doyin13:

@skyone

I don't know why there is so much apprehension against some form of American presence.

At least you are A bit domesticated, very simple, where in this world we live in that the Americans has contributed positively, please mention one. They colonised Liberia, what is their effect on that country, poverty and war.

doyin13:
The reason why Arabs in the middle east are up in arms about American presence in their midst is largely
for religious reasons and not for economic reasons.

If American presence in Africa will lead to more trade with the Americans then it has to be welcomed as long as they
are willing to pay a fair price for it.

So have they now solve the religious reasons since 1957, think. (2) You said not for economic reasons, about 250 american soldiers died in the Gulf war, only because Sadam is claiming part of the Kuwaiti land. As a matter of fact they even sold large number of outdated atomic weapons to saddam, still religious reasons abi, my friend think.

doyin13:

The reason why Arabs in the middle east are up in arms about American presence in their midst is largely
for religious reasons and not for economic reasons.

If American presence in Africa will lead to more trade with the Americans then it has to be welcomed as long as they
are willing to pay a fair price for it.

Who controls OPEC, and who dictates, i will help the Americans.

[This a priori antagonism against American presence is frankly a bit childish. [quote][/quote]
IGNORANCE IS A DECEASE.

@Skyone

Hahaha. . .

You guys sha have time to surgically dissect someone's posts. . .

If religion is the reason for the antagonism in the Middle East, I see no reason why it should be a stumbling block to an American base in Southern Nigeria where religious intensity is nowhere near as strong.

Wherei n the world has America done any good you ask. Well as you are so good in dissecting, how about polling the two sides of the Korean divide and asking them whose sie they'd rather be on, the South Korean/American axis or the North Korean/Chinese side.

And if you think America controls OPEC, then you my friend are the ignorant one.

Kobojunkie:


The fact that instead of focusing on the topic at hand, you jump to attacking my person reveals a lot about your person. Are you sure I am the ignorant one here?? All you have done so far is spew the same rhetoric we have been spewing in africa for decades now and has yet to move us and the whole of africa anywhere but down. Show me how the so called fall of the german economy you claim is because of the USA and then show us how come the same trend is not being seen in places like Saudi Arabia, Japan and even the UK because of this OR IS IT ?. If you actually spent time reading my posts, you would see that I am not for people spewing the same old imagining crock of bull that has made many Nigerians so paranoid and easy to take advantage of, but for people doing actual research and presenting information to convince us of what is reality from what is fiction.

Please try that and maybe we will actually discuss or I will accept you are just another drive-by-NAMECALLER with nothing valuable to offer but delusions!!!

kOBOGARBAGE, i'm not mad at u

Once again i will ignore all your bull crap because of your ignorance. Very simple, tell me of one country in this very world that the Americans has succesfully developed, if you do i will send you a christmas gift. Please tell me.

We can only develop ourselves not the Americans to help us. We should thank God things are getting better now. Abiola will never forgive them i hope you remember June 12, they prefer us to live with the military government rather than have a better life.

So wake up

doyin13:

@Skyone

Hahaha. . .

You guys sha have time to surgically dissect someone's posts. . .

If religion is the reason for the antagonism in the Middle East, I see no reason why it should be a stumbling block to an American base in Southern Nigeria where religious intensity is nowhere near as strong.

Wherei n the world has America done any good you ask. Well as you are so good in dissecting, how about polling the two sides of the Korean divide and asking them whose sie they'd rather be on, the South Korean/American axis or the North Korean/Chinese side.

And if you think America controls OPEC, then you my friend are the ignorant one.

Honeslty Kobo and I-man are more reasonable than you, what you've posted makes no adequate sense. i'm sure you just want to flow with the crowd[quote][/quote]

@dhoney

indeed!

@ skyone, i wanted to attempt to react to your posts, but when i read you suggesting America controls OPEC i decided it wasnt worth it. My friend you clearly are the ignorant one, your opinions on any issue at all in here should not be considered.

@ doyin13, you are quite right, and i agree with you that the setting up of a military base in Nigeria is really not necessary and might be detrimental to us as a nation if not properly done perhaps the govt stands is justified considering our antecedants of hardly getting things right. My problem however is this blind Anti Americanism and the Pro-China, like the latter is a better evil in itself.

This idea is so far from the truth, that i wonder the foundation. America has been a source of strength and support to a lot of nations, people have allowed the actions of George Bush as a person to blind them on what the American nation stands for. I had a lot of Chinese in my masters class, even far away from home the thot of speaking against their govt is so so scary, it tells you how institutionalsied the fear is.

