Djbouti

[jiacinto]

discuss

[Cush]

1. ???

nt

[jiacinto]

2. I want to have a thread about this country

what are your thoughts and its current relevance to world affairs?

[TheBigGuy]

6. French Somaliland, Territory of the Ifars and Issas....

former French colony, I seem to recall a civil war there, too...

Relevance?

Strategic location at the straights leading out of the Red Sea....so important in that respect.

Im not sure but I think we have a small military detachment there...not sure if the French still maintain a base there.

[jiacinto]

7. Ok

I wonder if they like Americans there.

[charlie]

3. He's steamed about a DLC poll

Time for a coffee break Carlos :hi:

[mlawson]

4. Used to be French Somali Coast.

I know that from my stamp collection. I would like to see the place someday. That's about it.

[jiacinto]

5. Aren't US Troops there?

Let's have a deep discussion about Djbouti.

[TheBigGuy]

9. a deep discussion?

Im not sure much can be said? Its not a big place.

Heres the CIA world factbook entry:

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/dj.html

[jiacinto]

10. But they speak French there

We must talk about Djbouti.

[TheBigGuy]

12. they probably speak some tribal language...

according to the factbook...Afar is probably the common language....

but French and Arab are the "official" language.

[Must_B_Free]

8. Djbouti

it's Djbouti, not MY booty.

[TheBigGuy]

11. Sheik Sheik Shieik, Sheik Djibouti! Shiek Djibouti!

remember that old disco tune?

[Sufi Marmot]

13. A useful staging ground...

It's location on the Red Sea notwithstanding, it gives us a base in close proximity to Somalia, which is East Africa's Afghanistan (no real central government other than warlords, etc...). The Pentagon/State Department are fretful that Somalia, and to a lesser extent Eritrea and Ethiopia, could be havens for terrorist cells. It's also close to Yemen, where U.S. troops would likely be unwelcome (do we have any regular forces in Yemen? I'm unaware that we do...)

-SM