Lates news about MEND is quite interesting:


http://www.huhuonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=395:exposed-american-commandos-to-tackle-mend-a-recalcitrant-militants-&catid=103:more-news&Itemid=333


[size=18pt]Exposed! American Commandos to tackle MEND & Recalcitrant Militants [/size]

If the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) intends to make good its threat to resume attacks at the end of the 60-day amnesty period – (September 15) offered by the

Federal Government, let Government Ekpumopolo aka Tompolo and his men remember this: they would be up against not the usual rag-tag Nigerian army. Rather, they will be confronting a highly trained and sophisticated, well equipped, battle-tested contingent of American commandos and South African Special Forces who are poised to take over security of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region.

Faced with the threat of renewed militant attacks and economic sabotage that had seen Nigeria’s oil production drop by almost one-fifth, President Umaru Musa Yar’adua and his top advisers are now considering a proposal to strengthen Nigeria’s security for its oil fields and installations. The project: “Nigeria Delta Onshore and Offshore Oil Security Plan” will be led by the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander; an American 4-star General; Wesley K. Clark (Rtd).

Gen. Clark will receive “Strategic advice” on the project from Richard A. Clarke who spent eleven years at the White House advising three American Presidents on national security and counter-terrorism. Mr. Clarke, who also spent 19 years in the Pentagon, the US intelligence Community and the State Department, is now a partner in Good Harbor – a Virginia based global strategic security consulting firm with expertise in oil and gas security. In a letter addressed to Senator Polycarp Nwite, Senior Political Adviser to President Yar’adua, (See copy attached)please copy and paste into browser

http://huhuonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=397:good-harbor&catid=85:america&Itemid=269

Gen. Wesley Clark indicated that the proposed security assessment for the offshore and onshore oil facilities will be done in three phases: threat assessment, on-site security surveys and gap analysis and risk mitigation. He outlined the full range of different threat scenarios to Nigeria’s oil and gas installations “including armed conflict, insurgency, terrorism, sabotage or insider action, as well as the possibility that these threats could occur simultaneously or in conjunction with one another.” 

Aso Rock is treating the proposal as top secret but barring any serious domestic opposition, there are strong indications that President Yar’adua will outsource the security of the Niger Delta to safeguard oil and gas installations, while sending a strong message to recalcitrant unrepentant militants that their days of glory are over. Going forward, peace will reign in the Niger Delta at all costs!

Huhuonline.com also learnt from sources close to Good Harbor Consulting that recruitment of the commandos and private military contractors for the Niger Delta assignment is currently underway in the United States. The team is expected to comprise mostly battle-tested US ex-marines and Special Forces from the Iraqi and Afghan campaigns whose task would be to comb the Niger Delta region with instructions to shoot-to-kill anyone suspected of trying to sabotage oil and gas installations.

Good Harbor Consulting intends to “assist the Nigerian government in developing a plan to secure its onshore and offshore facilities.” Details of the Niger Delta Security plan; a copy of which was obtained exclusively by Huhuonline.com from impeccable K-Street sources in Washington DC makes for very interesting reading as it is based more on official western assumptions including assessments by the US Navy of maritime threats in the Niger Delta region than the practical realities on the ground.

The plan also considers such non-conflict related risks – direct action groups, labor unions, refugees or migrant exodus from the Niger Delta and piracy. It examines patterns and precedents for targeting and tactics used by militants to attack offshore and onshore oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta and assess how these are likely to evolve over a ten-year period.  The central nexus of the project is to identify, design and employ risk reducing systems and technologies to remove, reduce or mitigate threats and risks, including procedures and protocols which may be required for additional security teams escorting vessels.

The aim is to provide a “comprehensive system of sensors and communications technology to improve security of Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.” Such a system will involve the use of UAVs – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles linked to satellites and Aerostats, maritime radar, motion and pressure sensors and GPS cameras linked to a regional command center to monitor oil tankers and offshore and onshore platforms. Special operations patrol boat units will provide back-up but the technological components will be inter-operable and fully integrated into what the project documents described as C4ISR - (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) centers at appropriate locations in the Niger Delta. (See diagram illustration below)

http://huhuonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=398:csr-document&catid=85:america&Itemid=269

Although the possibility of private US and South African military contractors (ex-marines and Special Forces) battling militants in the creeks of the Niger Delta with civilians caught in the crossfire evokes memories of the ongoing guerrilla warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan and raises very grim prospects of escalating the conflict into open civil war, hawks within the Nigerian government led by Defense Minister, Major General Godwin Abbe (Rtd) are said to back the plan.

