Boko Haram Video: We'll Exchange Nigerian Girls For Prisoners

[jakeXT]

Source: NBC News, AFP


The leader of Nigeria's Boko Haram said in a video Monday that he would free more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls in exchange for the release of militant prisoners.

In a recording obtained by Agence France-Presse, Abubakar Shekau claimed the girls had been converted to Islam.

Dozens of girls were shown wearing full veils and praying in the video, whose contents could not be independently verified by NBC News.

"These girls have become Muslims," Shekau said in the recording, according to a translation from AFP.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/boko-haram-video-well-exchange-nigerian-girls-prisoners-n102841

[trusty elf]

1. Bastards

Sorry, but that name makes me think of this:



[IMG][/IMG]

[Baitball Blogger]

2. "These girls have become Muslims,"

I do not like the sound of that.

[doxydad]

3. 2 words: DRONE STRIKE

[okaawhatever]

15. 5 words RESCUE GIRLS, THEN DRONE STRIKE. nt

[JackRiddler]

18. One name: PAVLOV.

[big_dog]

33. last chance Boko Haram... 3 words STEALTH DRONE STRIKE (and make sure the girls are safe first)

[nyabingi]

4. It would seem to me that the Nigerian government

should go ahead and make this exchange so that the girls will at least be freed - now is not time to send in the Nigerian military with guns blazing to endanger the lives of the innocent.

That said, Nigeria's problem with Boko Haram and the sour relationships between the Muslim north and the Christian south is a problem internal to Nigeria, and it is up to Nigerians to work out those problems.

We, in the US, tend to have a rather commercialized, selective outrage to world events (e.g., the whole #BringBackOurGirls bandwagon which everyone has jumped on, even Michelle Obama) and we tend to either show complete indifference to outrages that have been going on for a long time (like the religion-based fighting going on in the CAR right now) or quickly lose interest in problems that pass from the media's headlines. I've even noticed people I've known for years who have never had any interest in anything political changing their Facebook profile pics to "#BringBackOurGirls" simply because it's the chic thing to do right now and everyone else is.

The attention this has mass abduction has received is beneficial in that it has drawn the world's attention to what is going on in Nigeria, but we should also be wary of supporting the idea of involving foreign military forces there, with the "we have to fight al-Qa'ida" line attached to it. The US military, via AFRICOM (a Bush-era militarization project being expanded by Obama), has been becoming more active throughout the African continent, picking and selecting winners and losers among factions and hoping to stall Chinese influence.

[KoKo]

6. Recommend read...

[Sunlei]

10. full public exposure always helps.

[JackRiddler]

19. Thank you for a smart, informative post.

[Brigid]

5. I suspected this.

Ransom and/or extortion tactics, just like any terrorists. Also like any terrorists, they love all the publicity. And the girls have "converted" to Islam? Suuuuure they have.

[CTyankee]

7. I hope they do...and set a trap after they get the girls...

and kill the S.O.B.s...

[Botany]

8. make the deal and then after they think they have gotten away with it .....

.... kill every one of them.

[murielm99]

17. That could work.

No one would mourn.

[Sunlei]

9. make the deal and exchange. Where are the rest of the girls?

[alphafemale]

11. Not just no. FUCK NO!

Reward terrorists and murderers?


Oh yeah.

That sounds like a splendid idea.

Release more of these depraved individuals that you actually do have locked up.

Appease. Appease. Appease.

Maybe if we give them what they want they'll give the girls back and stop slaughtering all those people.

We can say pretty please.

[JackRiddler]

20. You should e-mail your advice to the Nigerian authorities.

[Hekate]

26. Interesting. Do you think SWAT team negotiations are "appeasement"?

Think about that for a moment.

[alphafemale]

27. Anything involving reward or allowing them to get away would be appeasement.

Anything involving more than "Release everyone unharmed and you might not die today."
is appeasement.

