₦airaland Forum

JoePeach:
Thank you for the interesting question. Honestly, I think the younger generation is more left-wing than the older one. We used to have "Navalny" who was liked by a lot of young people. Now we have the Yabloko party, which is also popular with young people, a very, very left-wing party. And so there are those who love Putin, those who don’t like Putin. It doesn't matter, the power is nominal. It's accepted worldwide that there should be a single ruler representing the country, and here we have Putin. The real power lies with the security forces, and they will figure out what to do in 2036 so that everyone quietly and peacefully accepts the new president. But overall, I think young people aged 16-25 don't support Putin. About 70% to 30%.

Glad to meet you, can we have a personal chat? I'm deeply intrigued by foreign cultures and I woukld be glad if you consent to us being acquintances

Nigeria's Foreign Policy since 1960 has always been based on 3 pillars, Sovereignity, Pan-Africanism/Pax-Nigeria and Non-Alignment. Nigeria was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and refused to align with neither the Eastern or Western Axis of the world. Nigeria has however maintained a strong stance on African issues, deploying troops far beyond her borders to maintain the best interests of Africa as decided by the AU or subregional bodies such as ECOWAS. However on the global stage, Nigeria has been staunchly non aligned, although there has been little tilts in this non-alignment such that there were clsoer ties with one axis than the other aith successive administration. IBB restored ties with Israel, Buhari during his democratic rule,inched closer to China etc but overall, Nigeria's foreign policy still mainatined non-alignment. However there has been a notable tilt away from this policy since the inaguration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The following developments has cast scrutiny on Nigeria's stance on Non-alignment:
1. Deployment of US troops to Nigeria and US military activity in Nigeria: Tinubu okayed the deployment of 200 US soldiers to Nigeria, actively discussed the setting up of a drone base for the US military in nNigeria and REQUESTED US military strikes on terrorists in December 2025, marking a tilt from strict emphasis to soveriegnity on state security to increased 'cooperation with external actors' to the spite of the non aligned movement
2. Silence on global events
Nigeria has remained silent on recent global events this marks a diversion from the initial policy of upholding international law. The following events show this new policy
-The Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry issued no statement on the abduction of Nicholas Maduro by the US governmet
-The Nigerian foreign Affairs Ministry did not condemn the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rather calling for restraint in a move that resembled a pivot from established diplomatic behaviour which involved condemning violations of International Law
-Nigerian has tilted towards the US stance on the strait of Hormuz, calling for freedom of maritime navigation
3. Increased economic co-coperation with the US; Nigeria recently signed a multi billion dollar agreemnet with the US on solid minerals
All these events make the question "Are we still Non- Aligned ? Or we becoming aligned with the US?" a question the leadership must answer

Holy2Glory:
Hey I didn't have much time to go through your entire sermon but from the few lines I glanced at you are already greatly erring for you know not the power of God. Even the very food you eat can be a sin, don't you know? How then is it that the Bible is against drinking or been drunk? Is it not just a mere eating or drinking of something? How then is it a sin? It was your money, you didn't hurt anyone while you were drinking it yet they said it's a sin to get drunk or to be a glutton. Listen, anything can be a sin depends on the way you express it. Even greeting can be a sin depends on the way you use it. Secondly, anything that has the power of addiction is completely against the principles of God. The reason is because when you get addicted to anything that thing have become your God because you will not act or behave well until you have taken it or until you have done it. This clearly makes you depend on that thing instead of depend on God. You can't serve two masters at a time. Masturbation in the other hand is not just sinful but demonic. When the spirit or the thought of it enters you, you begin to act wired until you are satisfied. And ofcourse the satisfaction comes from demons not even from yourself or from God, because no human being have the ability to satisfy self. It takes a spirit to satisfy a man. That spirit could be either God or demons. You are also wasting semen or wasting life when you masturbate.

Do you remember what God did in the old testament? A brother was supposed to raise children for his brother after he inherited his brother's wife as a result of death. While he was with the woman on bed he remembered that this child will not be his but his brothers' so he spilled the sperm on the ground instead of putting it in to the woman. The Lord saw it and smote him to death. That is a very clear example of masturbation in the Bible. Stop been a waster my friend!
People are looking for all means to justify their demonic ways and desires. Don't worry, we will always be here to correct and rebuke you, that's why the Lord sent us.

Thank you very much for your eluciudate proposition sir but I have the following points of objection
1. The bible is not against drinking, rather the Apostle Paul recommended a little wine to Timothy for his health. Jesus himself was called a wine biber but as we all know if something hurts yoour conscience or may lead you to addiction is best to avoid it thats why many Christians avoid drinking not necessarily because its a sin. It is NOT
2. Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, Paul, all of them knew about masturbation but they never for once condemned it. So how then do we know that its against the will of God? As at the time of Moses, masturbation was very common in Egypt but he never told the Israelites not to engage in it. What then makes us so confident that it is a sin? If it is against your conscience that's ok but to say it is a sin is to postulate what Jesus and Pul referred to as doctrines of men
3. God judged Onan because he deceived his brother's wife and refused to fufil his responsibility of raising seed for his brother, not spilling semen. Even if it was(which is not but lets assume it is) that would be punishing him for Coitus interruptus, which is not completing sexual activity with ejaculation into the partner not masturbation which is giving yourse;lf sexual pleasure
4. Biologically and spiritually there is no basis to the assertion that the pleasure gotten from masturbation is from demons. The bible says it no where and biology hold that its simply the body responding to simulation of the genitals as though in intercourse. That assertion is poorly informed
5. The theory of wasting semen or life when you masturbate is also a misconception. Semen is not same as life, it is just like your body fluids like saliva, sweat etc. Just that it has sexual gametes inside but its just a mere bodily fluid not life. Sexual gametes are your cells not independent life,.It only becomes life when it merges with an egg to form a zygote. If God were to punish for wasting semen, then he should punish us for shedding sweat to cool our bodies and for spitting when saliva makes us uncomfortable. He should also punish us for urinating since urine contains a lot of useful materials. I would be careful to say that masturbation is a waste of semen though because waste is the use of something with no purpose but in the case the ejaculation of semen is used to provide sexual pleasure so it was not used with no useful purpose. Furthermore if you didnt engage in sexual acti vity, the body will still dispose of the sperm later in time.

judewrites:
Common be logically.

