'Nigeria: the context for violence' (2006-2013)

[davidbfpo]

I am sure the inter-religious communal violence in Nigeria featured in SWJ Blog news summaries; it certainly appeared in the BBC and the odd newspaper report like in The Spectator recently:http://newstaging.spectator.widearea...ill-kill.thtml

This is a rather pessimistic overview:http://www.opendemocracy.net/martin-...cs-of-massacre

The author is:

Martin Shaw is a historical sociologist of war and global politics, and professor of international relations and politics at the University of Sussex.

He ends with:

The repeated massacres of hundreds of people are a challenge not only to Nigeria but to the world.

I fear that real politics mean that this 'challenge' is far from any agenda in the 'world' let alone the sometimes interventionist West, nor more locally. Yes, Hollywood had a role with a Bruce Willis film set in Nigeria and a US SOF intervention against orders; 'Tears of the Sun' see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tears_of_the_Sun

Now, would AFRICOM be watching such developments - in a country where the USA has a strategic interest and to my limited knowledge no large presence of US citizens?

[Dayuhan]

Now, would AFRICOM be watching such developments - in a country where the USA has a strategic interest and to my limited knowledge no large presence of US citizens?

I'm sure AFRICOM is watching Nigeria, along with many others; the US and the rest of the oil-importing nations have a strategic interest. As is so often the case in Africa, though, it's very easy to say that something must be done and very difficult to say what could be done that would have any realistic chance of success.

[JMA]

I'm sure AFRICOM is watching Nigeria, along with many others; the US and the rest of the oil-importing nations have a strategic interest. As is so often the case in Africa, though, it's very easy to say that something must be done and very difficult to say what could be done that would have any realistic chance of success.

Honesty will indicate the US is not an effective player in Africa. Better leave it to Britain and France and let them cock it up.

Think Munroe doctrine and leave Africa to China.