The truth is that any relationship with any nation can be negative if those in diplomatic circles do not ensure the country as a whole gains, as long as individually they can do business and comfortable, our leaders cant be bothered. I always say it, look at small Liberia and Sierre leone, selfless Nigeria was driven away after loosing so much human and material resources, but we are upset when America would refuse to loose when it invests heavily, i wonder what kind of rationale that is.

@ I-man, i read your response to "denex" when he was contesting your figures, i didnt bother to verify the figures because i know the sorry state of Africa in the international world.

I just wonder why denex would suggest including the arms trade (underground economy, soon someone will say proceeds from corruption should be trade maybe estimate the capital flight making the current position worse, and some of these people say they understand international economics), arms paid for with illegal diamonds or crude oil (bunkering), why should such figures account in calculating trade puzzles me, when it cannot be captured and does not contribute to society.

A lot of times, people live in their "little" extremely little worlds especially Nigerians that either not well exposed, choose not to travell or travell (and remain within their enclaves, Londoners, lol, no one shld crucify me oh). We think so highly of ourselves (which is good) but at times unrealistic and misleading. The NHS budget alone in the UK not the whole health sector, just the NHS is three times the budget of Cuba, i was scarred to do the maths for Nigeria. Then think of the size of the budget in the US.

Thats why some of us are so pained when we hear statements like "this leader tried", he chopped but he worked", or the other loosers arguement we can't compare ourselves to UK or US because bla bla, My question is that do they have 2 heads?

Kobojunkie,there is no need to cry and drool over this topic,afterall we are entitld to our opinions.
And u didnt get my stand on the endangerment of lives and proprty point.over the years,american military installation outside america have been attackd leading to losses not only on d american side but also on that of d local populace.
And who knows,there are rumors of an impending '3rd world war' ,call me paranoid but i think these is just part of their military strategies(in case the war comes).
There is nothing attractive in having an american military base in your country,except you are on those who are 'america crazy' maybe u might be employd as a cleaner when d base is biult.
U.S military bases in germany and japan date only as far as d 2nd world war.these countries,ravagd ,and destroyd as a result of d war couldnt make any choices.america won d war.these nations needed economic recovery and were at america's mercy.so d U.S promisd to help.d small battle camps of 2nd world era have become d military bases of today.these countries had no choice but to accept or they would be left to their problems.
You might want to agree with me that d successes of japan and germany and their recovery were brought about by american aid.
We dont have to accept because they are d greatest nation.
Yar'adua and d other members of d Council of States are surely wiser than you.

doyin13:

After all is said and done though, I think there are good arguments that can be offered against
the siting of an American base in Nigeria.

The most obvious being the kaleidoscopic ethnic composition of Nigeria.

In the event of internal conflict, God Forbid, the involvement of a foreign power might prove even more
incendiary.

Here is a counter for that one. There have been ethnic problems and even a war going on in Uganda where the USA actually has a base but  so far, those foreign forces have yet to get involved in the fight to this day. It has remained a local issue in Uganda. Another case is darfur, Sudan which is right next to Uganda. The USA has yet to get involved in that on a military level.

Considering the volatile nature of things, I do not think that has ever been the intention of AFRICOM, I mean setting up a base in Nigeria. So we have to look to see what is really going on. America already has a base in Africa but MOST AFRICANS DO NOT KNOW THIS, why?? Cause so far, not of their many fears have been confirmed in the time that base has existed at all. And so I think it is time we separate fact from fiction when it comes to this case.

bgees:

Kobojunkie,there is no need to cry and drool over this topic,afterall we are entitld to our opinions.
And u didnt get my stand on the endangerment of lives and proprty point.over the years,american military installation outside america have been attackd leading to losses not only on d american side but also on that of d local populace.
And who knows,there are rumors of an impending '3rd world war' ,call me paranoid but i think these is just part of their military strategies(in case the war comes).
There is nothing attractive in having an american military base in your country,except you are on those who are 'america crazy' maybe u might be employd as a cleaner when d base is biult.
US military bases in germany and japan date only as far as d 2nd world war.these countries,ravagd ,and destroyd as a result of d war couldnt make any choices.america won d war.these nations needed economic recovery and were at america's mercy.so d US promisd to help.d small battle camps of 2nd world era have become d military bases of today.these countries had no choice but to accept or they would be left to their problems.
You might want to agree with me that d successes of japan and germany and their recovery were brought about by american aid.
We don't have to accept because they are d greatest nation.
Yar'adua and d other members of d Council of States are surely wiser than you.

