Clinton Vows US Action Against Boko Haram

Nigerian Militant Faction 'Unreconcilable,' Insists US

One would figure that between the constant bombardment of Libya, the growing influence of al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the drone strikes against Somalia and the tens of thousands of missing missiles, the US would have their plate full in northern Africa. Officials are always willing to add more, however.

So over the weekend, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was talking with her Nigerian counterpart Olugbenga Ashiru, and promised that the US would help in any way necessary with the Nigerian government constant attempts to wipe out Boko Haram, a militant faction.

Boko Haram, one may remember, got its start as a violently anti-technology movement which was loudly denouncing the “heretical” view that the world is round. In 2009, armed with bows and arrows and a lot of long sticks, they were massacred by the Nigerian military and fell into irrelevance for around a year.

Then, in typical blowback fashion, the group decided to abandon its dislike of things like guns and car bombs and became a real terrorist group, launching major attacks. Clinton has now termed them “unreconcilable,” which isn’t actually a word, and is committing the US to yet another conflict.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.