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Nigerian rebels attack JUGULAR OF ENEMY!
by nano Wednesday, Sep 17 2008, 11:12pm
international / social/political / opinion/analysis

This is not a story on a fake terrorism war that targets nothing of strategic value – such as Bin Laden’s war of convenience. The reader will note Bush’s ‘Islamic terrorists’ only target symbolic not REAL (high value) targets -- after all, the forces behind the ‘long war’ do not wish their profits to be disrupted or to lose anything of REAL value!

'MEND' fighters of the Nigerian Delta

Need we remind first year military cadets that war is PRIMARILY about crippling and destroying the opponent -- of SECONDARY consideration are symbolic targets, therefore, the order of attack or execution is first things FIRST! That means PRIMARY TARGETS FIRST. Have we all noticed the complete absence of these targets by the forces Bush claims desire to overthrow the world? For Christ’s fuckin' sake, only the American population could fall for the crap dished out to it by the White House and Murdoch media! Think people, THINK!

WAR is primarily about hurting the enemy attacking targets that cripple and destroy the opponent, have we all noticed that Bush’s fake war attacks only American fear – symbolic targets -- no important infrastructure targets WHATSOEVER! Perhaps the CIA and other agencies will now be forced to strike at something credible, ay, boys!

Common sense dictates that a REAL WAR INVOLVES DESTROYING REAL TARGETS CRITICAL TO THE VIABILITY OF AN ENEMY – you don’t have to be a military strategist to appreciate that simple fact! Now consider the ‘mind war’ that Bush-Cheney wage on YOU the American people!

By way of living example we offer PROOF (a word the neocons loathe) of a REAL WAR in PROGRESS. The following quote should focus even the muddled American ‘mind:’

“ … militants have declared an ‘oil war.’ They have bombed pipelines, platforms, gas plants and oilfields, halting up to 115,000 barrels per day of oil production in the last five days -- nearly six percent of Nigeria's estimated output in August.” [Emphasis added.]

Shell Oil

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gHJyop68FyJkZy4mhXIgmHhzZRvwD938L57G3

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Nigerian armed group declares ceasefire in 'oil war'
by AFP via rialator - AFP Sunday, Sep 21 2008, 8:52am

LAGOS (AFP) — The most prominent armed group in southern Nigeria, MEND, declared a ceasefire on Sunday following a week of attacks on oil industry targets after launching an "oil war".

"Effective 0100 Hrs, September 21, 2008, exactly one week (since) we launched our reprisal, MEND will begin a unilateral ceasefire till further notice," the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in a statement.

The ceasefire comes after MEND claimed a series of attacks targeting Royal Dutch Shell.

Shell confirmed only two of the six attacks claimed by the group, but on Friday declared force majeure on exports from the Bonny terminal to release it from contractual delivery obligations, citing the recent attacks.

On Saturday, MEND said it had destroyed a pipeline run by Shell the previous day.

MEND declared "war" on the oil industry a week ago in what it said was a response to an attack by the Nigerian army on its positions.

It warned in its statement Sunday that it would end the ceasefire if attacked again.

"We hope that the military has learnt a bitter lesson," the statement said. "The next unprovoked attack will start another oil war."

But the decision to announce this new ceasefire marks a sudden change of tone for the movement.

Even on Saturday, announcing their latest attack on a Shell pipeline, they warned they would keep targetting Nigeria's oil infrastructure until the country's oil exports were reduced to zero.

Last Sunday, the group had warned off all industry workers from approaching the oil-rich Niger Delta region, and had even threatened attacks on the Chevron, Agbami and FPSO Bonga offshore sites.

The ceasefire came after appeals from political and tribal leaders in the Niger Delta. They ended their last ceasefire, announced on June 24, after three weeks.

MEND contends that the oil wealth of Nigeria -- now Africa's second largest petroleum exporter after recently being overtaken by Angola -- does not sufficiently benefit the local population.

Little is known about who runs MEND, a well-organised and well-equipped group, which emerged in early 2006.

It has carried out attacks on oil installations on land and offshore, kidnapping foreign oil workers and sabotaging equipment. Its activities are largely responsible for Nigeria's oil production dropping by 25 percent.

MEND operates in a zone of creeks and swamps where its knowledge of the terrain gives it an advantage over the army. It presents its men as "freedom fighters" who are reluctant to kill their brothers in the military.

The group says its enemies are the federal government and foreign oil companies.

Insecurity in the Delta has caused the multinationals to send most of their expatriate personnel out of the region.

Oil and gas account for 90 percent of foreign exchange earnings in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with 140 million people.

Production currently ranges between 1.8 million and two million barrels per day compared with 2.6 million bpd two years ago, with unrest having taken a toll on output.

© 2008 AFP

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jzlvkFSdyE9DE_k3rJn6ctraQg0A