Florida Congressman almost caught in Niger coup ("Republicans want you to die quickly" Alan Grayson)

Digital Journal ^ | Feb 20, 2010 | Michael Bearak

[BP2]

The embattled representative from the state of Florida, Alan Grayson found himself on the verge of being caught in a coup in Niger earlier this week.

www.southernstudies.org

Representative Alan Grayson Democrat from Florida.

Alan Grayson, the often outspoken Democratic Representative from Florida was on a trip to Niger earlier this week. While on his trip there was a military coup that Grayson almost found himself caught up in.

According to a Grayson's press secretary, Todd Jurkowski, "He heard the gunshots. They were literally in the building next door."

Grayson was serving as part of a congressional delegation that was focused on science, technology and humanitarian relief.

When the fighting and gun fire broke out Grayson was taken to the home of the United States Ambassador to Niger where he stayed with armored protection.

As of Thursday night it was announced that the constitution of Niger had been suspended. Grayson subsequently traveled to the neighboring country of Burkina Faso and was scheduled to return to the United States on Friday.

[Mengerian]

Classic post!

[TLI]

"He heard the gunshots. They were literally in the building next door."

I guess the coup guys did not wait the requested 15 minutes for Alan to get his crap packed in the car and get gone. Probably Mamadou's boys took offence at something.

It looks like back before July little bammy was sticking his nose in the pipeline deal there by trying to get his own guy in as president (by protesting the coup) It didn't work and Mamadou Tandja is still the prez.

Looks like now bammy backed off and started sending in front men in (probably) on the pipeline deal. I don't think bammy would try to wiggle in between France and their nuke fuel HOWEVER, that just might be the reason Mamadou Tandja pulled a successful coup into a illegal 3rd term as President of Niger. That is, the French supported him to keep bammy out.

Remember, back when bammy was just a few months into the Presidency of the U.S. Sarkozy was REALLY talking trash about bammy. Juuuust laughing at him.

Check the posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?SX=4b80914df40996889b323fb32cf61a247e2d25e6;m=all;o=time;ok=Search;q=deep;s=Niger;t=-1

[BIOCHEMKY]

Here’s something interesting:

The Times February 20, 2010

“African Union condemns Niger coup but America blames ousted leader”

An excerpt:

“The African Union joined France, the former colonial power, yesterday in condemning a coup in Niger, after soldiers stormed a Cabinet meeting and detained President Tandja.”

“However, the United States appeared to give the move, in the world’s third-largest producer of uranium, its approval.”

“The US suggested that Mr Tandja had only himself to blame AFTER ****FAILING TO COMPROMISE OVER THE CONSTITUTION***.”

---

Obviously, it is no surprise that Obama differed from the opinion expressed by the officials in the African Union and some Europeans (France). It is no surprise because Obama already has an ever lengthening track record of compromising over a nation’s Constitution, ours!

[TLI]

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100219-709328.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLEHeadlinesEurope

Yep, looks like France cut a deal with the military (coup guys) to get Mamadou Tandja out. Perhaps Mamadou finaly took the bribe money from bammy?

PARIS (Dow Jones)--French nuclear group Areva SA (CEI.FR) Friday said uranium production in Niger is continuing as normal, a spokeswoman for the company said Friday after soldiers staged a coup in Niger.

"Areva is continuing production as normal," the spokeswoman said, noting that Areva's mines are concentrated in the north of the country.

Company Web site: www.areva.com

It will be interesting to see where the pipeline deal unfolds here.

[HKMk23]

Islam is spreading further south with the desert.

An inhospitable, barren religion for an inhospitable, barren land.

How supremely poetic.

[BIOCHEMKY]

I find it interesting that the three key players in the junta that pulled off the coup in Niger (Major Salou Djibo, Colonel “Pele” Djibril Hamidou, and Colonel Abdoulaye Adamou Harouna) are or have been associated with UNITED NATIONS peacekeeping forces.

In Charge: Major Salou Djibo

This junta leader is a soldier who served with United Nations forces in Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo (ans also underwent additional training in China).

Colonel ‘Pele’: Colonel Djibril Hamidou

Hamidou was the commander of forces in Zone 1, Niamey, at the time of this coup. He was also instrumental in the former coup in Niger in 1999.

COUP LEADER: Colonel Abdoulaye Adamou Harouna

Harouna heads the Nigerien unit for the West African regional bloc, the Ecowas stanby force. This force consists of 507 soldiers and two armored divisions. Previously Harouna served as a batallion commander for Niger’s peacekeeping contingent in Ivory Coast. Colonel Harouna was also instrumental in the former Niger coup in 1999. He was the aide-de-camp for the coup leader.

[factmart]

He should stay they and maybe he will get the heath care he says the Republicans want to give to him!

[VeniVidiVici]

Damn, damn, damn.

[factmart]

He should stay there and maybe he will get the heath care he says the Republicans want to give to him!

[Lancey Howard]

This guy is nuts.

[Nitehawk0325]

It was Bush’s fault.

[TomasUSMC]

When they take the guns they will go ...one state at a time.

[personalaccts]

technology? Is he the guy that keeps sending me the email that I won the lottery?

[The Wizard]

Too bad he made it....he’s a dispicable human dem party ass kisser

[ripley]

If the people in Florida give Mr. Grayson another term, it’s all over.

It’ll be government of the totalitarians, by the totalitarians and for the totalitarians.

The question is how long can psychotic adolescents get away with being schoolyard punks protected by the teacher?

IMHO

[cake_crumb]

"Grayson was serving as part of a congressional delegation that was focused on science, technology and humanitarian relief."

Looks like they SHOULD have been focusing on the stability of Niger's government.

[ronniesgal]

congressional delegations...
The infamous CODELS!
When we lived in Syria, a CODEL came thru. What a
clusterf8ck!
The folks comin thru were horrible, they only came along to shop(they had 20k worth of gold brought up to the hotel to buy) and complained that they could not find Diet Cherry Coke in Damascus.They were there 3 days, and were just awful...they tried to get a bunch of embassy personnel, and wives, to go to the airport just to carry their bags.

[Shqipo]

>>>He heard the gunshots. They were literally in the building next door.”<<<
—As Maxwell Smart might say...”Missed it by THAT much!”

[WaterBoard]

I wonder what lobby groups paid for Grayson’s trip to Nigeria, you sure as hell know that he did not pay it out of his own pocket.