Potential Hot Spots: July 20, 2003

Archives

Coup leader Major Pereira is known locally as "Cobo" ('the stud'), having fathered 10 children by several women by the time he was 48. Pereira was trained in Angola, Cuba, Russia and Portugal, but has not impressed journalists with his leadership skills during past interviews. 

Unlike other African coups, which are usually bloodbaths footnoted with savagery, Sao Tome's little revolt was characterized by a few hundred AK rounds fired off and no casualties. That's because the bulk of Sao Tome's armed forces aren't just another band of stoned murderers in uniform, which reflects the island nation society's laid-back nature. The former Portuguese colony only spends $1 million a year on it's military and a US diplomat in the region revealed that the Pentagon had started funding English lessons for Sao Tome's army. The main military barracks doesn't even have running water. - Adam Geibel 

 

Article Archive

Potential Hot Spots: Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contribute. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   contribute   Close