Possible coup in Mauritania

Mauritania

Military officers have blocked raodways and taken over state radio and TV in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott. Mauritania is especially important in that it is one of the few Muslim nations that has diplomatic ties with Irael. In fact, this coup may have something to do with anger over President Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya's pro-American, Pro-Isreal policy, which he adopted after abandoning his support for Saddam Hussein in the 1990's. Taya was out of the country attending King Fahd's funeral.

While Taya is an ally in the war on terror, he is himself a dictator who seized power in a 1984 coup. He has cracked down hard on terror, but he has also been accused of opressing legitimate opposition groups, labeling thenm terorists.

It is unclear at this time what exactly is goin on in Nouakchott, and it is unknown whether the coup has suceeded or failed. I will post more later, once I know the details of the situation.