Mauritania Update

Initial entry posted here. New email.

Morning brings lots of promise for a peaceful resolution here in Nouakchott. The airport has opened but at the moment only Air Mauritania is flying in and out. Air France has cancelled it's scheduled flight for today. My husband may be able to return to us as early as 1:00 p.m. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. He is not quite so optimistic. The locals were somewhat unsettled after dark. They thought that perhaps there would be civil unrest. I didn't get much sleep and am happy to report that no violence or protest occurred. It was a long night but we are okay. I'll be out in the town today and will get a better feel of what's to come.

Comments

[clintcarter]

"The locals were somewhat unsettled after dark."

Seems like it's going around...

[IR Student]

Again - I hope everyone stays safe in Mauritania -my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.

A few observations:

Nigeria's President Obasanjo CONDEMNED COUP
African Union CONDEMNED COUP
U.S. CONDEMNED COUP
Britain - as current chair of EU CONDEMNED COUP
UN Secy Kofi Annan - CONDEMNED COUP

State has struggled with Islamic rebels and terrorists for years - especially in Sahara region. An unsuccessful Islamic coup was launched in 2003. US Special Forces have been involved in training Mauritania forces to fight Islamic fundamentalists.

A general rule of thumb - Islamic fundamentalists often push for "democracy" but the end result is not "one person, one vote" but "one person, one vote, ONE TIME."

Pres Taya (sp?) is a key ally for the US ... but he is autocratic .... so, he is not a "good guy" but he is "our guy"

Just my opinion

[coconuttree]

IR Student I agree, It is "your guy" like once Pinochet was, Idi Amin, Saddam Hussain, The dictotors in Pakistan, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia to name a few. These rulers are not stupid. A few years ago any dictator could do anything to it's own people just by saying they are fighting communism and the USA would support them. Today this has been replaced by "Islamic fundamentalists "

[IR Student]

coconuttree

Not just the US and allies playing the "Islamic" card - - - China oppresses the Moslim Uighers in Xingjiang Province of western China, Russia in Chechnya, and many other examples.

But, a bad leader on our side is better than an enemy - I do not agree that a leader can then do whatever they want. It sure didn't work for Karimov in Uzbekistan - and we even had a major base in Southern Uzbekistan !!!

The US does have options and leverage in dealing with allies.

[TheAlamo]

Seems like the world is heading back to the dark ages with "religious" governments the key. As if the current crop in world governemnts aren't corrupt enough. Looks like syndicate infighting.

[ted]

Most of the reports I have read say Mauritanians are very pleased with the coup. I don't doubt this is true in places like Nouakchott, but I doubt very much it is true everywhere in Mauritania.

This is a country divided sharply by ethnicity, culture, and geography. The north is mainly Arab (Hassaniya speaking Maurs) while the south is mainly ethnic Senegalese (Puular/Soninke/Wolof-speaking black Africans).

Since Mauritania became independent, the Maurs have dominated the government almost exclusively, and this is resented by the ethnic Senegalese, especially since they outnumber the Maurs.

In 1989, the situation boiled over briefly in a series of atrocities known as "the events." Mauritania and Senegal nearly went to war.

The conspirators, I have noticed, are all Maurs. It might seem at first glance that ethnic Senegalese would not care one way or the other, but this I think underestimates the fragility of the unspoken truce the country has lived under since "the events."

Newspapers like the Guardian make it seem as though this is all about diplomatic ties with Israel. It's not. The majority of the population -- the ethnic Senegalese population -- do not care especially about ties with Israel. What they do care about is their own helplessness under Arab rule. Should they see a chance to throw it off, or should the conspirators assume an agressively pro-Arab stance, a lot could go wrong in a hurry.

So I do not think things are as stable and "popular" as western reports make out.