There's no scriptures condemning smoking, but clearly smoking is sinful because it defiles the body.

Masturbation is sinful because it involves use of pornography or lustful images in one's mind, and God never designed our hands as a tool to satisfy oneself sexually.

If you go through Leviticus, it shows how much God sees semen as sacred, not to be poured out anyhow anyhow as depicted in pornographic cuts today.

We can call smoking a sin based on what we know about the bible and what we know about it because it wasnt there when the Bible was written so its a grey area where we can use to bible to decide. But sir, masturbation was there in the times of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezejkiel, Jesus, Paul, not one of them condemned it. Are we now better than them? If God said nothibng about it lets not invent sins. Remeber when Paul was to apeak about the issue of women in churcvh he made it clear that he was saying his mind not the commandments of God, if masturbation is against your conscience, its fine but dont call it a sin and thus push someone into sexual immorality because he has no other way to relieve sexual tension. Worst of all when that tension biilds up too much that the body eases it self via wet dreams, you guys will still say that the person has a spirit wife and start looking for deluiverance till the person is pushed into the hands of false prophets

mindhacker90009:
Evil men and women are the ones calling it a sin so that a man can rush into marrying a Jezebel.

When the thing stands up by itself, God have given man a way out by masturbation.

Or worst of all konji hold pesin so tey he no go no when he go fall. If its agaionst your conscience that fine but IT IS NOT A SIN

translux:
I want to be very honest with you.

First of all, there is no place in the Bible that explicitly says that masturbation is a sin. However, the Bible speaks strongly against sexual impurity and sexual pollution.

I remember vividly that I started masturbating in 1993, and I continued for almost 30 years.

For me, masturbation became an addiction. It got to a point where, if I did not masturbate in a day, I would not feel like myself. Spiritually, I felt empty. I prayed several times for deliverance, but unfortunately, I kept finding myself going back to it again and again.

In my real life, I wasn't making the kind of progress I should have been making. Even though I was smart and capable in what I was doing, I felt spiritually weak, and I believed that my lack of self-control was affecting my relationship with God and my purpose in life.

Then one day, something remarkable happened.

I was in the bathroom preparing to take my bath and, as usual, I was about to masturbate. Suddenly, something inside me spoke strongly to my heart: I needed to stop. I told myself that if I made up my mind and remained determined, I could overcome it and begin to walk more fully in what I believed God had planned for my life.

That day, I made a decision: I would never masturbate again.

Do you know that from that day until now, I have not masturbated?

I can honestly tell you that the things the Almighty Father has done in my life since then still amaze me to this very minute.

I am sharing this with you not to condemn you or make you feel worthless. I am sharing it because I know what it is like to struggle with this habit for years. I know what it feels like to want to stop but find yourself going back to it.

If you are currently addicted to masturbation, please don't give up on yourself. Make a firm decision, seek God sincerely, and take it one day at a time. You may have fallen many times, but falling does not mean you cannot rise again.

If I could overcome something I struggled with for almost 30 years, I believe you too can overcome it.

Thank you very much for this informed submission but I have some contrary opinions
1. I am not addicted to masturbation so theres nothing to be free from.
2. Everything good, when done excessively turns out to the detriment of the person. When you engaged excessively you became addicted and thus the challenges you faced, God intervened to free you from addiction just like has freed people from alcoholism/. Remeber that drinking alcohol is not a sin but people have testified of being delivered from addiction to it. So in your case god delivered you from addiction not masturbation. because masturbatio is not a sin. But if masturbation is a sin, why didn't the patariachs condemn it despite knowing it? Theres even a huighlikelihood that the Israelites engaged in it given how popular it was in Egypt, yet Moses never condemned it, Jesus never did, Paul never did. There nothing polluting about masturbation when caried out in good faith

judewrites:
Yes physically it's acceptable, but on the spiritual angle, it's abnormal.

God never designed your hands as tools of sexual pleasures for yourself.

Besides when a man ejaculates, it has real spiritual consequences outside the body of one's spouse

But on the physical angle or medically, nothing is wrong with masturbation.

So please do we have any scripture to back this postulation?

Kelklein:
it was a big sin those days

We made it one, God never did. If masturbatioon is against your conscience thats fine but calleing it a sin is heresy or a doctrine of men

BodePolScience:
Matthew 5: 28 summarizes everything. Masturbation always go along with lusting and porn. As long as you focuses on Jesus' words on the above scripture coupled with other Jesus' admonition on 'having a single eye' and the epistle talking about 'not being carried away' or consciously walking in the spirit, Rom 8, then you won't have issue on whether masturbation is a sin or not. Just focus on the more noble path and everything else will take care itself.

If masturbation was bad and Moses knew about it, Jesus knew about it and so did Paul, why didnt any of them condemn it? Or are we now greater than these individual that we now condemn what they knew about but never did? In such cvase is it not better to let people's personal convictions lead them, that to say that its a sin? Lets please beware of doctrines of men

judewrites:
masturbation is abnormal sex with oneself. It has a lot of spiritual consequences that are so damaging.

It's so unfortunate that it has been taught as a way of relieving sex tension...truth is that it isn't.

Stopping it seems impossible, but it's possible with lots of will power and the grace of God.

\
Most respectfully sir, theres nothing abnormal about masturbation. It has been observed in several animals apart from humans and theres no scripture condemning. Like other addictive habits like sex and alcoholism its possible to get addicted but when addicted it is still possioble to disengage.

McLizbae:
I believe masturbation is only possible or doable when a sexual scene can be created in the head.

Then the question is: how easy or possible is it for a man to masturbate without lust-ing (sinning)?

Can it actually go without pornograpghy?

