U.S. May Be Providing Security Assistance to Ivorian President

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara flew to the United States and France in separate instances on aircraft registered to U.S. companies. STRATFOR believes the United States could be providing additional security to Ouattara, who will likely face threats after having emerged victorious from a recent civil conflict. Such a move is consistent with the U.S. approach to combat al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and drug trafficking in West Africa.