Senator calls for U.S. special forces to rescue Nigerian girls
Washington (CNN) – Sen. Susan Collins told CNN in an interview that she wants the U.S. military to help rescue more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria.
“More can be done by this administration. I would like to see Special Forces deployed to help rescue these young girls. Some of these girls are as young as nine years old,” said Collins.
“They’re being sold into slavery, forced into marriages, required to convert. This is just horrible,” she said.
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Collins joined Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski in writing a bipartisan letter Tuesday to President Barack Obama asking the administration to do more. It was signed by all 20 women senators.
But the letter focused on the diplomatic front, and urged Obama to press the United Nations to add Boko Haram to its al Qaeda Sanctions List.
Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings in April, is a militant group that has received assistance in the past from al Qaeda, according to the State Department. The United States has branded it a terror group.
“Every single woman immediately signed that letter, because she wanted to lend her voice to the international outrage,” said Mikulski.
“The women of the Senate won’t be quiet,” she said.
The comments came as word surfaced of even more abductions this week.
Mikulski, interviewed by CNN alongside Collins, was more circumspect on the idea of sending American troops on a rescue mission. Instead, she hopes regional governments take the lead.
“It has to start with the Nigerian President, using his resources, an African regional coalition, and then call upon the expertise of nations that have Special Forces, special intelligence data, satellites, etc.,” said Mikulski.
“Find the girls, rescue the girls, punish the bad guys and send a message: we won’t tolerate it. You try it again, we’ll come after you again,” Mikulski said emphatically.
But she voiced concern coming from others on Capitol Hill and elsewhere about the Nigerian government’s willingness to act.
“The Nigerian government, led by its President, has been tepid on its response at best,” said Mikulski.
Collins said she would think the Nigerian President “would welcome Special Forces coming in.”
“I don’t think the Nigerian President has the capabilities, obviously, that we have, so I would hope that he would encourage the United States to help him rescue these young citizens of his country, these girls who are being so exploited, kidnapped, taken from their homes. This is horrendous and it requires a global outrage in response to what’s happening,” said Collins.
Under mounting international pressure, Nigeria on Tuesday defended its response to the kidnappings. A senior Nigerian official has told CNN that the government there is in "hot pursuit" of those responsible. Specifically, the official said two special battalions have been devoted to the search and more troops would be involved.
So far, the State Department said that Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan welcomes an offer of U.S. support and said the embassy in Nigeria is ready to create a "coordination cell" to provide intelligence, investigations and hostage negotiation expertise. It would include U.S. military personnel, agency spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
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I checked, but couldn't find if the Senator's had children, but, if not, draft their nephews and nieces, cousins, and child or relative between the ages of 16 and 45, arm them with M16's and station them on the front lines. Do the same with any Senator or Congressman, or voter, who support this or any other military action. Let them sacrifice and die. The rest of us are tapped out. I've had it with chicken hawks. The rest of us have been bled dry.mit's time for the elite and pro-war crowd to step up and pay the price; the rest of us are tapped out. Do the same with guest worker visas – let them take their jobs, outsourcing, taxes, etc.
Eh... aw.... didn't Boko Harum record Knights In White Satin....?
Im not sure, if we should send in special forces, but I am totally for assisting the government over there find these dogs, that are doing this, and making an example of them for the world to see.
Hey Dana:
A 500 word story on a Senate response to the barbaric abduction of 200 girls, and not ONCE do you even mention that they are militant Muslims, and the girls are Catholic? Do you ever wonder why entire websites are devoted to media bias? It's when a horrific group of people, yet agains in the name of Islam, commit such atrocities and you and your fellow reprobates are loath to mention the religion of the perpetrator.
Let's turn these Boko Harem muthas a Whiter Shade of Pale; BTW I can't STAND their music!
I think the congress should go save them and if they are not capable send their family members that are!!! Otherwise drone bomb them and pay for it with the oil and defense stocks they own!!
Hey we don't forget that we are the police of the world, so we are able to bring these girls back to their families. END OF THE STOEY
This should have been said and done 22 days ago. What took so long?
arm the girls and teach them to shoot. then lets see how things work out.
Dumb move if we get involve with this. These violence is no different from Chicago where 1di0ts are trying to kill each other. What will keep those African extremist from kidnapping more later. Should we send more troops to guard their children? It is a sad story but we can only do as much as we can do without hurting ourselves. You don't really know if those extremist are just setting a trap for American soldiers.
These twenty women of the US Senate should buy a gun and catch a plane to Nigeria if they are so concerned. Personally, I think it's just TNB.
Boko Harum rocks. A Whiter Shade of Pale is a kickin song.
Why? Nigerian special forces should do this.
Horrible yes, our business NO !
Please, these female senators only care about on thing. That is getting those young female Nigerians back and anything that involves females. Don't get me wrong, what happen is bad and not right. But Africa and Nigeria needs to handle this situation on their own. U.S. Senator females, please quite getting the U.S involved and our military involved. The U.S. doesn't need to get into that situation. Nigeria got their own military and police. Let them do the work, but if its not enough then so be it. It's not our place to be stepping. So, stop getting the U.S. involved. It's funny how all these female U.S. senators only come out of the wood works to want to fix something that's only special to them. But nothing else. Everything that the U.S. is doing should be important, not Nigerian females. Take care of our U.S. females first before another country!
Brandon.....Ex Army vet.
really..ok GOD USA take car of and control the world..bet if they were Irish or maybe even Quatti it wouldn't matter..pay for the world problems on your own Administration..we have enough issues right here in the US of A
Nigeria is part of the British Commonwealth. The British have a knowledge of this area second only to the Nigerians themselves. Cameroon is in the French sphere of influence. It seems that if anyone sends troops from the West it should be these two countries. Both France and the UK have excellent military special forces and knowledge of these groups. I see no reason to send US forces other than to provide logistics and intelligence support.
we are not the world's police man. repeat until you believe it.
Dumb idea.
You really can't just send special forces / special operations in every type of situation / place. I doubt all the girls are kept in one location by just one group. Sure it may be possible to have a team with air support go into one location and wipe out and rescue everyone without any casualties. The reality is if their Government has no funding or a care to stop whats going on in their country, another group with the same ideology will just take their spot. Not only that, they will also change their defense tactics.
If I were special forces I don't think there'd be a more important task then to help save some kids.
The nigerian government are clueless, we need the united states military or Nato to come to our aids. The govt of nigeria should give NATO a base in northern nigeria. The u s should bring their F35 raptor fighters or f15. Corrution has eaten up every sector in nigeria including the military and police.
Where have you been for the last couple decades. Iraq?
The Cost of BOKO HARAM is both current and futuristic because of the consequences on the girl-child education in Northern Nigeria.
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sniffit - You are obsessed : Give it a rest ! !
Actually, I think that you are NOTHING but a BigMoney-paid provocatuer ! !
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It is time for the Muslim Community to ACT ! ! - FOR ONCE ! ! !
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However, this thing is so gross that we cannot be indifferent AND honorable at the same time.
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