Well some married men say it's not a sin because they masturbate with their wife's contents, and with full knowledge and consent of their wife, even.

But for the unmarried man, how is it possible without lust-ing with body of another woman?

Thats a misconception sir, masturbation can be carried out without lusting. For example,there are some individuals that are autoerotic, they are easily aroused without the action of another person. Some people the weather can easily turn them on, Even just joining naked thighs together can switch somepeople on. Thats just the fact. Now how are those people expected to relieve that tension? Is sexual tension a sin? What about young boys that just started producing testosterone? Do you know the effect the first production has on them and how it spikes their libido? How are they to deal with such situation? Be informed that bottling it up doesn't ease it off, it keeps building until at one pouinst suuch a person is pushed into immorality or sexual crime. I once attended a religious function where the minister was speaking against masturbation. He gave no scripture and even went as far as saying masturbation has been noted for drawing many brethren astray and also poor grades for students in school. He then saying incomprehensible misconceptions about how masturbation affects the "brains left and right ventricles" at this point he lost me completely becaus ethe brain doesnt even have ventricles to begin with so all he said was not only scripturally unfounded but also medically unfounded. Another was blessing Holy Communion and prayed that "by this Holy communion, i cast out the spirit of masturbation". Masturbation get spirit The risk of this anti-masturbation doctrine is that not only is amongst the doctrines of men that Jesus and Paul spoke about, it also has the risk of encouraging sexual crimes and immorality by facilitating build up of sexual tension

UkoAnnang:


Comrade is speechless in this matter
I won't say it's a sin or not, I'm not a churchy type.
But all I know is that it has negative effects especially on manhood.

Most respectfully, it has no negative effect on manhood sir, unless when practise excessively thus causing addiction. The only effect is may have is the moral condemnation which we created ourselves, otherwise there is no negative effect. Rather it even helps responsible manly conduct because one is no easily aroused since sexual tension has been relieved

Wisewriter:
When they spoil, they will try everythin possible to justify their act.

Was Yahoo, Bandits, Bokoharam,R.itualist also mentioned in the bible? That Masturbation wasnt mentioned does not mean it is Godly act.

Flee from masturbation. Your body is the templeof the lord.Keep tholy and use it rightly.

Yes sir, all those crimes are explicitly condemned in the bible; murder, fraud, etc. But the Bible NEVER condemned masturbation despite the fact that it was a common practice back then

99thEnemy:
"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

(Matthew 5:28)

Look at it figuratively.

Lust is different from masturbation sir. Lust is a very strong, intense sexual desire or an overwhelming craving for something like power, money, or life itself, whilst masturbation is the process of granting sexual pleasure to oneself. The two can occur together but it actually choice, they arent the same things. Masturbation is often used to relieve sexual tension, ease of hormonal pressure and even deal with spontaneous erections, it not necessarily a tool for expressing lust

Kelklein:
The Bible hardly specifically mentioned masturbation.. the only reference to Masturbation (with regards to spilling of seed) is in Genesis 38.9 - read the story of Onan. Onan was punished by God after he refused to ejaculate into his late brother wife whom he inherited after the brother's death as per the tradition of that period, rather he chose to spilled the seed on the ground.. (first early withdrawal technique recorded).
The act became known as Onanism.

Sir, in the case of Onan, he was not punished for spilling his semen, he was punished for deceiving his brother's wife and refusing to continue his brother's lineage as the custom demanded, not masturbation or spilling semen

WatchYourSix:
Self love??
Yall are comedians on this forum …

Could you please elaborate a bit more?

Masturbation, the art of self-love or self-service has been in existence for longer than than modern humanity. It has been practised by various species and most importantly by human beings. However the morality of the practice has come into scrutiny more often than not with stiff opposition from Christianity as well as many other religions. But is it really a bad practice as the Church has projected it to be?

Here are some things you need to know:

1. There is no mention of masturbation in the Bible, neither is it condemned or forbidden by any of the Bible's authors, most notably, Masturbation was not mentioned amongst the forbidden sexual pactices listed in Leviticus 18 and 20

2. Moses could not have been ignorant of masturbation. Matsurbation was so common in ancient egyptian culture that it is impossible to say that Moses did not know about it. Here are some of the interwinings of Egyptian culture with masturbation:

• The Creation Myth (The Heliopolitan Cosmogony): The most widespread Egyptian creation story recounts that before the universe existed, there was only a chaotic void and the first god, Atum. Being entirely alone, Atum chose to populate the universe by masturbating to ejaculation. His semen birthed the first pair of twin deities: Shu (the god of air) and Tefnut (the goddess of moisture). This "divine orgasm" was effectively the Egyptian equivalent of the Big Bang.

• The Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts: This foundational myth was carved directly onto the inner walls of pyramids and written inside sarcophagi. These official sacred texts explicitly credit the origin of life to Atum's hand.

• Pharaonic Rituals: Because the pharaoh was considered a living god on Earth and a mediator of cosmic order (Ma'at), the myth was re-enacted. During annual agricultural festivals (such as the festival of the fertility god Min), the pharaoh would ceremonially ejaculate into the Nile River. This public, ritualistic act was intended to ensure the fertile flooding of the Nile and a prosperous harvest for Egypt.

• Erotic Literature: Beyond religion, documents like the Turin Erotic Papyrus feature secular, graphic, and sometimes satirical depictions of human sexuality—including self-pleasure—showing that it was a normalized concept in everyday Egyptian society.

3.Jesus never condemned masturbation nor reference it though he mentioned lust which in not mutually exclusive to masturbation
With all these, if masturbation was a sin, why didnt Jesus condemn it? Why didnt Moses condemn it as one of the practices of the heathen?

Rather than being a sin or having negative medical effects, masturbation has the advantage of lowering sexual tension and hormonal urges without intercourse thus even helping to fight lust and sexual immorality. So once again, is masturbation a sin or did we make it one?

