Why should we interfere in Nigeria and not in Iraq?

[DodgyAgent]

Anyone got the answer to this?

[doodab]

Anyone got the answer to this?

Although I think interfering in Iraq turned out badly I wasn't against it at the time.

The big difference is that in Nigeria we'd be assisting a stable & fairly agreeable regime in the short term instead of overthrowing a less than pleasant one and creating a long term power vacuum. So it's much less likely to turn into a cluster****.

[Scruff]

Because the C8H18 in Nigeria can be controlled and China is already very keen on building Infrastructure in West Africa?

Iraq, on the other hand is managed by "friendlies" (if you can call them that?).

[DodgyAgent]

Although I think interfering in Iraq turned out badly I wasn't against it at the time.

The big difference is that in Nigeria we'd be assisting a stable & fairly agreeable regime in the short term instead of overthrowing a less than pleasant one and creating a long term power vacuum. So it's much less likely to turn into a cluster****.

Fair enough but previous excursions have shackled the West and they will not interfere. Furthermore the Nigerian government is hardly going to own up to its own incompetence is it? Which makes it even harder for the West to do something anyway.

[doodab]

Fair enough but previous excursions have shackled the West and they will not interfere. Furthermore the Nigerian government is hardly going to own up to its own incompetence is it? Which makes it even harder for the West to do something anyway.

Well they are apparently accepting outside help on this one so we'll see how it goes. Whether it's just giving advice or an actual rescue attempt is the big question.

[DodgyAgent]

Well they are apparently accepting outside help on this one so we'll see how it goes. Whether it's just giving advice or an actual rescue attempt is the big question.

WE will see

[Flashman]

Anyone got the answer to this?

We're not actually going to do anything. Too far away and too expensive.

Its just one of those stories that our politicians like to be seen to be 'engaged' with. Look sad and concerned on camera. The peasants like to see that sort of thing.

[vetran]

This is a rescue mission not an overthrow of the government or battle with insurgents. Any help should be clearly marked as such.

Iraq was to overthrow a government.

If the French Government had a similar situation I would expect us to offer our support.

[Mich the Tester]

Anyone got the answer to this?

I have AN answer. If Boko Haram achieve their aim of linking up with Al Shabaab to the east and Al Qaeda in Mali and the Maghreb, there will be a stream of refugees heading north the magnitude of which has never been seen in human history. Basically, step in now and give them a bloody good kicking or accept that the thousands trying to cross the Med to Europe will become millions. There are lots of people in Europe who don't like the idea of a huge stream of refugees from West Africa.

Plus, it's a rescue mission, and an opportunity to show all those people in West Africa that the extremists will not be allowed to bully them.

[doodab]

I have AN answer. If Boko Haram achieve their aim of linking up with Al Shabaab to the east and Al Qaeda in Mali and the Maghreb, there will be a stream of refugees heading north the magnitude of which has never been seen in human history.

That is a good point. You only have to look at the number of asylum seekers and immigrants from Somalia & Sudan to work out how it's going to end if we don't do nip the problem in the bud. Nigeria has more than 3x the population of both of those countries combined so we can expect a lot more.