Why Burkina Faso matters to US counterterrorism efforts in Africa.

For decades Burkina Faso had avoided the messy coups, civil wars, and terrorist insurgencies that besieged many of its West African neighbors. At the same time, former President Blaise Compaoré -- who resigned last Friday after 27 years in power -- quietly positioned the country as a key mediator of regional conflicts and, more recently, as a US and European counterterrorism partner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]