On January 3rd in Nigeria, a group that has terrorized Nigeria for years committed it's deadliest crime so far. Boko Haram is a group that fights for a stricter form of Sharia law. They raided 16 different towns and villages during a several day onslaught and they left bodies of families strewn across the streets. The death toll so far is estimated to be around 2,000 and the number of displaced between 20,000 and 30,000. The Nigerian military is launching a campaign to kill all of Boko Haram and they have requested aid for their fight from countries around the world. Boko Haram is the same group that kidnapped 200 school girls back in April and they still haven't been found. Many refugees from the raids have abandoned Nigeria and moved into neighboring Cameroon, and Paul Biya, the president of Cameroon said, that and global response will be required in order to destroy the terrorist group.
I think that this is obviously a terrible thing and it is kind of sad how it doesn't even get as much attention as 4 guys who killed 12 people in Paris. This usually happens because it is in Africa and in the West we seem to consider Africa to be just a horrible place full of tribes and third world countries. Nobody ever really does anything about 2,000 Africans being killed, but its a way bigger deal when 12 people get killed in Paris.
Do you think the the US or any other western countries, should physically do something to support the fight against Boko Haram, like sending troops or using air power to help? Explain why?
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/09/africa/boko-haram-violence/index.html
Replies
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I agree that this tragedy is being overlooked and something needs to be done. Though it may not be big in the news but it is extremely sad and Boko Haram need to be neutralized. It's not bad enough they took those 200 school girls now they have killed 2,000 people and barely anything has been done. If other countries don't start to support Nigeria Boko Haram is going to destroy it.
Using air power, yes. Sending troops, no. Sending troops puts live more at stake than if we had support flying above with unmanned drones and technology like that.
It is more effective though to put soldiers on the ground and you might always hit civilians with drones and stuff though, plus they are probably hiding in the jungle and would be hard to hit.
This story is very on point about how 12 people get more attention than 2000 people, and it is not right. I think we need to help and send supplies but you cant kill a terrorists group. Physically you can but another will just pop right up.
We could send supplies to the towns/villges but it think we shouldn't get involved unless they threaten us but until they do that we should just leave it alone.
This is terrible. I do agree with you how 12 people getting killed gets more attention than 2,000 people being killed. I think most the reason for that is people always think that Africa is the most dangerous place because of Ebola but what they don't understand is that it is only in the north-western part of Africa. Now back to the question, I feel as if this is something that many countries need to work together and take out Boko Haram. Of course it would be tough to catch them all but we could at least make an effort to help.
The U.S. should send troops in, but try and use as few resources as possible
I believe that we should stay out of it unless it is interfering with one of our allies. I don't know what countries in Africa are in an alliance to the US, but I think we shoudl definitely protect our allies.
I do not really know much about other countries. But I am both sides on whether the US should help or not. I do not think we should because we do not need to get involved in something that does not really occur to us. But then I also think we should because it is a terrible thing that is happening to these people, and the Boko Haram probably really needs to be stopped before it just keeps continuing. Even though it does not affect us really, except not now at least they should really probably get stopped before anything more serious happens.
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