[Hekate]

29. You're still not thinking like the SWAT team. You think hostage-takers in the US get away? nt

[hue]

12. Giving terrorists what they want, ie rewarding their behavior will encourage others to do the same

It is international policy, written or unwritten, NOT to negotiate with terrorists. Terrorists should never be successful in any way.
The fact that Shekau kidnapped innocent, vulnerable girls is, of course, a clear indication of how bottom feeding low he and his gang are. Animals do not stoop to such despicable behaviors.

Furthermore Shekau uses Allah's(swt) name in his pronouncements. Where are the Muslim leaders in issuing a fatwa against him?? Why has the Muslim community remained relatively silent or noncommittal regarding this event??

Shekau & his gang are the scum of scum and can never be rewarded or be seen as being rewarded!

[WinkyDink]

13. Completely disagree. Even Israel has exchanged Arab prisoners for Israelis.

[hue]

16. Exchanging POWs is not the same as exchanging terrorists for innocent Girls who were in school.

Palestinians and Jews have been at war declared or ongoing for many years. To compare what happened in northeast Nigeria dictated by Abubakar Shekauthe who leads the terrorist cell Boko Haram is sooo different than what countries with legitimate governments agree to do.

[JackRiddler]

21. You are mistaken.

There have been many cases of negotiating with hostage takers to gain the release of hostages, including by the United States government - very famously by the Reagan admin in the Iran-Contra case.

[alphafemale]

22. Negotiating with terrorists is bullshit.

Never.

It encourages future terrorism because it shows that terrorism will be appeased and rewarded.

Terrorist need to be killed.

Period.

Appeasement never works.

It's like doing a bullies homework hoping maybe they will not hit as hard.

It is ever has and ever will be bullshit.


Appease these wretched human beings. Like hell.

Find them and kill them.

[hue]

23. The secretive Iran-contra Affair by Reagan & goons is not an example of US policy!

Reagan apologized to the US public for the clandestine trade of forbidden arms to Iran for prisoners and even today 2 of them have never been heard from. Around a dozen people were indicted for this.

This is a prime example why no one should "negotiate" with terrorists!

[JackRiddler]

24. Actually, it's typical U.S. policy.

In that case, they got caught.

They also got away with it.

I am not endorsing it. I am pointing out that there have been many negotiations with so-called terrorists to get hostages released. It's usual, in fact, because the lives of the hostages are considered primary to all reasonable and humane people.

[Xithras]

28. The "never negotiate with terrorists" mantra is a discredited Reagan policy.

We negotiate with terrorists all the time. Civilized people negotiate. It's what differentiates us from the worlds thugs.

And, I'd just like to state on the record, that I find it appallingly repugnant that you think it's acceptable to leave kidnapped children with their kidnappers...who are raping, beating, and murdering them DAILY, simply because you want to make a "point". What kind of person would pass up the opportunity to save hundreds of girls from that kind of horrific abuse, simply because they were afraid of HOW IT WOULD LOOK to the world or to other terrorists?

Saving these girls is the most important point of all. EVERYTHING ELSE, from punishing the perpetrators, to appeasing terrorists, to scoring political wins, is secondary.

Give them what they want, get the girls clear, and then annihilate them. That will send the only message we need to worry about.

[hue]

31. Terrorists who kidnap girls & announce they will sell them are not civilized.

"Civilized people negotiate. It's what differentiates us from the worlds thugs."
Negotiating may/might work with civilized people. I think You are looking at this from only one point of view.

If Abubakar Shekau succeeds in a prisoner exchange I guarantee You more children will be kidnapped as the terrorist community (and believe me there are many terrorists watching how this unfolds) will view this as a success and Shekau as a messenger from their God/hero.

I agree that saving these girls is the most important point and that's just what Shekau is counting on. There are several ways of rescuing these vulnerable Young Ladies but "negotiating" with Shekau would be only a way to buy time and track his location.

"And, I'd just like to state on the record, that I find it appallingly repugnant that you think it's acceptable to leave kidnapped children with their kidnappers...who are raping, beating, and murdering them DAILY, simply because you want to make a "point". What kind of person would pass up the opportunity to save hundreds of girls from that kind of horrific abuse, simply because they were afraid of HOW IT WOULD LOOK to the world or to other terrorists?"