Nigerian defense sources told Huhuonline.com that Abbe is bent on retaliating that attacks on the Oil installations in Lagos (blamed on militants) that he is prepared to give the Americans a free hand to turn the Niger Delta inside out, including killing innocent civilians as collateral damage, if that is what it will take to pacify the region and rid it of militants. In both his public and private statements, Abbe is quoted as warning the militants not to resume attacks on oil installations, saying they have lost the support and sympathy of Nigerian public opinion.

Whether or not the defiant MEND militants decide to go back to militancy is their choice, the Defense boss has been saying to anyone who cared to listen, but he warned that the authorities would not fail to deploy the armed forces to curtail insurgence from any part of Nigeria and provide security to its citizens and oil facilities.

Bayelsa State Governor, Timi-pre Sylva, who has been briefed on the project, and wholeheartedly supports it, has suddenly become a hardliner; telling the defiant MEND militants that they have much more to lose if they fail to accept the amnesty deal before expiration. He has even dared the militants to make good their threatened resort to violence which he dismissed as empty rhetoric.

MEND had vowed to resume attacks on oil installations on September 15 in order to prove that the guns being surrendered by militants were owned by the government. The threat came on the day repentant militants in Bayelsa State returned over 95,970 rounds of ammunition and 520 rifles at a colorful ceremony held at the Isaac Boro Peace Park in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

How much the project will cost the Nigerian tax payer and how the government intends to pay for the project is yet to be determined. Above all, whether the American commandos and Special Forces will succeed in ending militancy in the Niger Delta remains to be seen.

lol of course that oil is also Americas oil that they have been payin for.

Sad.

As usual, those nigerians can not fight. We said it and it's happening now. During the war against Biafrans, they were almost calling it quits because of the fear of the rapid advancement of the Biafran forces until Britain assured them of military assistance when Gowon was already about the flee Lagos.
Britain, Sudan Egypt and Russian came in to fight the war for them and they came out to take the glory. Now, it is going to backfire as the Americans will have a totally different agenda to come in disguise and then later help in dividing the country as they have already predicted.
After all, they the Americans still would not lose anything as the oil in the hands of it's rightful owners the Niger Deltans will still be exploited by American companies and sold to America. But this time with the money accrued from the sales going direct into the pockets of the real oil owners, the Niger Delta government.

okay let me get this right the nigerian govt is INVITING US COMMANDOES ONTO NIGERIAN SOIL IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD NIGERIAN OIL WELLS AND KILL NIGERIANS ON THEIR OWN SOIL!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it should be abundantly clear to anyone who was in any doubt before that the nigerian govt are US puppets, obviously the puppet master now feels that its high time they take charge of the situation and take control of the oil wells in the niger delta region, unlike Iraq these scumbag leaders are actually inviting a foreign army to occupy their land, so basically this is really a covert invasion.

what makes these useless traitors think america will leave after they have undertaken this task? after all if they are investing millions in military personnel and equipment why not simply establish a permanent base in nigeria under the guise of peacekeeping just like in Iraq.

words fail me, this does not bode well for nigeria at all.

cap28:

okay let me get this right the nigerian govt is INVITING US COMMANDOES ONTO NIGERIAN SOIL IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD NIGERIAN OIL WELLS AND KILL NIGERIANS ON THEIR OWN SOIL!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it should be abundantly clear to anyone who was in any doubt before that the nigerian govt are US puppets, obviously the puppet master now feels that its high time they take charge of the situation and take control of the oil wells in the niger delta region, unlike Iraq these scumbag leaders are actually inviting a foreign army to occupy their land, so basically this is really a covert invasion.

what makes these useless traitors think america will leave after they have undertaken this task? after all if they are investing millions in military personnel and equipment why not simply establish a permanent base in nigeria under the guise of peacekeeping just like in Iraq.

words fail me, this does not bode well for nigeria at all.

