Why Exactly Is The US Equipping Our Neighbours Militarily?
The questions is often asked in international relations why a nation would purchase or otherwise acquire a particular category of military weapon or weapons if not to use it one day. Many countries would even go a little further to spy on others...perceived and declared enemies.....or even those generally viewed as its friends or allies....to have advanced knowledge of their military research, intentions and acquisitions!
It is instructive that even the nation of Israel, long perceived as a strong ally of the United States of America, has been known to plant spies...caught and jailed...in the US to ferret out sensitive military intelligence.
The US itself was recently caught red-handed spying on the German Chancellor and other touted European allies....drawing the ire and consternation of the offended nations. Israel would simply deploy its fighter jets to embark on deep forays into Syrian territory and bomb out a missile battery if it learns that Syria had acquired such weapons....just to neutralize any intended military advantage.
It would bomb out a nuclear reactor just on the suspicion that Syria may use it to produce nuclear weapons one day as it violates Libyan airspace at will. It gained the Golan heights in one previous skirmish facilitated by planting a sophisticated spy deep within Syrian governmental heirachy and had never let go of that land ever since in spite of all entreaties.
When a brilliant young scientist moved "too fast" towards actualizing an Iranian nuclear weapons goal, Israel simply sent its spies after him to bomb him out and posted an official denial in international circles.
Iran took the uncommon precaution of installing its nuclear facilities deep under thick layers of concrete in the rocky Ural Mountains just so Israel would not find it easy to detect and destroy....even if it finds it out.
Russia and US would often exchange hot brickbats in reaction to mere speculations or proven instances of either side selling advanced military hardware to the allies of its foes.
A nation, apprehensive of the intentions of its neighbour or other foe, would take pains to organize highly-advertised military drills called "manoeuvres" which are essentially demonstrations of strength or "show of power", ostensibly to discourage such adversaries from attacking it.
The US had been massively equipping and training the Chadian military even long before the advent of Boko Haram making it among the best equipped and best skilled in Africa. It was consequent upon this military superiority that Nigeria found it necessary to ask the Chadians for assistance, after our soldiers took to their heels at the war front!
This state of affairs poses a huge security threat to our nation..other than Boko Haram..."if" our neighbors see us us a weakling.The way our military commanders contributed to our military weakness is discussed elsewhere.
We know how the US reacts when a mere adversary to one of its allies is merely suspected to be developing a weapon that may tilt the balance of power in its subregion. Another case in point is North Korea .
A nation bent on beefing the military capabilities of your neighbors is your enemy. It does not wish you well...
Dr Tosin Akindele is a medical practitioner and public affairs analyst.