Case Study
Nigeria: War Within Borders
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The Limitation of Traditionally Unlimited Power
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A Way Of Life?
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The Rock and the Hard Place
A Way Of Life?
One of the most startling aspects of the violence in Benue is the lack of value attached to human life. All sides in this conflict engage in the slaughter of enemies, both real and perceived. Although the violence perpetrated by the soldiers in this situation is deplorable, it was sandwiched between killings committed by civilian mobs. The large-scale loss of life leads to a number of questions.
Do you see this sort of violence as typical of less developed nations? If so, do you believe that it is present only in less developed nations like Nigeria? How is the violence in less developed countries different from the violence in western democracies?
Do you have faith in the ability of the people of Nigeria to rise above this sort of violence? What must happen before Nigerians stop killing each other and find peaceful ways to channel their disagreements?
Does the United States have any role to play in trying to stop the sort of bloodshed seen in Benue? Is it the business of the U.S. to get involved in this kind of situation? Would it be hypocritical for the United States to condemn the killing transpiring in Nigeria?
Certainly all killing is horrible and regrettable. Regardless of this reality, this question requires you to distinguish types of violence. Which kind of violence is ultimately more damaging for a less developed country such as Nigeria: military attacks on civilians, civilian attacks on the military, or civilian attacks on each other?
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