It will certainly bode well for the people of nigeria. Obama is about to bring peace to the people of nigeria. When his army comes in to occupy the Niger Delta, the fighting will rage on and eventually the UN will come in and negotiation will resume which will finally bring the country to regional rule or total break up. Our lobyists are doing great job at the moment. America's coming in into Niger Delta will be a great thing to happen and a blessing in disguise. The division will be peaceful with them on ground before any war.

@assuming the topic is true . . .

Africa can now smile now that the first contigent of an occupying force is starting to take shape.

If US talk say dem no wan leave again, so na who go remove them . . .

Here goes the start of a slow and long process of neocolonialism. . .


Now people know the reason why Africom should never take root in Africa. . . I hope the Ghanians wake up . . .

Na lie!
So Yar Adua signs Nigaz with Russia, then begs US marines to take over the ND; how does that make any sense?

By the Grace of God, the govt will be foolish enough sha.

It will certainly bode well for the people of nigeria. Obama is about to bring peace to the people of nigeria. When his army comes in to occupy the Niger Delta, the fighting will rage on and eventually the UN will come in and negotiation will resume which will finally bring the country to regional rule or total break up. Our lobyists are doing great job at the moment. America's coming in into Niger Delta will be a great thing to happen and a blessing in disguise. The division will be peaceful with them on ground before any war.

i dont agree - Obama is simply continuing what his predecessor started - AFRICOM - but it seems as if the americans have decided to accelerate its implementation.  remember the US put the proposal forward to establish military bases all over africa last year and nigeria supposedly rejected it.  now it seems the americans are pushing forward with their proposal.

if you think this will bring peace to nigeria you are mistaken, america is not doing this for peace keeping purposes it is purely economic self interest - they want the wells to run at maximum production level, they're not interested in the niger delta people and the repression being meted out by the nigerian military.

as for the UN again you are mistaken - you should find out about the atrocities they are committing in Haiti.  

Bayelsa State Governor, Timi-pre Sylva, who has been briefed on the project, and wholeheartedly supports it, has suddenly become a hardliner; telling the defiant MEND militants that they have much more to lose if they fail to accept the amnesty deal before expiration. He has even dared the militants to make good their threatened resort to violence which he dismissed as empty rhetoric.

why am i not suprised at this scoundrel's behaviour - this man couldnt give two shits about MEND - if ever there was a traitor its this man.

cap28:

okay let me get this right the nigerian govt is INVITING US COMMANDOES ONTO NIGERIAN SOIL IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD NIGERIAN OIL WELLS AND KILL NIGERIANS ON THEIR OWN SOIL!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it should be abundantly clear to anyone who was in any doubt before that the nigerian govt are US puppets, obviously the puppet master now feels that its high time they take charge of the situation and take control of the oil wells in the niger delta region, unlike Iraq these scumbag leaders are actually inviting a foreign army to occupy their land, so basically this is really a covert invasion.

what makes these useless traitors think america will leave after they have undertaken this task? after all if they are investing millions in military personnel and equipment why not simply establish a permanent base in nigeria under the guise of peacekeeping just like in Iraq.

words fail me, this does not bode well for nigeria at all.

American involvement in many foreign disputes usually start commercially, just think of 1890s Libya, Phillipines, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and then Iraq.
Just like Blackwater in Iraq, this Safe Habour security company sounds like a group of retired US military operatives who simply find their pensions insufficient these days, and want to make a few extra bucks from places like Nigeria.

Here again goes the need to be fully educated about precedents in the area, and I don't know that Yar'dua is up to the task. Advisers, are simply that -advisers, at the end of the day, the decision will be that of the commander in chief of the federal republic of Nigeria.

American involvement in many foreign disputes usually start commercially, just think of 1890s Libya, Phillipines, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and then Iraq.
Just like Blackwater in Iraq, this Safe Habour security company sounds like a group of retired US military operatives who simply find their pensions insufficient these days, and want to make a few extra bucks from places like Nigeria.

