-(« INTERNATIONAL POLITICS AGENDA »):(MOTIVES FOR MILITARY COUPS TODAY IN « AFRICA »)!
-BASICALLY, MILITARY COUPS OCCUR WHEN THE MILITARY HAS BOTH THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND THE DISPOSITION TO INTERVENE:FURTHERMORE, WORTHY OPPORTUNITIES OFTEN ARISE WHEN THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES NEED THE MILTARY TO FIGHT A WAR OR ACT AS A POLICE FORCE.MOREOVER, NATIONAL MOTIVES ARE AT WORK WHEN MILITARY INTERVENTION IS BASED ON OFFICSERS’ CONCEPTIONS OF THE NATIONAL INTEREST.FOR EXAMPLE, IN LIBERIA IN (1980) WHEN A YOUNG « SERGEANT « SAMUEL KANYON DOE » TOOK OVER AND EXECUTED AROUND (16) OFFICIALS OF FORMER « WILLIAM TOLBERT’s REGIME ON A BEACH PUBLICLY IN THE CAPITAL CITY (MONROVIA) ,IT WAS THE DIGNITY OF INDEGENOUS NATIVE LIBERIANS THAT WAS AT STAKE AT THAT TIME!IN THE SAME WAY, ON THE (24TH OF DECEMBER 1999) ,THE FIRST MILTARY CUP IN (IVORY COAST) POINTED OUT LACK OF GOVERNMENT, AS FAR AS FORMER IVORIAN REGIME LED BY « HENRI KONAN BEDIE » FROM (1993 TO THE 24 TH OF DECEMBER 1999)!
-MEANWHILE, IN POST-COLONIAL AFRICA,CLASS INTERESTS ARE LESS IMPORTANT THAN ETHNIC AFFILIATIONS BECAUSE MANY MILITARY COUPS SEEM TO BE OUTGROWTHS OF ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS OR REGIONAL TENSION WITHIN SOCIETY.FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST NIGERIAN REPUBLIC WAS DESTROYED BY MILITARY COUPS DRIVEN BY ETHNIC AND REGIONAL RIVALRIES.BUT THE « BIAFRA » WAR LED BY FORMER CHIEF « OJUKU » STEMMED FROM THE COLONIAL EAGER WILL OF FRENCH PRESIDENT « GENERAL DEGAULLE » TO GET A SHARE IN THE HUGE NIGERIAN OIL RESOURCES THROUGH THE GO BETWEEN OF IVORIAN FORMER PRESIDENT « HOUPHOUET BOIGNY »(FRENCH REGIONAL SATELITE)! DOWN THE LINE, HE FAILED BECAUSE CHIEF « OJUKU » WITHDREW IN « IVORY COAST » AFTERTHE SLAUGHTER OF HIS « IGBOS » PEOPLE WITH THE BACKING OF FORMER IVORIAN PRESIDENT « HOUPHOUET BOIGNY »!APART FROM THAT SINGLE NIGERIAN CASE, FURTHER CONSPICUOUS EXAMPLES OF ETHNIC MOTIVES CAN BE FOUND IN MILITARY COUPS IN OTHER AFRICAN NATIONS,AMONG THEM: « RDC »( FORMER « ZAIRE »), (« UGANDA »), (« CHAD »), (« LIBERIA »)(TWICE IN 1980 AND THE 24TH OF DECEMBER 1989) , »GUINEA BISSAU » AND MANY MORE!
-(« INSTITUTIONAL INTERESTS » CAN ALSO PRVOKE INTERVENTION BACKED BY THREATS TO THE MILITARY’S BUDGET,AUTONOMY,LIVING STANDARDS OR PRESTIGE ALL PROVOKE DISCONTENT IN THE ARMY FORCES:
-(« FACTS AND BASIS » IN FORMER « GOLD COAST » (GHANA)!
-(6)YEARS AFTER PRESIDENT « OSAGIEFO KWAME NKRUMAH » WAS REMOVED BY A MILTARY COUP IN « GHANA » IN( 1966), THE MILITARY OVERTHREW THE REFORMIST GOVERNMENT OF « DR BUSSIA »,WHICH HAD BEN ATTEMPTING TO CURB THE EXTRAVAGANT LIFE STYLE OF MILTARY OFFICERS IN « GHANA »!TO MAKE A FOLLOW UP AS FAR AS MILTARY COUPS ARE CONCERNED IN THE WHOLE OF « AFRICA », THE MILITARY PROVIDES ONE OF THE FEW CHANNELS FOR AMBITIOUS YOUNG MEN OF MODEST BACKGROUND TO ACHIEVE STATUS AND FINANCIAL REWARD IN SOCIETY.IF THESE ASPIRATIONS ARE FRUSTRATED,THEN A COUP IS MORE LIKELY.LONG LIST:(« LIBERIA » IN (1980) WITH YOUNG SERGEANT « SAMUEL KANYON DOE » (27 YEARS OLD), IN « SIERRA LEONE » IN (2002-2003)!
-FINALLY, A MILITARY COUP MAY BE A VEHICLE FOR PERSONNAL AMBITION:SUCH MOTIVES ARE RARELY SUFFICIENT IN THEMSELVES TO PROVOKE A SUCCESSFUL COUP LIKE IN « TURKEY » RECENTLY(JULY 15TH): THE COUP THAT FAILED IN (« ISTANBUL »)!IN THE SAME TREND, IN « UGANDA », THE NATIONALIST AND AUTHORITARIAN NATURE OF( IDI AMIN’s GOVERNMENT BETWEEN (1971 AND 1979) WAS CLEARLY SHAPED BY HIS DRIVE TO ATTAIN PERSONAL POWER.HOWEVER, HE WAS AIDED IN HIS SEIZURE OF POWER FROM « MILTON OBOTE » BY POPULAR RESENTMENT AGAINST THE CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP,ETHNIC RIOVALRIES,AND WIDESPREAD MILTARY CONCERN OVER ITS DECLINING POSITION!
(FROM THE STAFF)