I am not sure what exactly you are answering to so I will stick to this post of yours and maybe we can make some sense of your argument this way.


NOTE
=====

1) Nigeria WAS NEVER On the LIST OF COUNTRIES for the proposed AFRICOM base

2) There has been a USA base in Uganda for some time now and MOST OF AFRICA do not know of it, why?? Cause AMERICA, apparently does not work as many people in their delusions have come to believe.

3) There has been a war in Uganda for years now and yet the Americans are YET TO GET into it, why?? Cause there agreement with the government is one that they stay out of local cases unless the government asks them to.

4) Rumours of War does not FACTS make. Just cause so many people are paranoid about a war coming does not mean 1) There will be such a war and (2) that those they assume will be masterminds of the war will even be involved.

5) If you are looking for World War 3, at least consider the fact that there has been one war after another right there in Africa where you are, every other month, it is one issue after another. Millions more die in that continent from local issues than have died in many outside wars put together. Are you sure America is REALLY africa's problem??

6) There is nothing attractive about having a military base in one's country and if you actually sat down to read my posts before jumping to conclusion, you would realize that NO military base was proposed for Nigeria and 2 People who already have them are not even complaining. In fact, many of them do not know they exist. Ask the UK, GERMANY, Kosovo, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and even Uganda and for a time Egypt. NOT ONE of those countries have RAISED an ISSUE calling for America to LEave that America REFUSED and Said NO FLAT OUT. Infact, Countries like Japan and South Korea have come to depend on the relationship between them and the US millitary for protection. If you remember a while back when I believe N.Korea threatened Japan, Japan called on the USA for backup.  Please research and learn fact from fiction. We can not continue to live ignorant as a people in Africa. We need to step out of the cage we have continually built for self out of fear while we watched the rest of the world move forward.

7) Again, Yaradua never said a base was proposed for Nigeria, He actually said No to an AFRICOM headquarters in Africa. simple. Stop making this what it is not and even if america does not build in africa, sure africa will not die but I am guessing africa will wake up the next day, the same continent it has been for almost ages now.

Africa EATS US BILLIONS each year in AIDS from America, what has Africa done so far with all those billions?? The America millitary come down to train African Forces every other month in fighting and weapon use every other month. Japan does not need AID From america and I doubt Germany does so I do not agree with your claim that Germany and Japan have benefitted from American AID. Infact, America has benefitted quit a lot from it's relationship with Japan. Japan currently rules the world when it comes to technology and the two countries continually exchange ideas on this. The markets in America are cluttered with tech from Japan each year and if you know how much of a rush it is down here to get the latest japanese toy, you would not have said what you said earlier about japan benefitting from american AID.   

9) Two major countries that have so far benefitted quit a lot from America happen to be China and India. If America were to shut it's doors to China today, their economy would half. America is right now fighting for stronger dollars cause they know it benefits them more than any other countries economy has. I am not against China but I am tired of us getting second best in most all things. It is depressing that even to this day, hand me downs and needing some one to tell us what to come do as if we do not have brains of our own to figure things out.

AFRICOM is not about ECONOMY but do not come in here to CLAIM AFRICOM is EVIL cause yoU THINK SO and think that is reason why ALL persons should accept it. THose you fear have POWER over you cause in that you hand them that upper hand.

Again, I urge people to READ, learn to READ. The reason the rest of the world is ahead is not cause they go around imagining gloom and doom in every direction. They study what is already on hand. Study Facts and not fiction to learn what to do and how to do it and then apply this for their own good. These points I have outlined again here are the same exact points I have been drawing on from beginning. I can not imagine how anyone can CLAIM to read all my posts so far and miss practically every thing I say but come up with assumptions that are baseless and meaningless in reply.

and Please FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, can you people not get over yourselves and for once in your lives focus on the topic and not jump to ATTACKING Persons who do not agree with you.

Yes, making things up just cause you can is childish and I see no reason why you should fume when called out on it. I see no reason why you should then feel you need to attack the person personally as it makes you APPEAR MORONIC on all levels making it even harder to continue conversing with persons who think and react like that.