The question of the existence of God has been in place as far back as intelligent civilization has existed. Did the universe come to be or was it created by someone? This question is quite a deep one and in this thread I would be drawing on several complexities that cloud the answer to this question. Please lets approach this thread with an open heart and not with the Idol of Cave binding the eyes of our understanding closed.
A. Complexities leaning towards theism
1. The complexity of univers is too vast to say it was a coincidence, infact to claim something as complex as the universe even with the exception of intelligent life came to be on its own is a rejection of all logic patterns established since the birth of intelligent civilization
2. Supernatural/Paranormal events:- The world has seen a lot of paranormal events that cannot be written off as halucinations or fabrications. Ranging from miraculous healings such as The Healing of Antonietta Raco and the Healing of Valeria Valeria to mircaulous incidents such as the "Protestant Wind" and the Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 or the tale of kamikaze in Japan, alot has happened that cannot be swept under the carpet.
3. Widespread religion: The fact that a lot of people profess a particular religion is afact that religion might have some credence since a lot of people agree to it
4. Established facts:- Religious texts have made highly accurate assertions which could not have been discerned by human means as at the time they were made. The Bible, clearly describe the earth as a globe hanging on nothing, called pork unclean(which is true given the magnitude of harmful pathogens it hosts) and a whole lot more
B. Complexities towards Atheism
1. The inconsistency in religious narratives: There are more than 1,000 religions across the nations of the world. Monotheism doesn't explain that. Even polytheism doesn't because if we had one God or one system of gods, they should be able to tell everyone about themselves isn't it? They should be known everywhere but somehow God only gets known in a place when humans talk about him. we have one God or one system of Gods, why do we have different narratives of him? Why can't he just resolve it all for once? How do we know which religion is actually worshipping him correctly?
2. The realities on earth don't really match with an all powerful, all caring God. Sorry to say though but let's look at it this way. So God watched the likes of Leopold, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Mussolini, Hirohito, Prince Asaka amongst other perpetrate countless atrocious acts because Adam and Eve chose evil by eating an apple 10,000 years ago? Even within the church that chose God, popes orchestrated witchhunts, Crusades, inquisitions, tyranny for years without God doing anything?
So if the free will argument holds, you want to tell me that the 6m Jews killed in the Holocaust chose death? Free will ends with your personal life, once it extends to someone else negativity, it ends, it becomes oppression so why didn't God intervene? Were the British not calling the name of God, partaking of the Holy Communion whilst cutting of testicles in Kenya?
3. Every religious system claims they are the way, the truth and life. So the all loving God would send the rest of the others who do t practise that system to hell?
4. Why are Holy books inconsistent?
The bible was heavily edited, I don't even think some of the editors were Christians. The holy original manuscript, are no where to be found. The Qur'an full of unbelievable tales like splitting the moon. All holy books were heavily influenced by the dominant HUMAN traditions like women in menustration being unclean etc. There are factual contradictions like rabbit chewing the cud. Someone stopping the earth from rotating, which would have ended life on earth because the earth would fall into the sun, Noah's flood which isn't even comprehensible especially how all species were able to get into the ark and how they were able to reproduce and sustain existence from such a limited genepool, how the all loving God didn't ban slavery but regulated it, how the same God ordered brutal conquests, demonized enemies of a tribe (which were still his children). Like I don't get it. Even Jesus never condemned slavery. Or did he? Like all those evils of those days, looting, ethnic cleansing, genocide, torturous execution, etc were tolerated and encouraged till we decided to put them apart
5. Then now let's go into the supernatural. Everyone has their own supernatural narrative which works within that region. My Igbo people had strong beliefs, invoking the dead, appeasing ancestors and there are instances where those things work! It's not arguable. Same goes for all African cultures. The Christians have miraculous happenings you can't dispute. The Muslims have healing that have happened in recent times. It's uncountable. So if we have one God for only one religion then how do we explain the other encounters? Can we just dismiss other people's encounters on the basis that they were carried out by demons? Then they too says our was carried out by demons or jinn? So how is One God or one system of gods, answering to people that dont worship him? Or why is he allowing lower entities to impersonate hime before his creation?
6. Now let's link with science? Why are most religions contradicting established science which is fact? There are rare cases of alignment but in most times religion contradicts what's established in science limited to human understanding back then. No religion mention dinosaurs but they mention mythical dragons, leviathan, behemoths and unicorns because that was the understanding then. No religion talks about nuclear but they talk of fires. Some contradict science in every imaginable way. Someone told me the Qur'an talks says early humans were gigantic etcSomeone told me the earth is cubical because the bible said 4 corners of the earth. I didnt argue though there are a thousand and one things that wouldn't work if the earth was cubical. He said science isn't advanced enough to see the earth as it is that it's the limitation of instruments that made them think the earth is sphericalThat's the confusion I'm talking about
7. The second coming of Jesus.
Why is he delaying? Still waiting for the gospel to spread? But he said he would be back before his generation died out?
Finally, why can't he just step in and settle the arguments over his nature, over a thousand and one denominations in Christianity all arguing over his nature so what is so hard in him talking to all of them at once to clarify things? Islam too has a series of sects and so does every other religion
So eventually the question is no longer "Does God exist or not" but rather "Does God exist? If he does, are we worshipping him the way we should? Do we even know his person and character?" Could it be possible that we all claim to know God but know nothing about him at all? Could it be that religion is just a human attempt to explain environment and nothing divine actually?[i][/i]

jesusjnr2020:
I have already said it times without number here, that the science is in itself a proof of the Creator's existence, because science is about unravelling the hidden knowledge of the creation in order to replicate it or use it to provide solutions regarding the creation.

Therefore without the Creator, science itself wouldn't exist, because without the Creator there wouldn't be any creation for science to explore or learn from.

Therefore science itself is actually a pointer to the Creator, hence why the biggest brains or the greatest scientists in history do not just believe in the existence of the Creator but actually believe in Him, because of how fascinating His creation is, which they find themselves privileged to explore and learn a lot from.

God bless.

That's true! But what do you think of cases when Science seems to be at loggerheads with the bible such as the rabbit chewing the cud or the earth being round?

