US to send 300 Troops to Boost Cameroon in Fight against Boko Haram: Chad and Nigeria
Paul Joseph Nzeribe, Takeshi Hasegawa and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Since Muhammadu Buhari became the President of Nigeria a new fresh impetus against Boko Haram is gradually occurring. Despite this, Boko Haram keeps on launching fresh terrorist attacks in Nigeria and increasingly against other nations like Cameroon and Chad. Other regional nations like Benin and Niger are also supporting Nigeria because of the fear of this radical Sunni Takfiri Islamist group. Therefore, regional nations will welcome America sending 300 troops and important military hardware to the Cameroon.
President Obama of America clearly appears bereft of ideas in relation to Iraq, Libya and Syria. After all, America and other NATO and Gulf powers have unleashed untold chaos in Libya and Syria based on collective intrigues. Similarly, because of these forces being behind the destabilization of Syria, then Iraq also felt the repercussions of a second destabilization. Out of this folly, various al-Qaeda forces and ISIS (Islamic State – IS) have spread to Iraq, Libya and Syria (and other nations).
However, just like the mixed messages of France in relation to destabilizing Libya with other nations, but then helping Mali to stem the tide unleashed by various vacuums. Then equally, if America is involved in a genuine anti-terrorist force then this must be welcomed.
Reuters reports (France 24) “The United States is sending 300 U.S. troops, along with surveillance drones, to Cameroon to bolster a West African effort to counter the Nigerian militant Islamist group Boko Haram, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.”
It is known that France is working closely with Chad and other regional powers based on long-term close relations. Indeed, the armed forces of Chad are highly respected throughout the region because of the professionalism of elite units. Therefore, it appears that Cameroon was selected by America based on geographic factors and because of the close relationship between Chad and France. In other words, two nations on the front-line are openly being boosted by major Western powers in order to coordinate and to stabilize the situation.
Business Insider reports “Chad boasts by far the mightiest army in the region, and is France’s main African military ally. Chadian soldiers provided irreplaceable ground help chasing Islamist militias that had taken control of northern Mali into the desert, as French power struck from the air.”
Obama notified Congress that an advanced force of roughly 90 personnel from the military is already in the Cameroon. The president also confirmed that Cameroon welcomes this move and that this is part of an ongoing approach to tackling the Boko Haram crisis.
Military personnel according to Obama will “conduct airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region…These forces are equipped with weapons for the purpose of providing their own force protection and security, and they will remain in Cameroon until their support is no longer needed.”
Soldiers will initially be deployed to northern Cameroon in the city of Garoua. Of course, this makes geographic sense because Garoua is near the border of Nigeria. Therefore, part of the deployment will also focus heavily on surveillance by utilizing predator drones.
Boko Haram clearly needs tackling because this barbaric Sunni Takfiri Islamist force slaughters Christians and Muslims alike. Similarly, Boko Haram attacks Christian churches and Muslim mosques because Muslims who don’t support Boko Haram are deemed to be apostates. At the same time, vast numbers of schoolgirls in Nigeria have been kidnapped and Christian girls face forced conversion or death if they refuse to renounce the Christian faith.
Overall, it is important that nations like America and France support anti-terrorist forces in Africa because often this continent is neglected. Also, nations like Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger need economic, political and military support for the collective bravery in supporting Nigeria against the menace of Boko Haram.
http://www.france24.com/en/20151014-obama-us-cameroon-troops-boko-haram
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