Ha kobojunkie, take it easy. Communism is not the opposite of Democracy. Communism is only different from Capitalism. Communism or Socialism does not equal Dictatorship. Don't let all the vocabulary confuse your brain.

And I-man, please the Chinese elect their leaders into the Communist Party and the highest ranking official in the party becomes President.

I thought there was a system in the UK too where the masses elect people into a party and the highest ranking official in that party becomes Prime Minister. Is that not how Gordon Brown became PM? Or is the UK running a dictatorship too.

denex:

Ha kobojunkie, take it easy. Communism is not the opposite of Democracy. Communism is only different from Capitalism. Communism or Socialism does not equal Dictatorship. Don't let all the vocabulary confuse your brain.

And I-man, please the Chinese elect their leaders into the Communist Party and the highest ranking official in the party becomes President.

I thought there was a system in the UK too where the masses elect people into a party and the highest ranking official in that party becomes Prime Minister. Is that not how Gordon Brown became PM? Or is the UK running a dictatorship too.

No where will you find me stating anything close to what you posted there. I never said communism is opposite of Democracy. I simply said China is a Communist country and not a democratic country as you indicated in your post.  You are the one who claimed China is a democratic country which is far from the truth in china. No confusion here at all.


Democracy describes a small number of related forms of government. Its name comes from the ancient Greek for "rule by the people". A common feature of democracy as currently understood and practised is competitive elections. Competitive elections are usually seen to require freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and some degree of rule of law. Civilian control of the military is often seen as necessary to prevent military dictatorship and interference with political affairs.


Selecting which one of your own people will rule the people who do not themselves have any say when it comes to your selection is not same thing as a DEMOCRACY. This is akin to saying, having someone like MUGABE having an election within his family to decide who will rule Zimbabwe means Zimbabwe is ruled by a democracy @Denex, I am sure in this age we live in, there is a HUGE GAP that does not allow that be tagged a DEMOCRACY, even if a vote is taken in that sort of setting.

If the people of china actually do have a democracy as we speak, why then is there currently a move towards a democratic china where the people get to go to the polls to elect their own leaders Is it that the many organizations calling for a democratic china do not know what you know?? @Denex

denex:

And I-man, please the Chinese elect their leaders into the Communist Party and the highest ranking official in the party becomes President.

I thought there was a system in the UK too where the masses elect people into a party and the highest ranking official in that party becomes Prime Minister. Is that not how Gordon Brown became PM? Or is the UK running a dictatorship too.

Are you still insisting that China is a democracy? You have no ounce of shame.How can you call a one party state,a democracy? The Chinese people don't elect the Communist Party's People's Congress from which the President comes from.

There is nothing you won't hear on NL I need to save this page.

In UK,politicians running for different parties get elected into Parliament.Before the elections,the Parties choose their leader who will be PM in the event of victory in the elections.Its not a one party state like China and the PM has to win elections in his constituency before he can become PM.

Nigerian educational system,na wa!

denex:

Ha kobojunkie, take it easy. Communism is not the opposite of Democracy. Communism is only different from Capitalism. Communism or Socialism does not equal Dictatorship. Don't let all the vocabulary confuse your brain.

And I-man, please the Chinese elect their leaders into the Communist Party and the highest ranking official in the party becomes President.

I thought there was a system in the UK too where the masses elect people into a party and the highest ranking official in that party becomes Prime Minister. Is that not how Gordon Brown became PM? Or is the UK running a dictatorship too.

@ denex, let me attempt to clarify. In the Uk, they run a parliamentary system of government, where as you rightly said the leader of the winning party in the polls becomes the prime minister. Theoretically it aims to achieve a situation where there they dont have an all powerful President. The party can choose to change leader and therefore change prime minister. Most importantly is that you have an opposition that runs a shadow cabinent just as the govt, they appoint all the secretarties (what we call ministers as well) who as the word suggest acts as a shadow on the govt, but have no responsibilities what so ever than to shout when they want to. basically keep the govt on their toes. In the UK, its the conservative party. But also there are not so major oppositions, the Liberal democrats and other smaller units too little to mention.

The issue here is that the pople have a choice to vote for someone else.

But in china, you have only ONE PARTY, the communist party, there is no option to vote for someone else. If thats a democracy, i leave that to you.

We are not talking of economic systmens i.e. capitalism, communism/socialism or mixed ecomonies, we are talking of forms of government dont be confused by the nomenclature communist party.

@I-man.

