How many times have we found ourselves retorting: what is good for the goose is good for the gander? For me, this comes up very frequently whenever I argue for equity. Wish for yourself whatever you wish for your brother or something like that.

While watching Al-Jazeera this morning, I heard that the US has finally agreed to stop destroying poppy farms in Afghanistan and shifts its focus to drugs traffickers, progressing labs and drugs convoy! The UN office on Drug and Crimes speaking out of Vienna expressed their ‘gratitude’. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a very powerful documentary on the drug war in Columbia. It did not leave me with a clear sense of who is right and who is wrong. So much injustice and needless loss of Columbians lives to protect American from taking drugs in the comfort of their homes.

Back home in Nigeria, We were frequently ‘classified’ as countries ‘not doing enough’ to stop drug trafficking and money laundering. You cannot blame America for using its immense power to attempt to save its citizens from self-destruction and I am sure they will continue to do that. Where the gander comes in is the similarity between the drugs trade and the arms trade. These two trades (mostly illegal) constitute some of the most destructive ‘products’ in the market today. The illicit drugs that are produced by farmers in poor countries, processed by rogue traffickers and sold to dubious drug dealers who deliver the poison to American children destroys the lives of millions of people in the West. The landmines and assault rifles go through the same journey in the opposite direction. Western factories produce these weapons, shadowy arms traders traffic them to Africa and sell them to suspect ‘freedom fighters’ and rogue governments and these are used to take the life of mostly innocent Africans.

To better understand this game, take a minute and reflect on the nuclear material debate and the role safeguarding American lives has played in the carnage that is today’s Iraq. Take it further to Iran and their conflict with the West. What America is doing is similar to the poppy farm destruction programs; it is based on the logic that danger should be stopped at source. Conflicts in Africa are not new and certainly not about to end. The dimension that has resulted in the loss of so many lives and the child soldier syndrome is the introduction of western style warfare. The difference between taking a machete to a man’s skull and pressing a trigger from a hundred meters can be a much as a million lives. Every time I think of what could have happened if either or both sides in all the ethnic and religious conflicts in Nigeria had modern weapons, I go cold. The reason the Niger Delta conflict has claimed so many lives is the introduction of modern warfare. For every life lost to air raid, for every town destroyed by the armed forces, the trail of benefit is shameful. A US (more likely to be Russian, Ukrainian or European) company makes a nice profit and gives Uncle Sam his share in taxes. The defense industry lobby group also ensures that the American lawmakers ‘see’ the logic in the status quo. A Nigerian politician (or the entire house committee on defense) receives a handsome kola. A big ‘supporter’ of the ruling party makes a handsome profit and gives a generous donation to the party (thus ensuring that the sixty year agenda is fulfilled without a single vote). This deceit called defense is the biggest scam of them all. It cuts across many continents, many governments and politicians on all sides of the divide and their roguish partners (the usual names for them; defense industry in US, defense contractors in Nigeria).

I think it is time the very powerful goose steps in and help the rather stupid gander. The Americans should face it- for as long as our country remains desperately poor, they will never know true peace. They will be no shortage of people volunteering to ship drugs to their country for a fee, no scarcity of brothers taking it out of ‘foolish Americans’ whose greed has laid them open to frauds. Stop selling us weapons, stop supporting rogue leaders and start freezing assets stolen by public office holders. Ban students whose parents are in government from your schools and stop granting them visas. If your only fear is crude, don’t worry about that; we will continue to sell enough crude to keep your big cars on the road. It is not America’s duty to fix our country but it is their responsibility to stop providing the support framework that has aided our leaders in stealing a whole country. When it comes to money laundering, drugs, terrorist and corruption money should be treated the same.

I saved the 419 affairs for last because it is the sweetest (bitter-sweet?) of them all. I have ceased to marvel at the response of the Western Capitals to what is essentially a criminal association of two citizens with different nationalities. The classic cases involves an invitation to treat (I have access to $100million dollars of Nigerian tax payers money. Help me steal it and some of it can be yours!), an offer, an acceptance and a failure to perform on contract terms (that is where the sharp Nigerian crook takes off with the advance). How this is a matter for Nigeria alone, I will never understand. What about the thousands of ‘victims’ who planned to steal our taxpayers’ money? How come American famous justice system has not caught up with them? Why is America not running a public campaign advising its citizens against trying to steal Nigerian government money rather than projecting us as a nation of crooks?

