The prospect of Cote d’Ivoire government military aircraft striking against rebel and perhaps even civilian targets is eerily reminiscent of similar reports of the Sudanese air attacks in support of pro-government Janjaweed militia that have surfaced periodically over the past year. In fact, the embargo was the direct result of a government ceasefire violation in which bombing runs killed nine French peacekeepers and led to France’s measured response to damage or destroy nearly all of the government’s military aircraft.

Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo had already angered much of the populace when he reneged on holding the presidential election, which was scheduled for October 30, 2005. The New Forces rebels (Group Profile forthcoming) who control the northern sectors of the country after a failed coup in 2002 have not disarmed to Gbagbo’s satisfaction. Nonetheless, opposition parties, international observers, and even UN Secretary General Kofi Anan held public doubts that the proposed elections could have been held safely and fairly.