Nigeria: A Christian Christmas Bombing
Dem use sorrow, tears, and blood
Dem regular trademark
Two days ago, I forwarded a piece to several Nigerians and a former South African on the American Grammy's amusingly giving an award to Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti. Wouldn't have happened no way, no how back in the 70s & 80s when Fela was putting out some of the greatest music on the planet. An award at that time might have helped Fela in his truly courageous stand against Nigeria's then brutal military dictatorship, alerting the junta's funders – the American public, where their dollars paid to fill their car tanks were going. So, no irony last night when the US bombed Nigeria.
It did make me think somewhere in the constitution it states we can't bomb another country unless at least 10% of the citizenry can pick it out on a map. 10% of Americans pick out Nigeria on a map, I don't think so. Sokoto state itself, where the missiles landed? Boy, there isn't .1% of Americans who could pick that out on a map. Good thing AI will soon do all our thinking.
It's all just another example of our rogue presidency and the National Security State, a situation long developed before the current office-holder's ever more obscene excesses. It's one of the things about all the anti-Trumpers. Not many put together Trump can do what he does because the presidency grew completely out of control over the past 75 years. Though honestly, it goes back to Mr. Lincoln, not to mention Jefferson stated it all was destined with the design of the constitution itself. Yet, how many still claim and believe all will be fixed with a new man or woman in the office, no reckoning or even recognition of the acute problems inherent in the office itself.
The Nigerian Federal Government, under Richard J. Daley College and Chicago State University alum Bola Tinubu, claims they participated in the strike. Nothing new for the Nigerian military to be used against the Nigerian people, it's a long established state tradition. That Sokoto, where in 1900 the Brits overthrew the caliphate to officially begin Nigeria's colonial status might raise eyebrows, if you could incredulously think any American had any understanding of this history, certainly not the president for one.
I've written a fair amount on Nigeria over the years. Most recently, I talked with Trippi about Nigeria and a half-dozen years ago with Ames and Dolan, again just a couple weeks ago. Some might say I'm an expert - funny, funny stuff. I'm waiting for calls from the NYT and Wolf Blitzer.
Nigeria is a beautiful country with great people. Bombing's not going to make anything better, except for the stockholders of Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon, and they're a generally miserable lot no matter how much money they're making.
