Wednesday - May 06, 2015

Finding The Will To Fight

Goodluck Jonathan Gaining In Fight Against Boko Haram

Outgoing Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan isn’t acting like a lame duck when it comes to going after Boko Haram, the murderous Islamist army that has terrorized the northern part of Africa’s most populous country.

In recent weeks, government forces have taken the fight to the terrorist army, rescuing hundreds of women and girls held captive in Boko Haram’s forest stronghold in Borno state. Amid the cheers for Jonathan, who lost his bid for re-election to Muhammadu Buhari on March 31, some critics are wondering what took so long. As welcome as the new offensive is, some say it reeks of last-minute legacy gilding.

“Boko Haram is the big blemish on Jonathan’s legacy, so it’s understandable that he’d want to crack down and score some successes on his way out to improve his record,” Ryan Mauro, a national security analyst with the Clarion Project, told FoxNews.com.

In the last year, Boko Haram has abducted an estimated 2,000 mostly Christian women and young girls, selling some into sexual slavery and killing others. In the past week alone, the Nigerian military, along with coalition forces from neighboring countries Chad and Cameroon, has advanced on Boko Haram strongholds and rescued nearly 700 of the captives. According to reports, more than 200 of the rescued women were pregnant.

What the government forces have found as they fought their way deep into the Sambisa forest where Boko Haram is based, is a force that could have been reckoned with long ago. Some captured militants even said they lacked guns and ammunition, and were often reduced to fighting with sticks.

The recent offensive, as well as the tragic plight of women held in horrendous conditions for months, has left some in the international community wondering why these actions couldn’t have been taken sooner.

Gee, I dunno. Maybe because Obama put the nix on it? You know, denying them weapons shipments, supplies, threatening them with war crimes at the UN over using barrel bombs. That kind of thing. And now, perhaps with sanctions lifted since O’s pet won the election, old Goodluck is making hay while the sun shines. There is a lot more to this story than this little news article is aware of. 

Posted by Drew458     on 05/06/2015 at 08:43 AM   
Filed Under: • Africa • Obama, The One • War On Terror •  
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