Mauritania's President Makes a Risky Gamble

Mauritania's national dialogue, which will wrap up on Oct. 18, was intended to bring members of the opposition and ruling party together to discuss constitutional reform. Several groups, however, have accused President Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz of using the talks to launch a "constitutional coup d'etat." They claim the president is intent on extending or lifting presidential term limits. Though Abdelaziz still has three years left in his second term, such a controversial move -- should he choose to make it -- could undermine the stability of the West African nation and the region surrounding it....