Mauritania shows risks in US strategy

[bemildred]

Soldiers who overthrew Mauritania's president this month may have ended 21 years of authoritarian rule and triggered dancing in the streets, but they also deprived the United States of a key ally in its "war on terror".

Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya assiduously curried Washington's favour in the later years of his rule, shifting support from former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to Israel and the US in a stunning diplomatic about-turn.

He made Mauritania only the third member of the Arab League to establish full diplomatic ties with Israel and leapt at the chance to jail scores of Islamist critics in the name of the "war on terror".

The strategy may have won him friends in Washington but it infuriated many in a country straddling black and Arab Africa, who say it played a large part in contributing to his demise.

IOL

[XNASA]

1. Mauritania should be legalized.

[sam sarrha]

2. I was there in '73.. they HATE our F*CK'N GUTS !!! Big Time..

there are is a Muslim group there that will not share a space enclosed by 3 walls, if you enter they get pissed off because they have to then go to the mosque and doo all kinds of prayers and absolutions and givve money to the poor.. to rid them selves of the evil essence of being exposed ot us. ... they get REALLY UPSET.. they will not sit on or use any western furniture.. and consider us the Great SANTAN... i couldn't argue about the last insult..

[On the Road]

4. Sam -- In What Capacity Were You There?

and what was your experience like? Just curious - I've never met someone who had been to Mauritania.

[On the Road]

3. Mauritania Fascinates Me

It is one of the most remote and medieval places on earth.

But until seeing this article, I had no idea their government was a Bush ally. No wonder there was a coup -- Mauritania has an extremely Muslim population, and used to give refuge to members of the PLO and other unpopular groups.

I'm wondering when they discovered the oil, and how that related to the change in government attitudes.