Thread by @DefenseNigeria

Im getting really tires of the same ole question. If we have all these weapons why cant they they defeat Boko Haram. They will be the first to cry genocide if the army uses rocket artillery om civilian neighbourhood just to kill a couple of insurgents.

There is a reason why everybody declared the U.S lost the war in Vietnam even though in actual fact America won the war a hundred times over.

There is a reason why people say the U.S lost the war in A-STAN even though the U.S won the war a thousand times over. But then what..they get bored after 20 years and realize the war will never be won. Not because they are losing, but rather

no matter what happens, people refuse to see counter insurgency for what it is and prefer to be simple minded. The fact most people say the U.S lost to a bunch of Taliban fighters wearing flip flops is proof pragmatism is DEAD.

In Nigeria its the same. The longest war in Nigeria's history, twice as long as the civil war yet a good 90% of the populatuon have been untoched by the war. They go to work, go on holidays, hit the club, hold concerts and carnivals..life is normal. Its hussle and bussle

These are the same folks who ask why has Nigeria not defeated Boko Haram. It has become abominable to laud recent progress in the war on terrorism. The Nigerian military is keeping the terrorists on the run. Thats not what people want to hear.

The fact is that we are winning the war on terrorism. FACT. However at the slightest setback, if a soldier steps on a banana peel, falls and breaks his back, for many it will be an inidcation that the war on terrorism is far from over.

As a result years or even decades to come, any attack, no matter how minut will be interpreted as a show of strength against a military unable to defeat a bunch of insurgents wearing flip flops. Its a "hopeless" mindset that will forever benefit insurgents.

History has showm that the only time people appreciate their armed forces is when they experience the horrors of war. Suffer real losses. Carry life long emotional scars that will never heal. Only then do people become reasonable.

The war against terrorism will last at least a hundred years until people come to their senses. Why? Because successful counter terrorism is difficult to measure. Unlike a conventional military campaign, there is no enemy capital to capture, army or industrial base to destroy.

Even a terrorist organization that is divided and demoralized still has the capability to lash out and kill many innocents..and the capability to kill innocent will be there for thousands of years to come.

The army tries to disprove ISWAP propaganda with a body count approach. 25,000 surrendered. 6 commanders KIA. Thousands KIA. People dont find it appealing because it provides a concrete measure of success and failure.

Nigerians generally fails to measure accurately the status of the adversary’s morale, recruitment, fundraising, organization, ability to conduct sophisticated attacks, and other vital components. They are laser focused on how many defenceless people are killed

..and rather than see it as a sign of weakness people ascribe power and see it as an indication the military is making false claims. Its a hopeless situation.