Here again goes the need to be fully educated about precedents in the area, and I don't know that Yar'dua is up to the task. Advisers, are simply that -advisers, at the end of the day, the decision will be that of the commander in chief of the federal republic of Nigeria.

yes but the problem is that america is an imperial power - it beleives in expansion and domination of weaker nations - that has always been its mode of operation  and it never deviates from it - with the exception of vietnam that suffered an invasion without subsequent occupation the phillipines and  iraq all ended up being permanently occupied by america. 

not that i care what happens to Yar adua but doesnt he understand the implications for him if america refuses to withdraw their military operatives. 

my feeling is that america are using the niger delta situation as an excuse to occupy the region, think about it, this is the excuse that they are using for their current occupation of iraq - why arent they pulling out troops from that region? because  supposedly they are maintaining peace within the region and if they leave the country will fall into a state of chaos - this is total nonsense because iraq is in total chaos because they are there, they did the same thing in vietnam - their excuse then was "we're trying to free them from an oppressive communist threat" - all lies. with the niger delta situation they have a legitimate excuse - peacekeeping- but theyve been dying to locate military bases in nigeria for the simple reason of securing the oil wells since last year.

cap28:



yes but the problem is that america is an imperial power - it beleives in expansion and domination of weaker nations - that has always been its mode of operation and it never deviates from it - with the exception of vietnam that suffered an invasion without subsequent occupation the phillipines and iraq all ended up being permanently occupied by america.

not that i care what happens to Yar adua but doesnt he understand the implications for him if america refuses to withdraw their military operatives.

my feeling is that america are using the niger delta situation as an excuse to occupy the region, think about it, this is the excuse that they are using for their current occupation of iraq - why arent they pulling out troops from that region? because supposedly they are maintaining peace within the region and if they leave the country will fall into a state of chaos - this is total nonsense because iraq is in total chaos because they are there, they did the same thing in vietnam - their excuse then was "we're trying to free them from an oppressive communist threat" - all lies. with the niger delta situation they have a legitimate excuse - peacekeeping- but theyve been dying to locate military bases in nigeria for the simple reason of securing the oil wells since last year.

America might be considered more pro-globalization than an imperialistic country.
Within globalization Nigeria can benefit as the Chinese did.
it all depends on on how a person see it.

America might be considered more pro-globalization than an imperialistic country.
Within globalization Nigeria can benefit as the Chinese did.
it all depends on on how a person see it.

whats the difference between globalization and imperialism?  absolutely nothing

globalisation is simply a euphemism for world wide expansion, domination and control which is precisely what imperialism is. the americans prefer to use the word "globalisation" as it sounds less threatening than imperialism but the bottom line is that the  objective of both words are the same - world wide domination and control of economic and political forces.

cap28:

whats the difference between globalization and imperialism? absolutely nothing

globalisation is simply a euphemism for world wide expansion, domination and control which is precisely what imperialism is. the americans prefer to use the word "globalisation" as it sounds less threatening than imperialism but the bottom line is that the objective of both words are the same - world wide domination and control of economic and political forces.

The above is either the most naive or the most dishonest take I have ever read!

cap28:

whats the difference between globalization and imperialism? absolutely nothing

globalisation is simply a euphemism for world wide expansion, domination and control which is precisely what imperialism is. the americans prefer to use the word "globalisation" as it sounds less threatening than imperialism but the bottom line is that the objective of both words are the same - world wide domination and control of economic and political forces.

sjeezy8:

America might be considered more pro-globalization than an imperialistic country.
Within globalization Nigeria can benefit as the Chinese did.
it all depends on on how a person see it.

Whether you want to call it imperialism or globalization developing countries can use it to their advatage.
As of right now thats what Nigeria needs while looking out for the interest of Nigerians first.

are they fighting MEND or helping MEND?

too many grey areas these days.

doesn't imperialism or globaliszation reduce the threat of wars and promote world peace?

tpia.:

are they fighting MEND or helping MEND?

too many grey areas these days.

My understanding from the article is that they are seeking a very lucrative contract from Yar'dua to provide security(security our navy, airforce, and army-JTF can't provide) around the oil installations in the Niger Delta. They will be able to monitor pipeline, tanks, etc using very advanced techniques. I'm sure it would involve fight any group that specializes in damaging any of these installations.

Its all good for our govt to make 9ja a super power battle field, all out of greed and corruption of the elite. They will sell their mothers to the highest bidder.

Everything I'm saying below wouldn't have mattered if Nigeria was functioning correctly. But it isn't so govt needs to be particular about how we deal internationally.

