Côte d'Ivoire's President Laurent Gbagbo used a prescient campaign slogan in the run-up to the country's Nov. 28 presidential run-off election: "We win, or we win."

Despite regional and international recognition of Alassane Dramane Ouattara as the winner of the poll, Gbagbo wrapped himself in the Ivorian tricolor for an inauguration ceremony on Dec. 4, warning darkly against any threat to Ivorian sovereignty. ...