Something tells me that the recent visit by Medvedev might make Abuja an interesting destination for US diplomats soon. It is one thing for them to ignore us but for Russia to show their face on Western turf? Common Putin, you lost the cold war remember? You are not entitled to the spoils!

Robot  # 1 | 28.06.2009 07:56

Stop selling us weapons, stop supporting rogue leaders and start freezing assets stolen by public office holders. Ban students whose parents are in government from your schools and stop granting them visas. If your only fear is crude, don’t worry about that; we will continue to sell enough crude to keep your big cars on the road. ...Read the full article.

DeepThought  # 2 | 28.06.2009 08:26

I heard that the US has finally agreed to stop destroying poppy farms in Afghanistan and shifts its focus to drugs traffickers, progressing labs and drugs convoy! The UN office on Drug and Crimes speaking out of Vienna expressed their ‘gratitude’. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a very powerful documentary on the drug war in Columbia. It did not leave me with a clear sense of who is right and who is wrong. So much injustice and needless loss of Columbians lives to protect American from taking drugs in the comfort of their homes it is based on the logic that danger should be stopped at source. Conflicts in Africa are not new and certainly not about to end. The dimension that has resulted in the loss of so many lives and the child soldier syndrome is the introduction of western style warfare. The difference between taking a machete to a man’s skull and pressing a trigger from a hundred meters can be a much as a million lives. Every time I think of what could have happened if either or both sides in all the ethnic and religious conflicts in Nigeria had modern weapons Hmmm, I think Abubakar may be making some good sense here. This is perfectly logical and much in line with safegurading the international community from rogue nations and their products Now, all we have to do is invade America, kill all their weapons manufacturers there and blow up their factories. Anyone up for that?.....

AwesomeO2  # 3 | 28.06.2009 09:53

"Stop selling us weapons, stop supporting rogue leaders and start freezing assets stolen by public office holders. Ban students whose parents are in government from your schools and stop granting them visas. If your only fear is crude, don’t worry about that; we will continue to sell enough crude to keep your big cars on the road. It is not America’s duty to fix our country but it is their responsibility to stop providing the support framework that has aided our leaders in stealing a whole country. When it comes to money laundering, drugs, terrorist and corruption money should be treated the same." I say, AMEN to that. I've always maintained that if the West wanted the above things to happen in Africa and the rest of the world, they could make it all happen with or without our help. But in other to do that, they will have to do WITHOUT the benefits of such loots. "I saved the 419 affairs for last because it is the sweetest (bitter-sweet?) of them all. I have ceased to marvel at the response of the Western Capitals to what is essentially a criminal association of two citizens with different nationalities. The classic cases involves an invitation to treat (I have access to $100million dollars of Nigerian tax payers money. Help me steal it and some of it can be yours!), an offer, an acceptance and a failure to perform on contract terms (that is where the sharp Nigerian crook takes off with the advance). How this is a matter for Nigeria alone, I will never understand. What about the thousands of ‘victims’ who planned to steal our taxpayers’ money? How come American famous justice system has not caught up with them? Why is America not running a public campaign advising its citizens against trying to steal Nigerian government money rather than projecting us as a nation of crooks?" That is always the $100 million question. Some are human but some are more human than others, I guess.