Share your thoughts, lets get ourselves educated

Operation Safe Corridor has been a lightning rod for national debate, and frankly, it is time we stopped shouting at each other and started analyzing the mechanics behind the policy.

For many, the rehabilitation of terrorists feels like an insult to the memory of our fallen soldiers and a betrayal of the victims. For others, it is viewed as a pragmatic instrument of statecraft designed to fracture the enemy from within. As we grapple with this, we are forced to confront uncomfortable questions—questions that balance our rage with our national security strategy.

The Great Debate: Deconstructing the Exit

We have to move beyond the surface level. If we are to understand the conflict, we must weigh the contradictions:

On Tactical Risk: Are we simply empowering terrorists to cycle back into the battlefield under the guise of repentance?

On Strategic Breaking: Or is de-radicalization, however imperfect, the only mechanism available to permanently break the recruitment cycles that fuel the insurgency?

On Domestic Law: Does the rehabilitation of these combatants constitute a failure of our domestic justice system, effectively granting impunity to those who have violated the sanctity of our homes?

On International Obligations: Or does the state have an obligation under international humanitarian law—specifically in the context of non-international armed conflicts—to provide a formal "exit ramp" for combatants, thereby saving lives and preserving state legitimacy?

On Infiltration: Is this "repentance" merely a tactical mask for long-term infiltration of our communities?

On Sustainable Stability: Or is the provision of an exit ramp a necessary strategic investment—a way to diminish the adversary’s strength by drying up their source of manpower?

The Fortunate Times: Analysis Beyond the Headlines

At The Fortunate Times, we believe that real security is not built on slogans, but on understanding the architecture of conflict. We are not here to validate the government’s PR, nor are we here to fuel mindless anger. We are here to apply rigorous, objective scrutiny to the policies that define our national security.

In our debut dossier, "The Ethics of the Exit: Can Counter-Terrorism Afford Revenge?", we provide an unbiased look at these contradictions. We break down the legal frameworks, the military strategy, and the harsh realities of the "rehabilitation" process.

This is not a light read. It is an exploration for those who are interested in the how and the why of our situation, rather than just the what.

You can read the full analysis here: https:// thefortunatetimes . .com/2026/05/twilight-horizon-ethics-of-exit-can .html (copy and paste into your browser, remove the spaces before searching)

The question remains: Can a nation truly "engineer" peace if the mechanisms we use to do so are themselves viewed as a threat to our stability?

The floor is open. Let’s look at the strategy, not just the emotions.
The Fortunate Times is also available on:
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Share your thoughts with us after reading our articles and Stay Fortunate!

Good morning every one. I am a Nigerian student and I am strongly aligned with PBAT's RenewedHope2027 agenda. I am also very good in writing—analysis, propaganda, critiques. Anything writable! I'm so good at writing, I once tricked AI into believing I am a International Relations expert, a political scientist with vast knowledge or PG student. I'm based in Kaduna. I want to use my skills to lobby for PBAT this coming elections. Fellow progressives in the House, what's the roadmap?

Pakute:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/02/military-denies-reports-of-us-planes-dropping-arms-in-borno-kaduna/amp/

One thing Nigerians do not understand is that for the purpose of succes, miltary operations are always shrouded in secrecy. During WW2, the US spent millions of dollars to conceal the date and target of the D-Day landings in what was considered one of the greatest military deceptions in history. The UK invented the lies of super carrot that made pilot's vision exceptional to conceal the existence of airborne radar. Georgy Zhukov himself who crushed the Nazis on the Eastern front maintained a highly non predictable strategy, avoiding headon blows with Germans in the places where they expected them, and even choosing active defense when most analysts would believe he was going for a head on decisive offensive. Thats the secret to victor. Minutes before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia kept denying she had such plans in mind. Truth is EXCEPT YOU ARE FIGHTING WITH A CLEAR UNDERDOG WITH NO TYPE OF ADVANTAGE(GEOGRAPHIC, NUMERICAL ETC) YOU DONT LET HIM KNOW YOU ARE COMING FOR HIM! From all perspectives, its clear Nigeria is preparing for a massive anti terror campaign in the North east and maybe north west with US support. What do you think the soldiers Tinubu recruited were for? Sleeping in the barracks? Why do you think NAF has reduced strikes on terrorisst for a while now? Simply to hit intel effective until the D-Day, strikes now may lead the terrorists to reshuffle their command to blind the Nigerian intelligence. Nigerians be patient, something like Operation Inherent Resolve is coming soon. Analysts should stop parroting it and helping terrorists, they should shut up least they make the terrorists ready.
N.B: Ukraine's North east counteroffensive was a success while her south east counteroffensive was a catastrophic failure because the former was shrouded in secrecy even while it was raging while the latter was analyzed and parroted by western propagandists for months, so when they finally came the Ruskies gave them a warm welcome with Ka-52s, T-90s and Su-35s. Result? Overhyped NATO training and weapons were turned to piles of metal wreckage and roasted flesh.

MrPOTUS:
Naso una go hype them enter problem

Trump killed that their supreme terrorist General (their number one ranked general) like a rat in 2020. All they could do was rant and blew up their own passenger plane killing hundreds of their citizens

The wereys even declared Trump wanted
Since then, Trump has been out of office and back to office, still putting fire to their ynash

Continue hyping them o!

When the US sent a bunker burster bomb to their facility, why didn't they retaliate

You didnt read the article. If you had read it, you wont embarass yourself the way you did now. So take time and read it. You are free to fact check. Most of what you wrote here is incorrect. Solemani was not a terrorist, he was the one who defeated IS in Syria!

Flangelo12:
To read later.

Please do, dont forget to like and share.

