On the website NewsOK.com, I came across an article about Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma who criticises President Obama for receiving the new President of the Ivory Coast, President Outtara.
Now wait a minute. What is a patriotic, flag-waving Senator like Inhofe (which is the way he customarily presents himself) doing criticizing this visit ? It isn't as though Ivory Coast is a strategic ally, unless you eat chocolate. (Ivory Coast produces up to 50% of the world's chocolate supply.)
The November elections in Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) were honestly won by Outtara. The margin wasn't narrow. The elections were observed by a number of respected international organizations and were pronounced by them to have been honest and fair. Problems arose when the election's loser, Gabagbo, refused to step down. He was buddies with the head of the army and the head of the police, who at least for a while remained loyal to him. Outtara was forced to hole up in a hotel guarded by United Nation troops in case Gabagbo's forces tried to assassinate him. In the nation's ensuing unrest and disarray, Gabagbo's refusal to step down resulted in the deaths of at least 3,000 Ivoirians.
Yet despite all credible evidence, Inhofe feels President Obama should not receive Outtara and should presumably still be supporting Gabagbo.
When the evidence is so strong that Outtara's election was legitimate, we have to wonder why Senator Inhofe still supports Gabagbo. Was there some kind of arrangement, relationship, or payoff between Gabagbo and Inhofe. If there were, this wouldn't be the first time American Senators have tried to meddle in the affairs of Africa. We have to ask the question: Was Gabagbo paying off Inhofe in order to have a supporter inside the United States Senate ? If not, what benefits does Inhofe hope to receive (or has received) through his support of Gabagbo ?
Reporters, this is worth investigating. We are firing off a letter to Senator Inhofe to ask for an explanation.
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