We have already signed gas deals with Russia, whereas our major market is the US. Europeans too are unhappy about the Russian deal.
Sophisticated weapons have recently been purchased from Russia and they are supplying training for these. Russians might also be called upon to man the new equipment if there is conflict. The US has made several military assessments of Nigeria, concluding that the problems in the ND are 100% due to the FG and army; CIA has also made the famous 2015 prediction.
. . .Now add US marines to the mix above What do you see?

@Beaf
I hear you.
Leadership, purpose, direction we have not.

Hey let us at least recognize the positive aspects of a US military presence in Nigeria, namely that there will soon be a Burger King, Starbucks Coffee and McDonalds on every street in the nation, and FINALLY, AT LAST, I will be able to get genuine Ford Classic parts for my '65 Mustang, which has been parked and gathering dust over there for years.

Believe this and you will believe anything.
America are not going to risk the lives of their soldiers in another senseless war they know they cannot win.
The US know that no amount of military force can stop the attacks on oil installations in the niger delta terrain.

Have people noticed that of recent there have been scare mongering reports of how the Nigeria army will launch new attacks on MEND if they end their ceasefire? The whole world know that there is no military solution.Nigeria realised that during the last assault by the army. The amnesty is the last dice that is why the government have been throwing money at it.

If the nigeria army is sent in again, it will be to destroy villages and kill innocent niger deltans as usual. They don't have the capacity to flush out the militants.

Lets wait and see sha

Freedom Fighters are ready and well prepared only waiting for signal From Supreme Commander JOMO.
To dirty stinking Nigeria Soldiers our Crocodiles are hungry waiting for your dead bodies, before leaving your dirty Stinking barracks to fight our freedom Fighters, make sure you say final goodbye to your families.

enuff of these terrorists in the creeks.

Nezan:

enuff of these terrorists in the creeks.

Better focus more on the more crude terrorists in abuja.

@@@@@

this thread is a joke!!

the intiative is also a joke!!

like Obama said in Ghana; Africa cant not relyin on the West to fix their country!!! Only Africans will do it themselves and nobody else

if u like embezzle all Nigeria money to Western Banks, nothing will change my friend!!

Fantacise on the Air force one coming to delta, never

Niger-delta dream on takin Nigeria soldiers on?? u are foolin yourself if the truth has to be said

what next? keep the talkin and the postin

yes the crocodiles are[b] hungry[/b]

Better focus more on the more crude terrorists in abuja.

yeaap!!! gbam

Kobojunkie:

The above is either the most naive or the most dishonest take I have ever read!

Kobojunkie can you explain to me what is "naive" or "dishonest" about the following:

imperialism:  a system used by countries which are economically and politically stronger to expropriate labour, resources, capital and land of countries which are economically and militarily weaker.

globalisation: a process used by powerful corporations to extend corporate monopoly and control over national and local economies by treating international corporate rights as supreme ie taking precedence over rights of sovereign countries.

aim of both of the above: to enrich a tiny minority of plutocrats at the expense of the host nation

so called free trade agreements relied on by america like NAFTA and FTAA provide these multinationals with powers which enable them to overule and undermine economies of soverign countries - the multinationals are so powerful that they can drive down wages, outsource jobs to countries where production costs are less (causing mass unemployment)  and generally have people workign for as low as 15c an hour as is the case in Haiti.  if their economic interests are threatened they can encourage political instability and finance overthrow of "unfriendly regimes" (iraq, haiti, el salvador, guatemala, panama, honduras,venezuela)

here are some countries who have been on the receiving end of globalisation/imperialism at the hands of america:

indonesia, india, thailand, el salvador, brazil, argentina and of course nigeria - what do these countries all share in common - mass poverty, high crime rates, corruption.

the multinationals are the oligarchs and they control sovereign states and govts - think Shell,Chevron, Exxonmobil, General Motors, Cocacola, Microsoft, Walmart.

Before you know it, Nigeria will turn into another IRAQ, and the mend leaders will become Nigeria's "BIN LADEN" to the US. Then the US will fire missiles at peoples homes in cities and villages and say they did it because they suspected MEND was in the area. I SMELL TROUBLE !!!

is this for real?