Freshandfitpod:
We all will rather live in America than Iran a terrorist dictatorship regime, but I will tell you this for free Khamenei just inform Putin that his bags are ready and he is trying to sneak out of iran before Trump find out. Iran will soon be liberated from a genocidal regime

Genocidal keh? Terrorist! Wetin i no go hear. Result of CIA brainwashing sha? Who did Iran commit genocide against? How come you know of this ghost genocide but ignorant of the culture purging by the baltic states against russophones? Why arent you aware of the Sebra and Shatila massacre? Have you ever heard the word 'Nakba'? Is that one not genocide on its own? Coming to terror let me ask you, do you know how many troops Iran and Hezebolah lost in the fight against the IS which was created by US expansionism? Stop absorbing propaganda hook line and sinker do some reserch, it doesnt hurt bro. Who exactluy is Iran terrorizing?

heniford2:
Nice write up buh don't come here crying wolf when USA attacks Iran

Between the two nations who is crying sef?

brain54:
Iran has been kicking the US in the behind for a while now...


But the US never learns. I like how Iran never backs down from a fight!

You cant see those werey genocide supporters on this thread o. E go shock them say Almighty US fit collect this kain flogging from Iran. See sailors kn eeling down like primary 5 children. See multi million dollar drone don turn kondem iron . Make Trump try nonsense that his Lincoln carrier will just sink

With US-Iran tensions on the rise, the mind casts back to past instances of confrontation between the two nations. Most astonishing in those events, Iran emerged victorious by inflicting catastrophic humiliation on the United States military despite the latter being a much m ore superior force. Stay tuned as w explore top five instances where Iran humiliated the United States military
1.2016 Capture Of US Navy sailors around Farsi Island
In January 2016, a routine transit in the Persian Gulf turned into a high-stakes international crisis, and it all started with a shortcut.

Ten U.S. Navy sailors—nine men and one woman—were aboard two Riverine Command Boats traveling from Kuwait to Bahrain. Behind schedule and eager to make up time, the crew deviated from their planned route, taking a shortcut that led them directly into the territorial waters of Iran’s Farsi Island.

The Capture
As they crossed the invisible line, luck ran out: one of the boats suffered a mechanical failure. While the crew was preoccupied with repairs, they were suddenly surrounded by four fast-attack boats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

What happened next became a global media sensation:

The Surrender: Faced with heavy weaponry and wanting to avoid sparking a war, the American commander ordered his team to surrender.

The Imagery: Within hours, the world saw images of the sailors on their knees with their hands behind their heads—a sight that became a massive propaganda win for Iran and a source of deep embarrassment for the U.S. Navy.

The Detention: The sailors were taken to a base on Farsi Island. During their 15-hour detention, they were interrogated and, in some cases, filmed apologizing for the incident and praising their treatment.

The Diplomatic Sprint
Behind the scenes, the timing couldn't have been worse. The incident occurred just hours before President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address and mere days before the historic Iran Nuclear Deal was set to take effect.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif spent the night on the phone. Their established relationship is credited with preventing a military escalation. By the next morning, the sailors were released, sailing their own boats back into international waters.

The Aftermath
The investigation that followed was "damning," to say the least. It revealed a series of "litany of errors":

The crew had ignored navigation protocols and failed to use paper charts.

One sailor had resorted to using a navigation app on his phone to figure out where they were.

Several officers and sailors were later disciplined or relieved of command for dereliction of duty and poor leadership.

This came first as it was the biggest humiliation of the United States Navy since WW2. The images of the event still flood the Iranian media. With Ayatollah Khamenei claiming the victoy was gift from God and conferring military honours on the Iranian naval officers who were involved in the capture
2. Operation Matyr Soleimani(2020): An Evident Illustration of the Honey Badger calling the Lion's Bluff
In January 2020, the world watched as the United States and Iran teetered on the edge of a full-scale war. This was the era of "Operation Martyr Soleimani"—a direct, state-on-state military confrontation that felt like a match dropped in a powder keg.

The Trigger
On January 3, a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone fired missiles at a convoy leaving Baghdad International Airport. The target: General Qasem Soleimani, the architect of Iran’s regional influence and leader of the elite Quds Force. To Iran, he was a national hero; to the U.S., he was a terrorist with "American blood on his hands."


The Warning
Anticipating a massive backlash, President Donald Trump didn't use back-channel diplomacy—he used Twitter. He issued a famously blunt warning to Tehran:


"Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD."

The mention of "cultural sites" sparked an immediate international outcry, as targeting such locations is generally considered a war crime under the Geneva Convention.

Operation Martyr Soleimani
Iran ignored the 52-site threat. On the night of January 8, exactly five days after the assassination, Iran launched Operation Martyr Soleimani.


The Attack: Iran fired over a dozen ballistic missiles from its own territory directly at the Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, which housed U.S. troops. It was the largest ballistic missile attack ever launched against Americans.
The "Miracle" on the Ground: Thanks to advanced early warning systems (and some reports suggesting Iran gave the Iraqi government a heads-up that trickled down to the U.S.), nearly 2,000 soldiers scrambled into bunkers just minutes before impact.


The Damage: While no Americans were killed in the initial blast—allowing both sides to de-escalate without further strikes—the Pentagon later revealed that 110 U.S. service members suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from the massive shockwaves.


The De-escalation
The world held its breath for Trump’s promised "52-site" response. Instead, the US stepped back in a move that looked like a show of cowardice. No sites were hit, 110 American service men suffered permanent brain damage. Some argue that the hits were not enough to justify an American retaliation as no servicemen were killed but the sheer scale of the material losses not to talk of the brain injuries was enough to justify a disproportionate response going by America's existing foreign policy. The material toll of Operation Martyr Soleimani was significant, resulting in the destruction of one Black Hawk helicopter, damage to an MQ-1 drone, and the leveling of multiple aircraft hangars and a special forces compound. The base’s infrastructure was severely battered as ten large living quarters were incinerated and taxiways were cratered by the precision impact of over a dozen ballistic missiles. Beyond the millions of dollars in equipment and personal property lost, the most lasting impact was the "invisible" damage: 110 service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries caused by the massive overpressure of the 1,000-pound warheads. It was a clear middle finger from Khamenei to Trump and another significant humiliation suffered by the United States in the Middle East at the hands of an inferiior but formiable opponent.

