Who is Boko Haram, and Why Should You Care?

[mrjarrell]

They crossed into Chad and murdered 26 people by cutting their throats.

'Boko Haram slit throats of 26 civilians' in Chad

 

[T.Lex]

Nigeria's Muhammadu Buhari: US 'aiding' Boko Haram with arms ban - BBC News

So, perfectly logical.

Nigeria is a human-rights-abusing cesspool of a corrupt, but secular, country. Boko Haram is a terrorist group that is trying to turn Nigeria (among other places) into a province of the Islamic Caliphate. Both suck.

But, according to Nigeria's leader, by not selling (or giving) better arms to Nigeria, the US is tacitly supporting Boko Haram.

This kind of thing is what makes foreign policy tricky.

 

[ghuns]

I still don't care.

 

[T.Lex]

I still don't care.

Really? Oh. Ok.

Out of curiosity, what would it take for you to care about Boko Haram, or what happens in Nigeria?

 

[ghuns]

Really? Oh. Ok.

Out of curiosity, what would it take for you to care about Boko Haram, or what happens in Nigeria?

Caring about every instance of barbarian hoards murdering innocent people is an exercise in futility. I wish it hadn't happened throughout human history. I wish it wasn't happening today. I hope it doesn't happen in the future. But it will. Because people suck.

 

[T.Lex]

Caring about every instance of barbarian hoards murdering innocent people is an exercise in futility.

Oh right, I totally get that. But, is there some point at which certain barbarian hordes deserve our care and attention?

USians didn't care about Afghanistan, or the atrocities committed by the Taliban, until 9/11.

 

[ghuns]

USians didn't care about Afghanistan, or the atrocities committed by the Taliban, until 9/11.

I would say we still don't. We only cared that they were giving Bin Laden a place to play.

If the Taliban, Boko Haram, or ISIS would stick to their limited geographic regions and concentrate on dragging their people back to the 9th century, I say let them have at it. When their attempts to export their ideology cause us sufficient harm, we'll care.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

US Deploying 300 Troops to Cameroon to Help Fight Boko Haram - ABC News

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Hostages have been rescued

https://vomcanada.com/ng-2015-10-29.htm

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Cameroon army kills 100 from Boko Haram, frees 900 hostages

 

[mrjarrell]

Yet another atrocity committed by Boko Haram. This time they set fire to a village and burned people alive.

Boko Haram burns kids alive in Nigeria, 86 dead: officials | The Charlotte Observer

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Teen girl sent by Boko Haram rips off suicide vest, refuses to bomb refugee camp - World - CBC News

 

[ArcadiaGP]

More than 800 Boko Haram hostages rescued by Nigerian army | World news | The Guardian

 

[GREEN607]

​Good find!

 

[MCgrease08]

Sadly it's time to dust this thread off again.

Nigeria: Boko Haram Kills 81 in ‘Barbaric’ Overnight Village Attack

Rabiu Isa, a member of a local Gubio area defense force, described Tuesday’s overnight ambush: “They came on motorcycles and vehicles and killed people at will in an attack that lasted more than two hours. In all, we counted 69 corpses but the death toll may be higher because some people are still missing.”

According to the report, Governor Zulum raised the death toll to 81 on Wednesday after interviewing survivors of the attack. He said that after speaking with locals he learned that seven people, including the leader of the village, were kidnapped by Boko Haram.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Sadly it's time to dust this thread off again.

Nigeria: Boko Haram Kills 81 in ‘Barbaric’ Overnight Village Attack

Huh. So Nigeria and Chicago aren't all that different then.