French policy shift leaves Gabon's Bongo out in the cold

By Tim Cocks DAKAR (Reuters) - In the heyday of former President Omar Bongo, Gabon and its oil wealth were a central pillar of "La Francafrique", a shadowy network that enabled France's troops to defend African autocrats in exchange for juicy contracts for French companies. France's energy firms, meanwhile, had undisputed claims to some of the continent's richest oil fields. France's position has been clear since the Aug. 27 poll: it has "doubts" about its credibility, so it won't endorse Bongo