coast.)

Doesn't mean their going to intervene in this one. IIRC Ivory Coast was a civil war and France only stayed in between the two to prevent fighting

 

[FriendlyFire]

Mauritania is a former French colony, MC. Believe me, [//QUOTE]

Yeah I figured that out when you mentioned France.



Doesn't mean their going to intervene in this one. IIRC Ivory Coast was a civil war and France only stayed in between the two to prevent fighting

I thought France intervened to protect its French citizens in ivory coast. Once things got out of hand the French simply evacuated the remining citizen. ?

Its not the massive, costly "nation building" scale of Iraq, its more like "battleship Diplomcy" to me

 

[amadeus]

That was also done in Haiti. There were French forces there to protect the 2,000 or so French citizens, if I recall correctly.

 

[The Yankee]

Another one? Or was that a failed coup a couple years back in that country. Or some other. Who knows, I'm getting lost in all these coups. France might intervene if there are French nationals in country (likely) and will strike back if attacked, like when it obliterated the Ivory Coast's airforce in one strike a couple years back.

The United States won't do much, unless there are nationals there. That was our main purpose in Liberia, to protect our embassy and any nationals. I remember our intial committment that came from our vessels in the nearby sea....eight Marines. They've been working with West African nations to try to stabilize the country, but I think it's far from what could have been done. Same for Mauritania, I think, unless it has a huge amount of some resource like the Ivory Coast had that made it a lot more worthwhile to step in.

 

[Damnyankee]

I doubt anything will get done by either America or France. Maybe if the new gov't becomes very violent, some "harsh" words.

 

[The Yankee]

Harsh words...I can see it now "You smell like doggy!"

Looking at the (ousted) leader's name, I do remember Mauritania having a failed coup attempt a couple years ago. I think it was also when this leader was away. The battle lasted through the night in the capital, but not longer after that.

As for Libya...hmm...Qaddafi is unsavory, I'll agree. However, he won't want to do much to attract negative attention from investor-rich nations in the West. Which might make Mauritania ripe for his interference. But it's not like their leader was Citizen of the Year. So it's more power games over an area nobody in the West cares about. What else is new, sadly.

 

[amadeus]

Yankee, oil extraction was planned to start this year.

 

[rbis4rbb]

For those who have no clue whhere this is

 

[amadeus]

South of the Western Sahara, north of Senegal, and to the west of Mali. I could've told you that without a map.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Excuse me while I go laugh my ass off. The chance of any coutry much less France interveneing is slim

France is about as intervention-happy as countries come, and Mauretania is an old French colony. If France doesn't intervene here, nobody will.

 

[Steph]

I thought France intervened to protect its French citizens in ivory coast. Once things got out of hand the French simply evacuated the remining citizen. ?

Its not the massive, costly "nation building" scale of Iraq, its more like "battleship Diplomcy" to me

We have citizens to protect, but we have been in Ivory Coast to prevent a civil war for more than two years now, not simply to evacuate citizens

 

[Damnyankee]

Harsh words...I can see it now "You smell like doggy!"

Looking at the (ousted) leader's name, I do remember Mauritania having a failed coup attempt a couple years ago. I think it was also when this leader was away. The battle lasted through the night in the capital, but not longer after that.

As for Libya...hmm...Qaddafi is unsavory, I'll agree. However, he won't want to do much to attract negative attention from investor-rich nations in the West. Which might make Mauritania ripe for his interference. But it's not like their leader was Citizen of the Year. So it's more power games over an area nobody in the West cares about. What else is new, sadly.

Basically, if you change a few words, you have the story of African history after the colonial powers either pulled out, or were booted.

 

[The Yankee]

We have citizens to protect, but we have been in Ivory Coast to prevent a civil war for more than two years now, not simply to evacuate citizens

There is also a major trade incentive in Ivory Coast. I think cocoa supply, if I'm not mistaken. That country has loads of it.

And I didn't know about the oil extraction. I can see why Qaddafi would go for it other than his own dreams to be an African leader. I wonder how much oil was supposed to come out and if it would be enough to capture America's attention.

Damnyankee, pretty much...pretty much....sigh...

 

[Steph]

Yes, there are some oil in the region, but I'm not sure about Ivory Coast.

However, there are some struggle of Influence between France and the US in Western Africa.

In the past, when things started to degenerate (Liberia, Sierra Leone), it was a big nasty mess. Then the Nigeria, largest country in the area (and English speaking), intervened as part of African peace keeping forces, it became even more messy.

So I think France intervened immediately in Ivory Coast, before it could degenerate, to avoid any intervention from Nigeria. so a loss of influence of France in the area, and a gain of influence from the US.

Goold old rivality between the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Don't forget also France had a defense agreement with Ivory Coast, and went initially by request from the government. The problem is Laurent Gbagbo thought we would fight the rebels for him, but we simply decided to stop the war and bring both sides to the negociation table...

So I think about Mauritania:
- If there is no civil war, and the new power simply replace the previous one, we'll do nothing.
- If there is a beginning of a civil war, perhaps we will intervene
- If there are threat to western citizens, we are likely to intervene, but perhaps only temporarily for evacuation

 

[Winner]

Hello ladies and gents, we have another nice warm day here in Africa. Nothing important happened last day, oh, except that the corrupt dictatorship #1 we were used to was replaced by corrupt dictatorship #2.

The same story. Have I told you the Africa is lost?

 

[Steph]

Have I told you the Africa is lost?

It isn't! I have found it somewhere down in the south!