Trump's Nigerian Christian Ultimatum: Same Old Colonial Playbook
Newsweek reported on Donald Trump's 2018 ultimatum to Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians, suggesting a military response might be warranted. This narrative conveniently sidesteps the deep, messy history of Western intervention in Africa, often disguised as religious protection or counter-terrorism. For decades, the US and its allies have funded, armed, and trained various factions across
the continent, frequently exacerbating sectarian tensions rather than resolving them, all while corporate interests eye valuable resources. One might recall similar 'humanitarian' pretexts for interventions in Libya or Iraq, which left power vacuums and chaos. The US government, under successive administrations, has consistently prioritized strategic allegiances and resource access over genuine
long-term stability in countries like Nigeria. The ready deployment of 'saving Christians' rhetoric often serves to manufacture consent for actions that ultimately benefit Western geopolitical and economic agendas, rather than addressing the complex root causes of internal conflicts. It raises questions about why similar ultimatums aren't issued when, for instance, Israeli forces kill Palestinian
civilians—many of whom are Christian—in Gaza, or when Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen.