News > Politics > Armed Forces Control Mauritania

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WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3 2005 4:18 PM

Armed Forces Control Mauritania

Edited by Michael_J_Totten

When Mauritainias President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was out of the country attending Saudi King Fahds funeral, the military overthrew his regime and seized power.

NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - Mauritania's armed forces have set up a military council to rule the country and put an end to the "totalitarian regime" of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, a statement on the state news agency said on Wednesday.
The statement, signed by a so-called Military Council for Justice and Democracy, said the council would rule the Islamic republic for two years.

"The armed forces and security forces have unanimously decided to put a definitive end to the totalitarian activities of the defunct regime under which our people have suffered so much over recent years," the statement said.

Mauritainias government was, indeed, despicable and deserved to be overthrown. But this kind of regime-change has a poor track record everywhere, and it has a particularly poor track record in Africa. The military councils rhetoric sounds great, but thats all it is. Lots of people who violently seize power and replace noxious regimes sound like liberal humanitarians until they start cracking skulls of their own. We shall see.

Comments

FrankMask

Saint Paul, MN

June 2003

AUG 04, 2005 07:08 AM

"Dear King, While you were out the Army staged a coup and won. Also, we're out of milk. Dinner is at five, try to dodge the war crimes guy suntil then."

Shal

Los Angeles, CA

October 2002

AUG 04, 2005 08:14 AM

Michael_J_Totten said:
Mauritainias government was, indeed, despicable and deserved to be overthrown. But this kind of regime-change has a poor track record everywhere, and it has a particularly poor track record in Africa. . .Lots of people who violently seize power and replace noxious regimes sound like liberal humanitarians until they start cracking skulls of their own. We shall see.

You've got to be kidding me. Did you just type that with a straight face?

PointBlank

New York, NY

November 2004

AUG 04, 2005 08:17 AM

Didn't (ex) President Taya come to power through a coup as well?

Plus, link's not working,heres another one to UN reaction.

[Edited on Aug 04, 2005 by PointBlank]