While I do not agree that the Chinese operate a democracy, a one party system and a democracy are not in any way mutually exclusive.

doyin13:

@I-man.
While I do not agree that the Chinese operate a democracy, a one party system and a democracy are not in any way mutually exclusive.

Theoretically,its possible to have a democratic one-party state,but in practice,its virtually impossible.There has never been a democracy which was a one party state.

Fundamentally,democracy is about freedom to choose your leaders and it is impracticable to exercise that freedom within the restrictions of a single party state.

In theory you might be able to consider a single party state a democracy, since democracy is just a govt chosen by the people, so if the people say they want a single party, then that should be a democracy. But practically how feasible is that, every body wants options.

I personally wont consider a single party state a democracy, because sustaining a single party status quo would involve the infringing on the rights of so many. A major input of democracy is the freedom attached to it, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and all the may freedoms,

Look at the case of China, a good example of a single party system. In China a lot of this rights are non-existant, the media and even the internet is highly censored. This is a party that has been ruling since 1949, the society is highly regulated by the govt, you just cant talk against the communist party, i know many chinese that far away cant talk against its govt, even if they want to. its institutionalsied in them, the way we should respect our parents.

No to US army base


Check Out This Article Written by Ochereome Nnanna of the Vanguard.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1964&Itemid=0

@kobojunkie.
I am sorry if i insultd.
Pls accept my honest apology.
But i still see things differently.and sometimes u cant blame anyone .

bgees:

@kobojunkie.
I am sorry if i insultd.
Please accept my honest apology.
But i still see things differently.and sometimes u can't blame anyone .

My Argument has never been DO NOT SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY. Everyone has opinions and that is fine but when I see people start pushing opinions and their fears as FACTS, that is when I pull out my history book to counter such. One thing I have noted in Africa is that people do that alot and I actually believe that is part of our problem. For example take the case of diseases like polio, TB, smallpox and the whole lot, in most of the developed world, these diseases are now history but we have thousands and even in the millions dying yearly from these same in Africa, why ?? Cause people out of fear and ignorance have convinced themselves their fears speak truth and have so far millions have continued to pay the consequences and we continue doing the same to this day. From stories of tomatoes in canned tins being america's way of giving us aids, the story of AIDS being a foreign disease( yet we continue to spread it even with that belief), to the idea the western world are out to get us by asking us to vaccinate our kids from diseases that could kill them, yes, this is the story of africa to this day. Paranoia and more Paranoia, the sole reason why we continue to remain 30 years behind the rest of the world. Let us at least accept that we are a paranoid people and accept when we make decisions based on this that we understand what we do.

I love the article posted in the article by the journalist there. In the end, the man conceded that all his thoughts were really based on his fears of what might he thinks might be and that is great. Even the first comment below his article explains what even my stand is. In the end, if it turns out that a base is actually built elsewhere in africa, maybe in the north and it turns out our fears are onfounded, I hope for the best of our nation that we at least learn from our mistakes and try to do better for our future. Just let us quit living on CONSPIRACY THEORIES and think we have it all figured out.

@ Kobojunkie

you and your fellow white-supremacists need to stay away from this site if you're never going to see or say anything good about the continent, cos I've noticed all your posts are always tilted to the angle of how the U.S. holds the panacea for all of Africa's evils and all that stuff.

ziddy:

@ Kobojunkie

you and your fellow white-supremacists need to stay away from this site if you're never going to see or say anything good about the continent, because I've noticed all your posts are always tilted to the angle of how the US. holds the panacea for all of Africa's evils and all that stuff.

I am sorry you feel threatened by those who do not think as you do. It is people like you who have made africa remain where it is today with your VICTIM mentality. Please learn to open your eyes and see that the one and only enemy Africa has had for years and to this presented this is Africa itself and until we switch from the VICTIM mentality and realise that we have been BLESSED beyond measure and need to start applying it to help us instead of continuing to BLAME EVERYBODY ELSE but self for the situation we are in. Please CHANGE and stop Playing VICTIM each time you meet even Africans that do not agree with you and point out your delusions are not founded on reality.

Why US Wants to Establish Military Base in the Country

24 November 2007

Some years ago when he was the Chief of Army Staff, General Victor Malu opposed the presence of American military in Nigeria. This earned him the fury of the then Commander-in-Chief, and Malu was consequently retired.
Two weeks ago, the Americans renewed their moves to set up their African Command (AFRICOM) in Nigeria, but the Council of State rejected this. In this interview, Malu explained how the US first made its efforts, why he opposed it and what setting up an American military base here would mean.

