Niger leader undermining rule of law - White House

Reuters ^ | 7/2/2009 | By Doug Palmer(Editing by John O'Callaghan)

[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.

[Selene]

The flood gates have been opened

[Carling]

Hmm, they back Zelaya, but Niger’s President has gone too far?

We are so screwed.

[parsifal]

The durn Chinese will start colonizing Africa one of these years.

PS - Go to youtube and look up “hitler nigerian email”

parsy, who is not related to Nigerian Royals

[Selene]

Where is the Secretary of State?

[Carling]

Trying on new pant suits?

[madamemayhem]

does this !@%^&*#@$! idiot have any clue what the!@#$&*(&%$#@! he is doing? i swear his foreign policy ideas are just stupid. it’s like they put several option on a dart board and just throw a dart when something comes up. i am really starting to hate this !@#$^&*(*^%#@! okay i feel better now.

[penelopesire]

Obama meddling again.

Why is it that democrat presidents always want to involve our troops in wars in Africa..where we have no strategic or national security interests?

[Eric Blair 2084]

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue from Africa.

[rcrngroup]

Trying on new pant suits?

No wonder the price of cloth materials is going up. That's a lot of material needed to cover those thunder thighs of Hitlary!!!

[icwhatudo]

Ok be honest, who thought a racist was about to get banned from FR...

[Selene]

LOL - It’s the actual Reuters headline!

[Slump Tester]

I think this headline is exceptionally racist.

[Bogey78O]

He really has no consistency. Honduras must restate their president who tried to fix the military and rig a referendum as a pretense but Niger can’t have that.

My only guess is that the president of Niger isn’t a leftist. That’s the only way to have Obama outright condemn you.

[TigersEye]

I thought 0bowdown supported leaders undermining the rule of law? He seemed to be supporting that in Iran and he came right out and said so about Zelaya.

[Selene]

Take it up with Reuters

[Straight Vermonter]

They are bigots trying to keep a brother down.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Will Obama make up his mind?

[TigersEye]

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.

Niger's main opposition leader, Mahamadou Issoufou, the runner-up to Tandja in elections in 1999 and 2004, was briefly detained on Tuesday after calling for the military to disobey orders.

Uhhhh, that's almost exactly what Zelaya did. Slightly different actions but it's a different country.

Is Zer0 still snorting coke or what?

[rabscuttle385]

Obama? Rule of law? Hahahahaha.

[PghBaldy]

Niger is where Joe Wilson sipped tea and the opposition appears to be a socialist (though sometimes foreign political parties’ names are confusing).