3. 2019 Shootdown US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk Drone
In June 2019, the "shadow war" between the U.S. and Iran nearly erupted into a direct conflict when an Iranian surface-to-air missile disintegrated a $130 million U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk drone.

The Mid-Air Strike
The drone, a massive surveillance craft with a wingspan larger than a Boeing 737, was flying high over the Strait of Hormuz. Suddenly, it was locked onto and destroyed by a 3rd Khordad—an Iranian-made missile system.

The two nations immediately locked horns over the coordinates:

The U.S. Claim: The Pentagon insisted the drone was in international airspace, roughly 21 miles off the Iranian coast, and released flight maps to prove it.

The Iranian Claim: Tehran argued the drone had "violated its red line" by entering Iranian territorial waters. To prove their point, they later displayed retrieved fragments of the drone's wreckage that they claimed were fished out of their own seas.

The "10-Minute" Reversal
In Washington, the war room was "cocked and loaded." President Trump approved retaliatory strikes against three Iranian sites—radar stations and missile batteries—and the military was ready to launch.

However, in a dramatic, last-minute twist, Trump called off the strike just 10 minutes before the missiles were set to fly. He claimed he called off the strike because 'killing 150 people is not a proportionate response to the shoot down of a drone' However this statement was hilarious as he could have scaled down the attack to minimize human losses. He could have targeted Iranian military hardware after warnings to reduce losses but he didn't do any of this, his claims not only failed to hold water but rather only helped to further degrade the credibility of the US military in the region in the face of Iranian threats. In reality the US stepped down because she was not ready for a full scale war with Iran capable of spiking oil prices and killing thousands of US soldiers. Furthermore the US was shocked about the shootdown because the US believed Iran did not have the capacity to shoot down an aircraft that high in the atmosphere. The shoot down was a big humiliation to US Forces in the Middle East as ity showed Iran's rising military capacity and the lack of political will for successful military campaigns. It was a crystal clear case of Iranian showing her redlines and holding them.

4. 2011 Capture of US Stealth Drone
In December 2011, the "impossible" happened: the CIA’s most secret stealth aircraft, the RQ-170 Sentinel, fell into the hands of the Iranian military—not in a thousand pieces, but largely intact.

The Hijack
Known as the "Beast of Kandahar" for its bat-wing shape, the RQ-170 was the pinnacle of U.S. stealth technology, designed to be invisible to radar while spying on nuclear facilities. While the U.S. initially claimed the drone had simply "malfunctioned" and crashed, Iran told a far more chilling story.

According to Iranian engineers, they didn't just shoot it down; they electronically kidnapped it. They claimed to have:

Jammed the drone's communication links with its U.S. operators.

Spoofed its GPS coordinates, tricking the drone into thinking it was "home" at its base in Afghanistan.

Landed the confused aircraft safely on an Iranian runway.

The Display of Defiance
A few days later, Iranian state TV broadcasted footage of the drone being inspected by military officials. To the horror of the Pentagon, the "Beast" appeared sitting on a pedestal with only minor damage to its wing.

President Barack Obama eventually made a public request: "We’ve asked for it back. We’ll see how the Iranians respond." The response was a flat "No." Instead, Iran sent the U.S. a miniature, pink toy version of the drone as a mocking "gift."

The Legacy of the "Beast"
The capture was a massive intelligence disaster. Iran claimed they successfully cracked the drone's hard drives, revealing flight logs and mission data—including proof the drone had flown over Osama bin Laden’s compound before the 2011 raid.

More importantly, Iran used the capture to leapfrog its own military technology. Within a few years, they unveiled the Shahed 171 Simorgh, a nearly identical, reverse-engineered copy of the Sentinel. Today, the DNA of that captured "Beast" lives on in the swarms of Iranian drones seen in modern conflicts around the globe.
It was a demonstration of the highest level of electronic warfare. The most intriguing aspect however is how the Iranians were even able to see a drone that was 'stealth'. It was a clear case of humiliation for the United States. It was a pants down moment for the US, being caught red-handed in espionage a clear violation of international law and also being disgraced. It further put to scrutiny the effectiveness of US sanctions on Iran which was supposed to tie Iranian military down and prevent development.

5. 2025 Strikes on Al-Udeid Base
In response to the US operation Midnight hammer which targeted Iranian nuclear sites although with minimal damage and zero human losses. Iran launched a ballistic missile on Al-Udeid airbase which is the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Just like the US strike, it was conducted to cause infrastructural damage rather than inflict casualties. In a stunning show of power, Iran hit a $15 million geodesic radar dome (Modernized Enterprise Terminal or MET). This undermined US claims of a 90% + interception and demonstrated Iranian precision capability. It was another case of Iran calling the US bluff on 'disproportionate response' as Trump had warned against a retaliation, vowing a 'disproportionate response' if one was launched. Further investigation by journalist proved that Trump's claims of obliterating the Iranian nuclear program was a piece of propaganda, though the Pentagon initially contradicted such findings, she later confirmed that the program was only set back by a few months rather than 'obliterated' as Trump has claimed.
With US-Iran tensions on the rise again, do you think the US is in for another round of humiliation by Iran? (Attached: 1. Captured US sailors 2. Captured US stealth drone 3. Ruins of downed US drone(2019) 4. An Iranian missile)

ViceGovernor:
You are way in over head on this right here, trying to feign pseudo intelligence by asking monotonous questions.

One question for you.....how many Israeli ships have been attacked in the red sea since the houthis signed a ceasefire?
Ceasefire May 2025
Ceasefire went into effect October 2025

Let's have it.
You keep repeating the same thing over and over again it's getting stale monotony erodes Interest.


A deal was signed in May 2025 and it went into effect on October 2025 correct me if I'm wrong.....since then there has not been a single attack on any Israeli ship in the red sea....Google is your friend make use of it.

So how then can you turn around and say the deal did not halt attack on Israeli ships?

The Houthis claim they will continue attacking ships but they have not since the ceasefire went into effect, anybody can claim something on TV but cowardly do the opposite in real Life
You can see your are still typing gibberlink.

