05-21-2014, 01:23 PM
Update
More bombings by Boko Haram, the schoolgirls are still missing, and Nigerian Christians and Muslims are working together in efforts to find the girls and stand up against Boko Haram's terrorist attacks on Christians and Muslims.
Note: the date on the Youtube video title is incorrect -- it's from today.
Not much information about what, if any, progress is being made by the international team now in Nigeria for over a week.
The US designated Boko Haram a "terrorist group" late last year -- years after the group had already carried out many mass killings. It was a heated debate in Congress. Some Congresspersons argued that Boko Haram wasn't specifically targeting the US and that by designating the group as terrorists it might send the wrong message to President Johnathan that the US condoned the Nigerian government/military's heavy-handed effort to thwart the group (luckily, IMO, wiser heads prevailed and those objections were effectively countered).
Today, the Nigerian government is petitioning the United Nations to designate the Qaeda-linked group a global terrorist organization.
I don't know if making the "terrorist list" really works against such groups or works for them in some ways, giving them more exposure and more ability to attract disgruntled and imbalanced recruits. In any case, it's indisputable, to me, that Boko Haram is a band of criminals led by a nutjob seeking control and profit via murder and terror.
Refs:
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/21/world/...-violence/
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/13/world/...index.html
(HOTD edit: name spelling correction)
More bombings by Boko Haram, the schoolgirls are still missing, and Nigerian Christians and Muslims are working together in efforts to find the girls and stand up against Boko Haram's terrorist attacks on Christians and Muslims.
Note: the date on the Youtube video title is incorrect -- it's from today.
Not much information about what, if any, progress is being made by the international team now in Nigeria for over a week.
The US designated Boko Haram a "terrorist group" late last year -- years after the group had already carried out many mass killings. It was a heated debate in Congress. Some Congresspersons argued that Boko Haram wasn't specifically targeting the US and that by designating the group as terrorists it might send the wrong message to President Johnathan that the US condoned the Nigerian government/military's heavy-handed effort to thwart the group (luckily, IMO, wiser heads prevailed and those objections were effectively countered).
Today, the Nigerian government is petitioning the United Nations to designate the Qaeda-linked group a global terrorist organization.
I don't know if making the "terrorist list" really works against such groups or works for them in some ways, giving them more exposure and more ability to attract disgruntled and imbalanced recruits. In any case, it's indisputable, to me, that Boko Haram is a band of criminals led by a nutjob seeking control and profit via murder and terror.
Refs:
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/21/world/...-violence/
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/13/world/...index.html
(HOTD edit: name spelling correction)