Posted on 07/01/2009 8:57:00 PM PDT by Selene
WASHINGTON, July 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. government voiced concern on Wednesday over actions taken by Niger's President Mamadou Tandja to extend his rule in the West African country.
"These decisions undermine Niger's efforts over the last ten years to advance good governance and the rule of law," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
Tandja responded to the rejection by Niger's highest court of his plan to seek at least another three years in power by sacking the judges and naming a new Cabinet.
....U.S. concern about the situation in Niger comes at a time when Washington is putting pressure on Honduras to restore ousted President Manuel Zelaya to office.
Zelaya, who took office in 2006 and had been due to leave power in 2010, was forced out over his push to extend presidential mandates beyond a single term.
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
Here is the AP take
White House: Niger’s actions worrisome
5 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it’s worried about Niger President Mamadou Tandja’s decision to dissolve his nation’s top court in an apparent effort to extend power.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement Wednesday that the United States is concerned about Tandja’s attempt to hold onto his office despite term limits. Gibbs says the actions undermine the African nation’s progress toward good governance.
Tandja is trying to stay in power after he finishes his second, five-year term in December. Security forces arrested Tandja’s main opposition leader on Tuesday.
Gibbs says the White House is pleased the African Union has sent a delegation and will continue to monitor the situation.
The Chinese are doing a 21st century version of imperialism in Africa.
China's Influence in Africa: Implications for the United States
0bama’s policy is clearly schizophrenic. We have got to start testing politicians for drug and alcohol use and mental illness.
Its clear that Zaleya of Hondoras contributed far more to Obozo’s Campaign Fund than the jerk from Nigeria did! Whats unfair about that?
Yup, and sunned by the hotel poolside while he was
supposedly conducting an investigation into Iranian
interest in yellow cake uranium.
JJ61
On 25 May 2009, the Constitutional Court, made up of appointed judges, released a ruling that any referendum to create a new constitution would be unconstitutional, and further would be a violation of the oath the president had taken on the Koran (a serious matter in Niger, which is overwhelmingly Muslim). [emphasis mine]
That’s interesting
No kidding.
The leftist Honduran president, a la chavez, wanted to change the constitution which coincidentally, would have alowed him to change the rules and run for further terms. The supreme court said it was illegal. The military backed up the court. The president fired the head of the military. Not wishing another Chavez leftist coup, they shipped the president out of the country.
How does this differ from Niger? It doesn’t, except our government comes out on the opposite side of this same scenario.
If Obama tried to change the contstitution, he would have an uprising. Which is why they hide the birth certificate issue. The leftists have won here. I believe when Americans wake up to what has happened, there will be trouble.
Expanding on your thought.
Obama makes buddy-buddy with Chavez, who led a coup against a democratically elected government, and who has shredded his country’s constitution, illegally seized private property, censors the media, beaten peaceful protestors, and is harboring/training and aiding Islamic and communist terrorist and narcoterrorist movements in Latin America.
Niger’s president is ignoring his country’s constitution and Obie wants the OAU to act by sending a delegation to that country.
Honduras ousts a marxist dictator-in-training because he was tampering with the Constitution, as may have been a narcotics trafficker for the communists in Latin America. Obama wants to isolate Honduras and cause the fall of the new democratic govt.
Israel wants to protect itself from genocide and Obama wants the genocidists to move into Israeli territory.
Iran smashes its own freedom movement and Obama doesn’t want to take sides.
Okay. Who is going to challenge my statement that Obama is a communist, a fool, a delusional egotistical preening peacock, a coward, and an authoritarian-in-training?
And Robert Gibbs? Where did we get this fool? He makes Scott McClellan seem like a MENSA leader.
I’ve studied the communist techniques of taking over a country from without and from within, but I never thought that I would see it a few miles from my house, in my life time.
I think this administration doesn’t quite know what the hell is going on.
And not a damn thing to say about the nutjobs hanging people in Iran.
Yes - not a word
He’s moving fast after his major scew-up on Honduras before the press notices that our President came out last week favoring the concept of Presidency-for-Life in Latin America.
She's got a lot to answer for and is now canceling out of Obama's Russia trip. Something is up,,,
Hillary will resign in the next 30 days...
You heard it first on FR.
Because national leaders can only get away with that sort of thing if they're supplying the State department with cocaine.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit chewing yellowcake.
“supposedly conducting an investigation into Iranian
interest in yellow cake uranium.”
That would be iraq, not iran...
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