WT: The Council of State recently rejected the setting up of a US military African Command (AFRICOM) in Nigeria. When you were army chief some years ago, you rejected similar moves. What informed your action then?

Malu: What the Americans wanted to do was not to set up a command. The Americans because of five years of Abacha's administration that blocked Americans from developing or updating their intelligence on armed forces of Nigeria took the opportunity of somebody who had no knowledge about military in the name of Obasanjo to come and associate with him and convinced him that they wanted to train us for peace-keeping. Americans cannot claim that they want to train us for peace-keeping. We've succeeded in peace-keeping where Americans have not succeeded. What they wanted was to update their intelligence on the armed forces of a wretched country like Nigeria with all the sanctions on it. So they came and told Obasanjo that they wanted to train us for peace-keeping. In Liberia, of the 16 member states of the ECOWAS, 10 of them took part in the peace-keeping. Some sent a token of 11 men, some 16 men, but it was still a contingent from those countries. Why America would choose to come and train Nigeria that provided the cream of the peace-keepers? It didn't take anybody with analytical mind before they know what the Americans wanted. Any other person would have told them thank you, but we don't give our intelligence or armed forces on a silver plate. But that was what Obasanjo jumped on. And unfortunately, for him I was the COAS. Making me COAS does not mean I was a slave. I am a general who knew my job, who wanted the job to be done in a respectable way. So I went and met General Danjuma to explain to him that these people are not coming to train us for peace-keeping. In fact, they are not capable of training us on peace-keeping. Peace-keeping is not a nuclear, it is not a biological, it is not a chemical warfare. That is what an infantry man does, that is what we do in Liberia better than anybody else. Ambassador Howard Jetter, who later became American ambassador to Nigeria, represented the American government on the Liberia crisis. He wrote a report to the American government on the completion of our mission after we have supervised one of the most successful elections in Africa, and told them that from his personal observation, if America in future wants to assist any of the regions that has its military component such as ECOWAS they should not talk about sending anybody, that the troops he met are competent, they are determined, they have the skills to do the type of job he doesn't think any Americans would come and do in a third world country. I had two copies of that report. I made a mistake, I gave them to General Danjuma, I knew I can never get the copies again. I would have reproduced that report verbatim so that Nigerians would know what I was talking about. To make matters worse, even when we have reluctantly accepted because of the pressure from our Commander-in-Chief, to allow the Americans to train us, the Americans insisted they must live in the barracks with the soldiers. I left Abuja and flew to Sokoto to go and meet the governor, to plead with him to give us an area outside the barracks we would prepare it for the Americans. The governor accepted to do that. But the Americans turned it down insisting that they must live in the barracks with soldiers. I asked General Danjuma who was my GOC as far back as 1970, I said sir, you are my GOC in 1970, would you have allowed any army of any other country to come and stay with your own troops in the barracks? Well, at a point I didn't know whether he understood me or not, but this was the type of argument that was going on. I don't have direct evidence but I have every conviction in my mind that it was due to the interference of the Americans when they found out that I was becoming a stumbling block that they gave Obasanjo as a condition for their cooperating with him that he must get rid of the COAS. So the retirement of chief of air staff and chief of naval staff was just a sacrifice because Obasanjo wouldn't have known how to explain to Nigerians what General Malu did to be retired. So he had to sacrifice them. I called the two of them and apologized to them that you are leaving this job on my account. Personally, I don't have any disappointment I did take the job because of the name, not a question of the pride that people are calling me COAS. I wanted an imprint on the Nigerian Army. It is the only job I have done. I like this profession. I want to be on record that when General Malu was COAS, he transformed the Nigeria army.

WT: How do you see the current rejection of the American AFRICOM by the Council of State?

