The global consensus against the use of chemical weapons will be fatally unraveled A 100-year taboo will have been breached."-British Prime Minister David Cameron on the need to punish Assad's Syria regime for purportedly using chemical weapons against Syrians.
My first reaction to that statement was that the British and the Americans gleefully breached thousands of years old taboo on gay marriage. But that's a story for another time.
Did Assad's regime in Syria actually use chemical weapons against Syrians or are we back to the pre-Iraq war scenario of unverified dangerous weapons use in war precipitating further bloody conflicts?
As far as I know Assad's position in the conflict was not desperate before the alleged use of chemical weapons. Why will he use a weapon sure to give excuse to foreign invaders?
Something is not adding up to me and the involvement of Saudi Arabia again, as in 1990, makes me uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable.
I believe the West should give time for UN inspectors to release their findings and avoid precipitate response. We all saw how "weapons of mass destruction" were not found in Saddam's Iraq even after the invasion by America. It will be wrong to allow same scenario repeat itself knowing the cost of pacifying Iraq.
Obama's America should also be careful with international military engagement that might give Russia and China the opportunity to showcase their new found military resurgence and "arrival" at the global stage. Even an air strike by the West might attract Russia-Chinese response and I cannot see how American economy will survive an escalated military conflict in the Middle East that will naturally raise oil prices and further de-stabilize global economy and markets.
Let all sides breathe in and wait for UN investigators to produce a report. Any Syrian action should be UN sanctioned and involve Russia and China. Unilateralism will hurt the players.
Nigeria should also plan what to do with a possible improved earnings from oil if this stand-off enters war mode. Let us have good reinvestment plan now and also note that after the conflict the same Western powers might be interested in "instigating" a Nigerian conflict that will provide them the opportunity to reverse whatever gains we make. They are still the highest suppliers of small arms and weapons used in African conflicts.
"First fool no be fool, second fool na proper foolish man."-MI Okpara
