Is There Such A Thing As A Good Coup D'Etat?

Niger Coup: Can Africa Use Military Power For Good? -- Christian Science Monitor

Niger's junta flexed its political and military power in ousting a strongman who overstayed his electoral mandate. Secretly, many locals are happy with the Niger coup.

Weeks after the Feb. 18 coup in Niger, the gates of the presidential palace still gape with holes blasted by mutinous commandos. No one knows when there will be a new leader to order that the debris cluttering the lawns be cleared.

For now, a military junta is still calling the shots.

On its face, the latest military overthrow of an elected African leader is yet another setback for democracy in West Africa. There have been other coups on the continent, and the justification is often that the current leader is corrupt or running roughshod over the Constitution. The ouster of strongman Mamadou Tandja, who overstayed his electoral mandate, is once again raising the question: Is there such a thing as a "good coup"?

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My Comment: Africa has a horrible history when it comes to coup d'etats and military governments. But once in a while someone does break the percentages and acts opposite from what is expected. For Niger .... I hope that this is the case for them.