The view of an Ivorian...
In Ivory Coast, Democrat to Dictator
The above article written by an Ivorian gives an insightful summary of an aspect of the country's history.
The question, however, needs to be asked as to whether Gbagbo was ever a real democrat and also whether Ouattara is or will be any better.
UN, OAS, etc., and elections
International organization practice has been to cite the need for regional peace and security when deciding to intervene; and to cite respect for state sovereignty and non-interference with internal affairs when deciding not to intervene.
IMO: the test is Orwellian - All pigs are equal; but some pigs are more equal than others.
Regards
Mike
Gunships and waves of deceit
Two reports on the repeated French & UN action, helicopter gunships attacking Gbagbo's heavy weapons (I assume these to be 120mm mortars); BBC:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13030543 and Daily Telegraph:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...residence.html
I was intrigued by these sentences, in the later report:
Quote:
Among the French troops in the country are special forces and foreign legion units, who say privately that if the political will was there, they could remove Mr Gbagbo within days.
But a diplomatic source said that because of its fraught history in the country, and its commitments in Libya and Afghanistan, it is reluctant to get more involved.
"It might support and make suggestions, perhaps even be the hand in glove by offering some training to the (Mr Ouattara's Republican forces) but could not be seen to be taking its own military action," he said. He added that part of the reason for the reversals in fortunes were that both sides are prone to exaggeration, meaning they are often seen to lose ground they never entirely held.