Djibouti suspends US election mission

Djibouti has told the United States that an independent election observer mission is "illegal" and suspended its partnership with the US-funded mission.

The news came amid reports that the north-east African coastal state had arrested two opposition leaders on Friday.

Democracy International (DI), which has a $2.2m, eight-man team in the tiny strategic state, provides the only international technical assistance and observation group in the country, which has been ruled by the same dynasty since independence.

The increasing visibility of the Djibouti's anti-democratic leanings is awkward for the US, which relies on the country for its only military base on the continent and last year doubled aid to the country, funding DI's Djibouti operation. Many of its 3,000 troops are dedicated to fighting piracy and terrorism in neighbouring Somalia.

President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who took over from his uncle in 1999, last year scrapped a two-term constitutional limit to allow him to stand for re-election on April 8.

The djibouti keyword, reverse chrono:

2 posted on 03/12/2011 6:29:13 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

... $2200000 for 8 people?? A quarter of a million dollars per person just to monitor elections????

When did the French pull out their bases in Djibouti this includes the French Foreign Legion???

Obama must be pro AFAR...is there an AFAR in the Obama administration?

Djibouti is very expensive..unless you want to live in a plastic tent.

7 posted on 03/12/2011 6:43:57 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

I think that “R” should be a “G”. In that case, the answer’s yes there is.

8 posted on 03/12/2011 6:44:39 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

location location location. But probably provided payments for those that count etc.

Maybe they’re just really good at monitoring, didja think of that?!? Didja?!? Huh?!?

;’)

10 posted on 03/12/2011 6:45:16 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

“I think that “R” should be a “G”

Do you mean change AFAR?

12 posted on 03/12/2011 6:48:52 PM PST by Red Badger (How can anyone look at the situation in Libya and be for gun control is beyond stupid. It's suicide.)

“It’s always better in Djibouti!” - they should use that as a slogan and turn the joint into a gay vacation destination.

Camp Lemonier was turned over to US years ago.
French Legionaires will depart this summer, other frenchies will remain (in case they need to wave a white flag). The legionaires are being replaced by Japanese military forces

EU personnel are available to patrol the ocean and to keep an eye on Air France flight attendants using the swimming pool at Kempinski hotel

The French are pulling out..this includes the airbase, navy, army and 13th legion..are you sure??

16 posted on 03/12/2011 7:05:14 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

Whoops, I should have said, “Sheik Djibouti”. And then someone could have made a Zappa reference. Hippies.

17 posted on 03/12/2011 7:07:35 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

18 posted on 03/12/2011 7:10:49 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

19 posted on 03/12/2011 7:10:54 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)

Spent 4 years of my military life at the US Embassy in Djibouti in the 90’s..

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