Ominous Warnings of a Coup in Guinea

from Geoff Coggan Disturbing reports of developments in Guinea warn of the possibility of a coup in that country. The omens are certainly consistent with such warnings, of which the following article from the December 30th issue of The Statist is the most specific. The implications of the comparison with Indonesia are obvious and ominous ~ despite the careful way in which the article completely ignores the savage bloodbath which followed the Indonesian coup and refers only to the "bloodless" coup itself. "According to Western diplomatic sources » three major Guinean figures have in recent weeks approached three major Conakry embassies - one East, one West and one Gaullist, with offers to stage a bloodless, Indonesian style "deposal" coup on Toure, to bring Guinea back into the French African franc area, and to drop the espousal of extremist lost causes. ...... "The time is certainly ripe. US aid is partially suspended: Washington will shortly announce that it will be resumed in 1967 - with a 75 per cent slash. Ambassador Robbie McIlvaine, a shirtsleeved intellectual who jokes about his recent house arrest but who realises it marks a turning point in US-Guinean relations, may prolong his current consultations in Washington in order to leave the embassy downgraded to charge d'affaires level for a while. The Russians, still friendly with the Guinean Government, seem hesitant to increase their aid to counterbalance America's three-quarter withdrawal. France, pressured by the jealous Ivory Coast, cannot be too anti-Americanly opportunistic until Sekou Toure is overthrown. "Toure is still popular with the Guinean crowds. He drives his own car in the streets without fear of being stoned or shot. ..... It is feared that his arrest would be unpopular,"