POLITICS: Army Officers Stage Coup in Mauritania

Some time in the early hours of the morning a large portion of the Mauritania Army - an Oil Rich Islamic state - was over-thrown while the President was away. The coup has resulted in the Military leaders taking control and claiming they wish to bring about a democratic society within Africa.



I find this an amazingly interesting development in the African Nation and one hopefully in the right direction. The Military Council for Justice and Democracy have claimed they want two years in which they wish to set-up a true democratic state in Africa - something everyone must agree is a good thing.

Will it happen or will it become another power grab by the Military in Africa?

Related News Links:
en.wikipedia.org

[edit on 3/8/2005 by Odium]

[edit on 3-8-2005 by asala]

Interesting story, Good post.

Seems that the Coup is now complete. I think it is very important as this country is Huge and also there may be implications of this coup being disagreement between the current leadership and the Islamic Community. This is mainly a Islamic country, and has only Morocco and Algeria to the North then the Mediteranian.... i.e. Europe and Turkey/Egypt etc.

President Taya took power in a bloodless coup in December 1984 and has been re-elected three times since. Correspondents say he later made enemies among Islamists in the country, which is an Islamic Republic. Critics accuse the government of using the US-led war on terror to crackdown on Islamic opponents.

BBC

Also the deposed leadership were making ties with Israel and also working with America in a limited way on the War on Terror. Therefore the reaction of the new leaders and the in turn the reaction of the rest of the world to this new Leadership could change the whole dynamics of the wests interaction in this part of Africa. Is this just a Coup and power games internally or a radical shift in the body politik of the country and leadership?

Elf

You forgot to mention Western Sahara. Does anyone know if the knew regime has announced its intentions regarding Mauritanias renounced claims to Sahara? This could be the start of renewed conflict in the region.

-koji K.

You forgot to mention Western Sahara. Does anyone know if the knew regime has announced its intentions regarding Mauritanias renounced claims to Sahara? This could be the start of renewed conflict in the region.

-koji K.

Very interesting. According to the article it seems to me that they have been an ally of the US in the war on terror. I wonder what the US response to this will be? Do we back an erstwhile ally and try to return him to power, or acquiesce to the demands in hope that they are truly interested in setting up a democracy. Excellent find!

The CIA class Mauritania as a republic and not a dictatorship. The recent legislative and municipal elections have been classed as "generally free and open." So will this be an acceptable coup? Only time will tell.

CIA World Fact Book: Mauritania

Anyword as to how this was achieved? CIA money?

This is a great example of Africans taking matters into their own hands rather than relying on typical WEstern aid, if they are true to their claim.

Source
Politics in Mauritania have always been heavily influenced by personalities, with any leader's ability to exercise political power dependent upon control over resources; perceived ability or integrity; and tribal, ethnic, family, and personal considerations. Conflict between white Moor, black Moor, and non-Moor ethnic groups, centering on language, land tenure, and other issues, continues to be the dominant challenge to national unity.

Some time in the early hours of the morning a large portion of the Mauritania Army - an Oil Rich Islamic state - was over-thrown while the President was away.

Correct me if I'm wrong, as it's late and I only scanned the article over once... but didn't it say that the country recently discovered oil offshore, and is going to begin pumping crude for "the first time" next year??? If I'm not mistaken then that would hardly make them an Oil Rich Islamic State.

Of course my luck I just read it wrong and I'll get a new one torn! '

Edit... it looks like a screw-up on my part as the article itself calls them an Oil Rich nation. So either I'm wrong, which is likely, or they haven't had oil until recently.

[edit on 3-8-2005 by Rasputin13]

Rasputin13 - from what I have been able to find out, they've not had oil for a long while 20+ years. However they do seem to have a large share of oil. Enough to boost their economy and stabalise the nation.

However, by the looks of things the President, et al had claimed the oil for themselves and not the people. Resulting in several problems and one former attempted coup in 2003 or 2004. (I'll hunt the info out once I wake up, since it's 4:30am. )

Odium
I believe it was actually several coup attempts, like two or three. According to the reports I've read, the press is calling the former administration pro US, and the current administration pro-Islam.

Whether this is the case or not, I don't know. It's just interesting to compare the media opinion to the facts once in a while to ensure everything is still in line.

Will this deal effect the budding oil contracts? Will the new government allow the US and UK to develop the resources?

Does anyone notice that strife is hitting oil-rich countries almost exclusively, and at a greatly increased rate, it seems to be holding steady at 1-2 revolutions a MONTH?

Does anyone notice that oil prices are directly proportional to the strife, more drama = higher prices?

Also, an issue of concern may be China's position in the game, they appear to have a distinct advantage at this point, in terms of being able to secure the oil and fuel they need to keep their economy growing. We're at a disadvantage, it seems, because of our socio-political and geographical position.

I'm not sure just how much of a disadvantage the US is at compared to China specifically. The disparity in distance to the regions in question is made up for at least in large part by logistics. America fields a leaner, more mobile army, and thus can move faster than China, and also has friendly and/or bound nations around the world who must allow us passage and use of their soil.


Things are getting interesting, that's for sure, but I'm harboring this suspicion that the real fireworks are yet to come.

I see American sponsored coups in Venezuela (again) and Egypt as relatively strong possibilities.

American/UK/Indian efforts (together or separately) to hasten the secession of South Sudan (with the acquisition of Blue Nile and South Kordofan) seem pretty likely in light of the death of their VP recently.

Libya could be interesting if Qadafi buys the farm.

Then if and when Iran gets the bomb, I'd say hold onto your hat if you give a dang about UAE, Qatar, or Bahrain. Maybe Turkmenistan too.


In my opinion, this is Peak Oil Chess. It takes energy to change your energy infrastructure. Whoever can squeese the most oil out of the spiggot when that well goes dry is going to manufacturing and selling the stuff everybody else needs to get off of oil, and they'll be sitting pretty for the next 50 years.

How many revolutions in how many banana republics over the last half century have claimed exactly this?

Didn't Castro promise his people in the beginning that they'd be allowed a voice in the government?

In with the new Boss, same as the old Boss.

I wonder if leader they ousted got his place and power by staging a coup, and so on...

Can I ask why you dont have contributions attributed to you Odium?

Odium
Contributor: 0

You've posted quite a few threads. Have you noticed? The only people I see like that are the mods JB1 and FredT.

[edit on 4/8/05 by subz]

Originally posted by subz
Can I ask why you dont have contributions attributed to you Odium?

Odium
Contributor: 0

You've posted quite a few threads. Have you noticed? The only people I see like that are the mods JB1 and FredT.

[edit on 4/8/05 by subz]

I hardly ever post in ATSNN, coupled with the fact I have only been on ATS for 8months and the first 5 of these I had no idea how to use ATSNN most the threads which could have been news stories I posted up on other parts of the site.

Hope that helps.

No, it was a bug in the system Odium. I wrote that when you clearly had two ATSNN upgrades. Its all sorted now, you have 8