Where did I ever state the above? How can You ASSUME I think it's acceptable "to leave kidnapped children with their kidnappers...who are raping, beating, and murdering them DAILY, simply because you want to make a "point".

Don't make stuff up about me that doesn't exist or claim You know me or my mind. It simply demonstrates how shallow You think.

[Xithras]

34. But we are. Unless we act like them.

And yes, you did say that. Not directly, but you stated that you opposed a prisoner exchange to free them. You CHOSE to take a position that would leave the girls with their abusers, knowing full well what they are enduring, because you oppose the solution that would set them free immediately. It's you that is trying to take the simple position here, not me. And for what, an outdated conservative Reagan mantra that has prevented precisely zero terrorist attacks in the worlds history?

I don't give a damn how it looks to the world. The only thing that matters is getting the girls out of there. Any other position....ANY...is just another way of saying that you believe that "this item of concern" is more important than their safety.

Get the girls free and then annihilate Boko Haram for good. You don't even need drone strikes. Bring in some B-52's and carpet bomb their encampments to dust. Negotiate with them enough to bring the girls to safety, and then send a message to the rest of the worlds slaver terrorists by obliterating them. But no concern (none!) is more important than getting those children out of their hands. If negotiating and trading for their freedom is the fastest way to accomplish that, then it's idiotic to let hand-wringing about "messages" get in the way.

[hue]

35. No You cannot imply that I said what You imagine I said.

I never "CHOSE to take a position that would leave the girls with their abusers". You also imagine, "you oppose the solution that would set them free immediately." And if You imply things like this again I'll alert You.

I won't continue with You again since You cannot make the distinction between Your beliefs and reality.

[Xithras]

36. You said it. Here are your own words...

"Shekau & his gang are the scum of scum and can never be rewarded or be seen as being rewarded!"

The topic of this discussion is Shekau's offer to exchange all of the kidnapped girls for the prisoners. You opposed this offer because you don't want him to be "seen as being rewarded".

Your words. Not mine. You are opposed to taking him up on his offer, and freeing the girls, because of how it would look. Because it would give the appearance that that Shekau was successful. Can't you see the problem with that? It's standing on a principle at the expense of these kids freedom.

This is why black and white rules like "we don't negotiate with terrorists" will always fail. The world exists in shades of gray, and standing hard by an arbitrary rule like that hurts people. OF COURSE we negotiate with terrorists, if that's the fastest way to get children out of the hands of people who are abusing and raping them. You do what you have to do to end the immediate problem, and worry about the rest afterward.

FWIW, I'm not trying to attack you, but am just pointing out the problem with taking such a hawkish position. We're both on DU, we're both Democrats, we probably have similar worldviews on most things, and I'm sure we both want to see these girls freed. I'm not your enemy and am not trying to slam you, but I just can't wrap my mind around an argument that puts conceptual positions like "appeasing terrorists" ahead of doing every earthly thing possible to get these girls back to their families. If we have to negotiate to free them, we should do it, because their freedom trumps everything else. When the kids are free, we can bomb the hell out of Boko Haram so they never get the chance to enjoy that appeasement.

And if you want to alert on me for holding that view, then go right ahead.

[Ash_F]

14. A lot of crazy in this thread. /nt

[Hekate]

25. If he's not as insane as he looks, this could be the start of actual negotiations with the SOB...

If they can keep him talking while the SWAT team/SEAL team/US Cavalry surrounds the fort (you get the idea) there's a chance those girls can make it home. Underneath those veils, I'm sure they're praying for that as hard as they can.

[hue]

32. Shekau kidnapped young Ladies at school. He is as insane as he looks.

"If they can keep him talking while the SWAT team/SEAL team/US Cavalry surrounds the fort (you get the idea) there's a chance those girls can make it home. Underneath those veils, I'm sure they're praying for that as hard as they can. "

I agree with You 100% here.

[Arkana]

30. Yes, I'm sure that they were totally onboard with their conversion to Islam.

[OnlinePoker]

37. Here's the sad thing.

If they get released and try to convert back to Christianity, they become apostates, and under sharia law can be freely murdered.