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But there are no clear indications on the attitude of the Federal Government about the implications of the blueprint. Specifically, this reporter has learnt that on at least one occasion mid last year, the United States, under the auspices of its Army War College in Carlisle, in the state of Pennsylvania, brought together a team of diplomats, U.S. State Department officers, CIA officers, other military intelligence, representatives of Oil companies that operate in Nigeria and other civilian experts. Their assignment was to discuss possible scenarios under which the U.S. can intervene militarily to protect its citizens in case of an attack by militants in the oil producing areas. Such attacks in the past, including the seizures of oil platforms by such militants have led to the kidnap of foreign oil workers and was seen as a threat to the oil investments of U.S. corporate bodies. It is now also being interpreted as a U.S. National Security matter. Mr. Mike Fleshman, a well reputed New York-based Human Rights Activist and former Coordinator of AfricaFund was one of the civilian participants of the 2-day workshop. He me that the exercise was basically an academic exercise conducted by the U.S. Army War College and open only to U.S. citizens. The workshop, which was code-named Niger Delta Security Exercise was also attended by Mr. Howard Jeter, the US ambassador in Nigeria. Observers are wondering if there are links between that workshop and the recent FG-aborted meeting between envoys of the United States and Great Britain and Governors of Oil producing states. Although that meeting according to the western diplomats were meant to discuss environmental concerns, which the Nigerian FG is perceived to have left effectively unaddressed, sources here say the aborted meeting may have been an extension of the concern of the U.S. and Britain to secure their citizens and investment in the oil producing area. Efforts last week to reach the U.S. State department to further questions about this was abortive. A news report had earlier claimed that the U.S. had offered Nigeria the protection of oil installations amid security claims that the installations in Nigeria may have become target of terrorists. There has been no word from Nigerian official circles whether such an offer was indeed made or whether it was accepted. But sources say the U.S. and Britain are exploring all means and options open to it to secure its citizens and oil investments including dealing directly with local authorities. One source said the aborted meeting also signposts a significant shift in the U.S. and Britain attitude to the clamor of the Niger Delta people for a control of their resources. According to the source, because the clamor is at the root of the restiveness in the oil producing area a political solution would be for the U.S. and Britain to indicate its readiness to deal with local authorities in a way that suggests support for some local control of resources as expected in a true federal system. Equally it is believed that after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. may have seen the need to shift its diplomatic gear in Nigeria and seek to make new alliance, especially in the more diverse southern part of the country in a way it has not done before. However, it is in the military plan to protect its citizens and those of other western nations like Britain that this resolve has been most evident. According to Fleshman, a participant at the U.S. Army War College workshop, the United States Army Command in Europe, which oversees it African operations, played a vital role in arranging the workshop. A top-notch U.S. consultancy firm, Cohen and Woods organized the workshop for the Defense Department. Henry Cohen was U.S. Secretary of State during the presidency of George Bush snr. and James Woods is a retired Pentagon policy chief for Africa. They both own and run the firm Although the workshop was "essentially an academic exercise", Fleshman said the issue of military assistance for Nigeria was part of the issues that came up at the workshop. Part of that assistance was a plan to civilianize the control of the Nigerian armed forces after several years of military rule. Other component of the assistance was the provision of 8 coastal patrol boats drawn from the U.S. World War 2 Fleet which was almost due for decommissioning, but now presented to Nigeria for use in the Oil Producing areas and the refurbishment of Nigeria's C-130 military aircraft among others. In return, as raised at the workshop academically, the Nigerian federal Government was to authorize the U.S. military to protect or defend its citizens if the need arises at the oil producing area. This reporter cannot confirm if and whether the Nigerian Government has received or accepted such an offer and whether in fact the offer went beyond the so-called academic exercise. Also at the workshop, participants played several roles and scenarios that may develop before and after a U.S. military intervention in the Niger Delta. Such roles included that of Human right groups, govts of countries, oil communities, and oil companies. One of the scenarios highlighted was the possibility of a hijack on an oil platform with U.S. citizens and a threat to blow up the platform. Under such a situation, the workshop concluded that a U.S. military intervention would be justified. According to Fleshman, when he was approached to attend the workshop and play the role of a human rights groups and also the role of the Delta communities he consulted with various human rights activists from the area in Nigeria and also informed Nigerian top diplomats in New York. He said one of the Nigerian diplomats he spoke with noted that U.S. and Nigeria had a friendly relations although the diplomat conceded that he was not aware of the workshop. "He told me that may be the Nigerian Military Attaché knows." Fleshman said when he was invited to the workshop, the exercise, also known as a "war game," he was told that the holding of the "war game" does not necessarily mean the U.S. was planning a military intervention in the Niger Delta. But he added he was also told that before any military intervention is carried out, such war games are first organized. "The organizers told me they organize hundreds of such war games a year."
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he United States may have been developing a clear and definitive military
blueprint for the protection of its citizens and those of its prime ally,
Great Britain, and their Nigerian oil investments in case there is the need
to do so, if and when the security of Nigeria's oil producing areas becomes
dangerous again.