Willy  # 4 | 28.06.2009 17:12

Abu, steal in a small boat and you are a pirate, use large ships and you'll be crowned an emperor, it's always about the magnitude, the cojones you bring to the table. The U.S. under Obama has acknowledged America is complicit in fueling the drug war in Mexico through arms trafficking, however, with the S/African, Eastern European, and Asian arms bazaar, you may have chosen the wrong target, or forgot to name all the suspects. The U.K. should have been your focus in this article, the U.S. has for what it is worth made it not too convenient for looters, cosmetic you may claim, but something as against the U.K.'s direct shipping of arms to Nigeria, including free arms during the Nigeria/Biafra war, today, it is arms to Shell et al to continue the killing, the more things appear to change, the more the remain the same. A former governor that maintains a house in the Beltway accused bankers of aiding and abetting looting in Nigeria, that was his puny defense to my charge that his salary could not afford his house, tell me, are the bankers ready to say no to the poisoned chalice in this season of meeting targets? There is much wrong with the society, but keep writing, and keep grinding the coffee, we'll get there a step at a time.

quietswami  # 5 | 29.06.2009 10:21

Reading this piece the common saying of "all is fair in love and war" comes to mind! Just as the common defence of gun lobbyists "guns don't, people do!" It would be foolhardy of me to expect that the All Blacks in rugby, or the Brazillians in football to throw a game or give my team the edge in any competitive game out of sheer goodwill or otherwise. The countries of the world are forever involved in competitive games of economics, politics, science etc there are known rules of the "game", strategies, tactics and guiles to gain advantage "acceptable" within the game - eye-gouging, and the odd elbow to the face "pass" within both rugby and football. Why should any country in the ascendancy give up its competitive advantage? Unfortunately, Nigeria and Nigerian affiliates will have to learn the game the hard way - just as other countries have had to do! Come up with its own strategies to gain an edge -when the virtues of comprehensive shared values, vision, and organisation holds sway with the majority then the "tricks" to winning the game will be self-evident! The US et al can only do right by their citizens and rightly so! There are no perfect countries and there never will be! What the majority aspire to in their collective shared vision and values is how the game is won or lost! Enough of the victim mentality already and get proactive!

Suleimana  # 6 | 29.06.2009 12:30

=quietswami;367689>Reading this piece the common saying of "all is fair in love and war" comes to mind! Just as the common defence of gun lobbyists "guns don't, people do!" It would be foolhardy of me to expect that the All Blacks in rugby, or the Brazillians in football to throw a game or give my team the edge in any competitive game out of sheer goodwill or otherwise. The countries of the world are forever involved in competitive games of economics, politics, science etc there are known rules of the "game", strategies, tactics and guiles to gain advantage "acceptable" within the game - eye-gouging, and the odd elbow to the face "pass" within both rugby and football. Why should any country in the ascendancy give up its competitive advantage? Unfortunately, Nigeria and Nigerian affiliates will have to learn the game the hard way - just as other countries have had to do! Come up with its own strategies to gain an edge -when the virtues of comprehensive shared values, vision, and organisation holds sway with the majority then the "tricks" to winning the game will be self-evident! The US et al can only do right by their citizens and rightly so! There are no perfect countries and there never will be! What the majority aspire to in their collective shared vision and values is how the game is won or lost! Enough of the victim mentality already and get proactive! Thats exactly what the PDP (or the establishment ) are saying! All is fair in love and war! WhY would a handful of people who control the multitude and enjoy a life we can only dream of change anything? Will a Babangida, an OBJ or an Abacha be president if merit was a yard stick? NO! WhY should they give it up? And what are we going to do about it? Fight? Did I hear people running or is it my imagination? Fela, them no wan die oh! How many people consider Nigeria worth dying for? We are in a fix. Our leaders love the status quo and they HAVE the power to keep it that way. The developed countries love the status quo and they will ensure it remains that way! The religious leaders LOVE IT the way it is. We HATE the status quo and WE ARE UNWILLING TO FIGHT TO CHANGE IT!

quietswami  # 7 | 29.06.2009 13:08

"All is fair in love and war" within the context of the global game. No-one country should be "expected" to do right by the other unless some form of advantage is to be had - hence a fallacy to expect the US to do right by Nigeria! Nigeria is worth "fighting" for as long as there is there are shared values, ideals, and vision to die for! The smart one need not "fight" but wins without the need to "fight". Where does the Nigerian leadership come from? Where does it go? Should the tail wag the dog? Where does "real" power reside? The "fight" is not one of leadership and the masses but of values and the masses - the vaccum is our leadership reality!