After destroying and destabilizing the Middle East, the Trump administration now seeks to invade Nigeria, making baseless accusations of targeting native Christians, to achieve its ulterior motives.
The US Threats to Nigeria: Religion as a Political Weapon
He further stated, “The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria—and anywhere—must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.” However, the Nigerian government has officially rejected all these allegations. Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, stated that the mass killings in the country are not motivated against any particular religious group. He further stated that the majority of the people killed in terrorist attacks in Nigeria are not Christians.
Facts Contradict U.S. Narrative of a Religious Genocide
International reports also refute President Trump’s claims of a genocide against Christians in Nigeria. According to the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), out of 1923 attacks on civilians in Nigeria, only 50 attacks were directly linked to the Christian identity. The ACLED report also noted that Nigerian violent groups make no religious distinction in attacking people. As per international reports, violent conflicts in Nigeria are often rooted in social and economic tensions. However, the Trump administration seems to intentionally ignore ground realities to find an excuse to invade Nigeria to achieve its covert regional ambitions.
A Pattern of U.S. Manipulation and Resource Politics
The United States holds a record of exploiting religious differences to achieve its international interests. During the Cold War, Washington used the Islamic notion of Jihad to recruit Afghan and Arab soldiers to fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The United States provided financial assistance to Saudi Arabia to propagate the extremist Wahhabi sect of Islam. In a confessional statement, the former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, stated that the US sponsored the export of the extremist Wahhabi brand of Islam from Saudi Arabia to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. In March 2018, Muhammad bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, also stated that Wahhabism was spread at the behest of Western nations during the Cold War.
The US establishment seems to exploit religious fault lines in Nigeria to advance its regional interests. Washington has long been spreading chaos and violence in different energy- and mineral-rich regions to maintain its global hegemony. The US quest for minerals and energy resources has reached a new apex since Donald Trump’s inauguration as 47th US President. The Trump administration is seeking to sign mineral deals with different countries. Recently, the United States has signed a secret mineral deal with Pakistan. President Trump also humiliated the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to coerce the country to sign a mineral deal with Washington. In October, Washington signed a mineral agreement with Australia.
The Trump administration’s recent aggression against Venezuela is also allegedly linked to the country’s oil and gas resources. Delcy Rodriguez, the vice president of Venezuela, also accused the United States of “aggression against major oil-producing countries.” She further stated, “For the past eight weeks, we have seen a military threat from the U.S. government, which pursues a single fundamental goal: to seize Venezuela’s oil, gas, and vast reserves.” Indeed, the United States has launched an offensive against major oil-producing countries and regions. It seeks its influence over all the oil-producing states. History shows that the United States has never been concerned about Christians in the past. Even the Israeli forces have wiped out 3 percent of Gaza’s Christians since October 7. However, instead of threatening or sanctioning Israel. The United States persistently provides military, diplomatic, and financial aid to Israel.
Nigeria is also a mineral-rich country. It holds vast mineral resources, having an estimated worth of around $700 bn. Nigeria’s mineral resources also seem to be one of the reasons behind the US’ unwarranted threats to the country. The US allegation of genocide of Christians is totally baseless. The Trump administration is exploiting religious sentiment internationally to gain support for its invasion of Nigeria. However, it needs to acknowledge that any US attempt to invade a country would have disastrous outcomes for the United States. The Eastern Bloc’s global influence has already expanded globally due to its soft image. On the other hand, the US’s global influence is continuously declining due to its history of violence. In contemporary circumstances, a US intervention in any South American, South African, or Middle Eastern country would further tarnish its image around the globe.
Аbbas Hashemite is a political observer and research analyst for regional and global geopolitical issues. He is currently working as an independent researcher and journalist
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