Malu: Once in a while we get some cheering news and I was very excited when I saw that. Because a lot of people called me when I was in London. I said I don't want to respond, until I come back. No nation can claim they have more interest than you your self. Most of the foreign officers who come here on the pretence to train us or do something or the other are people we have trained together. We attended courses together in their country and beat them. We attended courses with them in the UK and do better than them in those courses. So, how do they come back to start teaching us? If you are coming to obtain intelligence at least find a good excuse that will make it like you are doing something for us. In the case of America in particular, America has never done anything for any country because they like the country. They look at what they will benefit out of it. The issue of African Command is nothing but because of the oil interest on the Gulf of Guinea, going out to the Coast of Liberia and so on. Americans are finding an easy place where they can extract oil, and you know is a much shorter route than going around to go to the Middle East. African has the capability of taking up such a command. First of all, the achievement of ECOMOG that was documented everywhere today was something we recommended to the ECOWAS that look you have done what has never been done anywhere else. Keep those troops that were deployed from ECOMOG. We are saying you should keep them separately, but retain them as units, wherever, they are just like other soldiers in your country. Continue to train them. What should be done in the interim is standardizing equipment, because that was one of the problems we had in ECOMOG command. Some people came with equipment that were not compatible with anybody. People from Senegal thought it was America that equipped them and when the Americans started getting dissatisfied with us they took them back. Nigeria came with equipment that was compatible with even Ghana that is our closest friend, so what we recommended was that maintain those troops they have brought a large operational experience, keep on training them in the mean time. Unfortunately, by time we achieved this feat and came out, that is when Obasanjo came out of the prison and started criticizing General Babangida, criticizing late General Abacha for maintaining troops on the ECOMOG. He did not even bother to understand what ECOMOG is all about. Because that was a popular thing in Nigeria then. To say that so much money was spent on ECOMOG is a total lie.

WT: There is this report people are finding difficult to believe. Right now, the American soldiers are occupying the last floor of the Defense Ministry.

Malu: I was in service before that happened. I remember I resisted that I was not going to have any American soldiers sitting with me in the building. That is to prove to you what I am trying to say. When America came we had a defence headquarters in the same place we have some blocks reserved for the Navy and the Air force. Americans are not interested in any of this, it was only where the army was. Having people sitting on one floor on top of you is like sitting with you, watching and observing everything you are doing. Obasanjo in his insecure mind brought those people here to protect him against the over throwing of the government by the Nigeria Army. Who wanted to over throw the government? By 1985 I went to IBB to ask him for a favour, that he should exclude me from any political appointment and I had just left Lagos then for Port Harcourt, so I say the second request is that I want to have field experience, I have stayed too long in Lagos. IBB is alive today ask him he will confirm it to you. So is it many years after I become old that I want to overthrow government to become what? The only message I have for the Nigeria Army is that Obasanjo did not give me any kobo to run Nigerian Army. I was going around preaching to them that if anybody wanted to overthrow the government let them do it after General Malu had left the service.

WT: Do you know what informed the latest moves by the Americans to set up their military base in Nigeria?

Malu: I have explained that to you already, you know the crisis in the Middle East with the potential of what will even happen. If America wants to create democracy by use of force they would have invaded Saudi Arabia. Look at countries that they felt they could attack with just too much sympathy. Is it not the same Americans who equipped the Iraqis with every possible type of weapon to humiliate the Iranians for taking them hostage in the 80s? The reason is that, because of the crisis in the Middle East they are now looking to other places.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200711240118.html

@SwtNsoFLyy
We dont need any Fucking American in Africa.
Go home Yankee,Go to Hell.

Horus:

@SwtNsoFLyy
We don't need any Fucking American in Africa.
Go home Yankee,Go to Hell.

Oh Brother!!!

Yeah Right. I Can See How Much Bulldozing Building and Constriction Construction they Have Done In IraQ.

I laugh in spanish. America this America that.

Our own president has agreed to the military base in Africa. That effectively ends this debate. As they say "THATS ALL"

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=97939
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2007121413285793

buluti:

I laugh in spanish. America this America that.

Our own president has agreed to the military base in Africa. That effectively ends this debate. As they say "THATS ALL"

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=97939
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2007121413285793

I do not know how to react to this. Should I be shocked?? This is Nigeria we are talking of here?? Well, let us wait to see what happens next. I can not believe this man changed his mind about this in such a short time. I would like to understand what agreements were reached on this, to cause a complete turn around.

Koboko i am disappointed

so you've joined the group of knee-jerk reactors who don't read in between the lines?

He was in the US, of course he would say we would 'work with AFRICOM'. Nigeria has always supported the need for training of forces on the continent, and absolutely nothing was said about whether a base would be sited or not. All he said was that there should be standing forces in each regional economic zone - the SADC, ECOWAS and other groupings in Africa.

There has been NO change of mind, he simply assuaged US concerns, we will co-operate with AFRICOM, which is in existence and based in Europe already, but NO turn around has been made as to the siting of the base.