Irregular Times Diaries: Unfit Discussion

Back in the 1980s, the United Kingdom went to war against Argentina in the Falkland Islands. Both nations claimed ownership of the islands, which are used to farm sheep and to drill oil. Hint: It wasn’t for the sheep that the British pushed their claim of ownership of the Falklands. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was even drawing up plans to drop nuclear bombs on Argentina in order to win the conflict.

A generation later, the United Kingdom is starting the escalation toward war again by moving an offshore drilling rig into the waters around the Falklands, with the intention to drill there starting today.

For more news from the Falkland Islands, visit:

- Falkland News Network
- Penguin News

A week after Laurent Gbagbo, the President of the Ivory Coast, dissolved the government of that nation, police there have shot and killed 5 protesters. Those killings in turn have provoked intense, and sometimes destructive, anti-government protests.

For more information, visit:

- Afrol News
- allAfrica Cote d’Ivoire

The military of Niger has captured the President of that country and declared the Nigerian Constitution suspended. What’s your reaction to this coup d’etat?

The President “va bien”, the new junta is saying – as bien as on va when captured by a bunch of lawless generals.

Here’s the trick: That President himself is accused of using unconstitutional seizure of power to prevent an opposition party from replacing him.

Nigerian news sources to consider:

- Le Niger Dans Le Web
- Le Republicain – though out of date

Also see: All Africa