Haven’t we been told endlessly that Boko Haram doesn’t represent Islam? Not that I’m advocating sending American troops to Nigeria.
Via Noah Rothman:
Former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and member of the Council on Foreign Relations, John Campbell, appeared on MSNBC on Thursday where he was probed on what the appropriate American response to Boko Haram’s terrorism should be. Campbell warned against the insertion of U.S. or European troops into that theater, and cautioned that such a move could further the narrative that America was waging a “war on Islam.” […]
“Whenever you’re dealing with a extremely complex issue in a very difficult part of the world, our first principle must be do no harm,” Campbell said.
He said that the people of Northern Nigeria are prone to the belief that America is waging a “war on Islam,” and the insertion of troops into that region could further that narrative.