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| Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan |
As it is said ''no two countries have exactly the same economic system'', so it is with national interests. Nations of the world have different interests when it comes to international dealings or anything at all. No two nations have the same national interest, but with a common objective as ''national interests''. National interests are always based on formidable individual country's values and norms, anchored on national pride, economy, respect and protection for their citizens wherever they may be. ''We never leave troops behind'', ''we don't negotiate with terrorists'', are two formidable well known national interests of the United States. It is a fact that most developed nations of the world seems to value, respect and protect their citizens more than the third world countries do. It could as well translate into not having enough resources to deal with the demands of such enormous obligation.
The kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls in northern Nigeria has attracted a lot of international headlines and has seen United States and other Western countries coming to help secure the release of the over 200 kidnapped schoolgirls. But one thing that has called for concern is the advice by these Western countries most especially United States that Nigeria should never negotiate with Boko Haram. With particular reference to the ideology of ''NATIONAL INTERESTS'', a good read of the extract below will inform President Jonathan why he should negotiate with Boko Haram to #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS.
Those core U.S. commitments, to the soldier, the country and the world, came into conflict when Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl fell into the hands of the Taliban and the government saw only one way to get him back: in essence, make a deal with terrorists.
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| Freed US Marine Sgt Bowe Bergdahl |
The debate over Bergdahl rages on multiple fronts, touching on whether the U.S. came out on the short end in a bargain that freed five Taliban captives, whether the soldier who walked away from his post was disloyal to country, whether adversaries will see more gain in capturing Americans, whether the administration was justified in acting without notice to Congress, and more.
What's clear in the complexities is that the age-old vow to retrieve the captured or the fallen proved more potent than the refusal to make deals with those who don't fight by the rules.
Each ethos runs deep in the American conscience, yet has been violated through history, notably in the age of terrorism, where traditional standards of warfare, spying and negotiating are run through a hall of mirrors.
Bergdahl and the five Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detainees traded for his freedom were captives in an undeclared, unconventional and open-ended war that never fit neatly into the Geneva Conventions, U.S. military doctrine or slogans about how to behave.
A behavior anchored on national interest, national interest based on citizen respect and protection, because without the people, there will not be any nation. Our girls did not walk away from their post, rather they were only exercising their fundamental rights to be educated when they were abducted. Can someone please tell President Goodluck Jonathan to do everything possible including #NEGOTIATEANDBRINGBACKOURGIRLS.
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