Saturday, December 27, 2008

What's Going On in Guinea?

Here's a clue why, anyway:

"One of Africa's most promising states - blessed with diamonds, gold and half the world's reserves of bauxite, the raw material used to make aluminum"


Yup, just like that whole region is swimming in resources; why the U.S. wants in.

Looks like we lost one of our men, too
:

"Coup leader parades through Guinea's capital; Calls for 'credible, transparent' elections in 2010" by Abou Bakr and Rukmini Callimachi, Associated Press | December 25, 2008

CONAKRY, Guinea - The leader of a coup paraded into this West African nation's capital followed by several thousand soldiers yesterday, hours after saying his group would hold power for two years. A crowd cheered him on, shouting "long live the president!"

Captain Moussa Camara stood in the first truck of a military convoy and waved to the throngs that lined Conakry's streets. A phalanx of soldiers hoisting Kalashnikov rifles accompanied the parade. It was the first time the capital's residents had ventured outdoors since the military-led coup was declared Tuesday in this broken nation.

Cautiously at first and then by the thousands, people poured into the streets to watch the convoy make its way toward the presidential palace....

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Guinea had been ruled by only two people since its 1958 independence from France. Longtime dictator Lansana Conte first took power in a 1984 military coup after his predecessor's death and then won presidential elections in 1993, 1998 and 2003. The ballots were marred by charges of fraud. In 2003, Conte secured 95 percent of the vote - an improbably high tally for a man many saw as unpopular.

Keep that in mind; colonial powers never forgive and never forget.

The United States will be "examining what options we have in the coming days," including a possible cutoff of non-humanitarian aid, State Department spokesman Robert Wood said. He called for the immediate "restoration of civilian, democratic rule." But some said the coup could be the best thing for Guinea, a nation ruled by the same man for the past 24 years....

I don't know what side AmeriKa is playing here -- although I suspect the globalist string-pullers are, as usual, on both sides.

One of Africa's most promising states - blessed with diamonds, gold and half the world's reserves of bauxite, the raw material used to make aluminum.

--more--"

Okay, let's see if this next article helps clear the MSM mist...


"Guinea coup leader solidifies his hold" by Abou Bakr and Rukmini Callimachi, Associated Press | December 26, 2008

CONAKRY, Guinea - Guinea's coup leader solidified his hold over this impoverished West African nation yesterday as the prime minister who served under its late dictator surrendered and stepped down along with dozens of other government leaders.

While some welcomed the new military leader, Captain Moussa Camara, as a break with the past, others worried that he will try to cling to power like the strongman whose death this week touched off the crisis. Camara had ordered Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare and other leaders of Guinea's government and armed forces to come out of hiding and turn themselves in at a military barracks within 24 hours. If they did not, he threatened to organize a nationwide search for them.

Souare's mother, Aissatou, said in a telephone interview that her son was no longer prime minister and that he and the other ministers went to the barracks to avoid being hunted down.

Private radio station Liberte FM carried a live broadcast of Souare telling the coup leader, "We are at your disposal." The radio station reported that Camara said the government leaders were then free to leave, but it was not immediately clear where they were. Later in the day, the head of all armed branches of Guinea's military, General Camara Diarra, also turned himself in at the barracks, as did the head of police and the head of customs....

Camara has declared himself Guinea's interim leader and pledged to hold a presidential election in two years. But many in the international community say that is too long to wait. The European Union urged Guinea to hold "democratic and transparent" elections within the first three months of 2009.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said Paris is "extremely worried" about the situation in Guinea....

Remember what I said about colonialists above?

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"I want to warn anyone who thinks they can try to corrupt me or my agents. Money is of no interest to us," Camara said. "There are already people who are starting to show up with bags of money. . . . I will personally go after anyone who tries to corrupt us."

I'm still not sure what to think about the coup, but I like the rhetoric!

Under Guinea's constitution, parliament leader Aboubacar Sompare was next in line to be president. His whereabouts yesterday were not known. Some in Conakry said they were ready for a change from the previous regime.

On Wednesday, throngs lined Conakry's streets to cheer Camara on as he led a military convoy parade to the presidential palace. But in northern Guinea, about 500 miles from the capital, others expressed concerns about Camara's group, which initially had said it would hold elections within 60 days.

--more--"

I can't tell yet whether the globalists don't like him, or whether they are just paying lip service fooleys as they yank and manuever both sides. I suspect the latter these days.

So our dear old dictator died and this is the new installee?