You asked if they suddenly went mute or if there was a deal to which I replied that they went mute because their ability to attack ships was massively degraded.
I'm asking you why did they quickly sign a deal after US and Israeli bombardment of their ports?? Tell me why they signed a deal after this below 👇🏼

However way you try to twist it the answer remains the same they accepted a ceasefire not because they love peace but because they they were met with extremely superior firepower of Israeli and American jets.
Since this bombing below happened how many times have they attacked a ship in the red sea?, I ask again.

You are still missing the point. First of all i do know monotony erodes interest but I'm more certain that dogged ignorance erodes credibility alot! Having addressed that, straight to business.
1. Your entire argument in this response is built on misinformation, the US-Houthi ceasefire took effect on 6th May 2025. Clearly excluding Israel from its security. I remember telling you to make use of the internet to educate yourself. A simple Google search as posted below would prove that the ceasefire took effect on 6th May 2025. If you have evidence of your claims please present it.
2. The Houthis were NOT degraded. That's the mistake you guys make a lot, in your opinion, BOMBING=CAPITULATION. That does not work in asymmetric warfare. Do you know how many tonnes of bombs Israel used in Lebanon in 2006? Do you know how many tonnes of munitions Russia have used in Ukraine? Why hasn't it brought victory. A massive conflagration does not destroy an asymmetric opponent, rather it only gives him what he needs most-public sympathy. Now why do i say the Houthis were not degraded?
a) They were able to deny the USAF air superiority in a stunning turn of tides. Shooting down MQ Reapers despite US SEAD operations. The war ended on 6th May, they knocked a reaper down 22nd April signifying a high state of combat effectiveness. A minimum of 7 reapers were shot down, based on confirmed information which is not easy to get, a more realistic estimate would be between 10-12.
b) During the war they were able to maintain a steady tempo of attacks on international shipping. Even after the war with the US, the attacks continued until Israel ceased fire on Gaza. Currently, international shipping companies are still scared of the red sea and still prefer the Cape of Good Hope route despite the cost.
c) After the war they were able to stage barrage of attacks on Israel itself and also shrug off the ensuing retaliation
They accepted ceasefire because their goal was accomplished. That's a fact. Strikes on Hodeidah wont change anything about that. Attached below is a screen shot of attacks by the Houthis on shipping after the ceasefire with the US.
In response to your question, they did NOT go into agreement quickly after the bombardment of their ports, it took several months to get them to sign a ceasefire and the ceasefire was not a capitulation. The right question should be: 'Why did the US drop her no negotiation policy'
N.B: For your information, the US-Houthi ceasefire took effect on 6th May 2025 while the US brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire took effect on 10th October stop confusing the two.

ViceGovernor:
All these ones you are typing is gibberlink....the fact remains the fact, the Houthis were soundly and thoroughly blown to smithereens and they've gone silent ever since Israel buried the entire Hodeida port where they store their oil and launch their boats from.....of course every once in a while they hijack small fishing boats but they never dare to go close to an Israeli or American ship why do you think that is? 🤔


To answer your questions_
1__the houthis have gone mute because of one reason which is the continued destruction of their facilities, storage and logistics supply chain as retribution for their attacks on ships.

2__As of now, there is no specific recent report of an attack on an Israeli ship currently in the Red Sea....so the aim of securing Israeli ships and ships from other nations have been achieved successfully.

3__Their ideology is akin to suicide and if they keep it up in no time they will go extinct from this planet. Oh you definitely 😁 know America has enough explosives to go round for every single one of them.

4__What war is it you are talking about?
Houthis at war with US of A? Don't make us laff this morning please 😂 😂 😂 😂
There is no such thing, what we all saw was a group of recalcitrant school boys who were thoroughly whipped back to their senses by the principal.

When you talk about war, don't mention cowards who are shooting projectiles that drop into the Sea, cowards who hijack fishing boats in the dead of the night but won't dare go close to a Guided Missile Destroyer (GMD) which they are aware of its location in the Red Sea.

You mentioned casualty figures being higher on one side?
Information available would show you that the aim of the West was the elimination of logistics and oil storage facilities in order to drastically reduce the ability of houthis to launch attacks on ships, not the senseless waste of civilian lives..........the last time I checked it was an absolute success. They don't even have fuel for their dinghy boats anymore.
America can very well decide to halve their population and nothing will happen aside from the usual noise from your ilks but they are God fearing they only go after the guilty.

O my goodness! This is the exact reason students fail exams! In each instance you used the Red Herring fallacy rather than directly answering my questions. Let me show you the marking scheme and how you failed woefully.
1. I simply asked you if the Houthis suddenly went mute or if there was an agreement between them and the US to which you wrongly replied that they suddenly went mute! Well a screenshot from google would answer you. Its astonishing that its not yet 2050 and AI is already more efficient than some human brains.
2. I asked you if the UNDER THE DEAL WITH THE HOITHIS the United states wasable tp secure safe shipping for Israel, to which you wrongly said yes based on non comprehensive facts. Well a screen shot from google would also give you an answer to that. Furthermore, the US deal with the Houthis was signed 6the May 2025, the Houthis sank the Magic Seas and Eternity C ships on July 6th and 9the respectively. There was also a direct Houthi attack on Eliat in September. So how on earth was the US able to secure shipping for Israel?
3. You seem to have a very poor knowledge of what warfare means. You think bombs have the ability to wipe out an ideology? Ask the US about the Taliban and the Viet Cong. Its the likes of you that sell the misconception that there's a silver bullet against guerrilla warfare. I won't argue much about this. But even Israel understands the dangers of fighting an enemy who idolizes martyrdom and thats why packed their loads and fled Lebanon in 2000 like a pack of scared puppies. Note they didnt retreat, they fled in one night abandon in their proxy militias.
4. Oh you don't know of the Saudi Houthi war? No wonder, you are just working with borrowed knowledge, you have no knowledge of how that region works. I won't stress myself to tell you that just educate yourself with Google, AI and Wikipedia.