United States announces deployment of troops to Cameroon

The White House’s recent announcement of the deployment of troops to Cameroon raises questions to as to whether the US military will ever actually confront Boko Haram. Press Secretary Josh Earnest says that the troops will be “armed for their protection, but they will not engage in combat.”

Previously, allegations surrounded the Obama administration for withholding weapons and intelligence support to help Nigeria fight the Islamist militant group. Obama claimed to deny assistance due to the violation of Gay rights in Nigeria. With this decision, oil, strategic resources, position, and population were all impacted.

In May, the US decided to support countries surrounding Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram. The administration channeled 35 million dollars through France to support defense services in Chad, Niger, and Mali. In 2014, Nigeria suspended military training with the US after Washington continued to block efforts to buy arms to fight insurgents. The US also suspended buying Nigerian crude oil in July of 2014.

Most of Boko Haram’s attacks have taken place on the Nigerian border with Cameroon. Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has previously accused the US of “aiding and abetting” Boko Haram after refusing to send weapons to Nigeria. Following the United States refusal to help, Nigeria received aid from Moscow and started to make significant strides against Boko Haram. Obama stated opposition to helping Nigeria due to Nigerian laws that criminalize homosexuality, however seventy percent of African nations have laws outlawing homosexuality.

In the announcement of the deployment of troops, President Obama has said that 300 will deploy, with 90 of the troops being sent on Monday. The administration says that the troops will stay there until it is no longer necessary. Last year, US surveillance planes and personnel were sent to northeast Nigeria after the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls who are still missing. Earnest may have hinted that we will begin to make appearances again in the region without a direct plan of attack on Boko Haram.