It may be time for new hashtag

Obviously everyone wants those kidnapped Nigerian school girls rescued, and their Boko Haram kidnapers punished.

“In these girls, Barack and I see our own daughters,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

The first lady has helped spread the Twitter hashtag “#BringBackOurGirls” worldwide.

But what is that hashtag really saying? It’s saying “United States, do something.” And so we’ve done the noble thing. Along with Britain, we’ve sent advisers and equipment in pursuit of a shadowy terrorist group.

Except Boko Haram attacked someone else’s country, not ours.

“The overwhelming numbers of the actors here are Nigerians that are focused on Nigerian issues. And it’s a side show to internationalize this when the problem is local,” Professor Paul Lubeck of UC Santa Cruz told al Jazeera back when this insurrection first started.

Now, it’s true, we’ve been invited by the government of Nigeria. But why? Is it perhaps to shield Nigerian officials from blame should any collateral damage occur?
See right now, Muslim groups, even extremists, are lining up against Boko Haram. Which is as it should be. It’s about time.

But once we get involved – which side do you think they’ll pick? The hashtag “BringBackOurGirls” has focused the world’s attention. Now we might want to coin a new one: #NigeriaDoYourJob.