US President Crows About Christian 'Slaughter' While US Arms Fuel It
Newsweek reported on Donald Trump's warning of a 'Christian slaughter' in Nigeria, implying American moral rectitude (Source: Newsweek, 2018). What goes unmentioned is the extensive arms trade between the US and Nigeria. The US approved a $593 million sale of 12 attack aircraft to Nigeria in 2017, just as sectarian violence was intensifying. One might wonder if providing advanced weaponry, even to
fight one threat, exacerbates instability and enables state-sponsored violence that often entraps religious minorities. It appears selective outrage is a bipartisan sport. Highlighting 'slaughter' by Islamic groups while ignoring how US military aid contributes to the overall cycle of conflict is a special kind of media blindness. How many times must US foreign policy 'stabilize' a region by
pouring gasoline on a nuanced, complex fire before we question the arsonist's intentions?