North Korea offers Nigeria missile deal?!?

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-01-29 11:48am

http://www.washtimes.com/world/20040128 ... -6730r.htm

North Korea has offered to sell Nigeria advanced missile technology, the Nigerian government said yesterday, prompting the United States to warn its African ally that it might face sanctions if it strikes a deal with Pyongyang.

Nigerian officials yesterday issued vague and contradictory statements about their intentions and the missile type on offer, although they acknowledged seeking ballistic-missile technology for "peaceful" purposes.

A sale would mark the first time that such technology has been introduced into sub- Saharan Africa, raising the prospect of a costly new arms race among some of the world's poorest and least-stable nations.

A North Korean delegation "came to us wanting a memorandum of understanding signed with us toward developing missile technology, and training and manufacture of ammunition," a spokesman for Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar was quoted as saying.

The delegation, led by Yang Hyong-sop, vice president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, discussed the proposal with Mr.
Abubakar during a five- day visit to Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

The spokesman, Onukaba Ojo, was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that a memorandum would be signed soon.

The state-run News Agency of Nigeria also said that Mr. Abubakar had "expressed an interest in signing a defense pact with North Korea on the grounds that the Asian country was developed in that area."

That statement did not specify whether the missile sale would be part of the agreement. However, Agence France-Presse quoted Mr. Ojo as saying: "There hasn't been any interest shown on our side."

The United States, which is trying to undercut the North's ability to sell missile and nuclear technology around the world, said that rejecting Pyongyang's pitch would be "the right step" for Nigeria.

"We'd welcome a decision to turn down any such offers from North Korea," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters.

"We want to stop North Korea's missile activities, and we've gone to many countries to try to encourage them not to buy."

Another State Department official said that a deal could result in sanctions against both seller and buyer.

"The United States is committed to using all available measures, including interdictions and sanctions, when warranted, against North Korea's missile activities and those of its missile customers," the official said.

"The United States will continue to closely monitor missile-related trade involving North Korea and work with other like-minded countries taking steps to address such activities."

The Bush administration, along with 11 allied governments, began an effort last year to intercept illegal arms shipments on the high seas from rogue states, such as North Korea and Iran.

The plan, known as the Proliferation Security Initiative, is aimed at preventing lethal weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists and dictators.

Washington has named North Korea as the world's largest exporter of ballistic missiles. It maintains that the profits from those sales go for developing nuclear-weapons programs.

The two countries are locked in a bitter standoff, which the Bush administration is trying to resolve in six-party talks along with China, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

The North is reported to have shared its technology with Libya, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Pakistan and Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.

Mr. Ojo insisted yesterday that Nigeria's interest in acquiring missiles does not mean it is pursuing weapons of mass destruction.

"I'm sure that Nigeria is not dreaming of nuclear weapons at all, just missile technology," he was quoted as saying. "If you are acquiring technology for peaceful purpose, I don't think that should make our allies uneasy."

Nigeria, the most populous African nation with 126 million people, is the fifth-largest oil supplier to the United States. It receives substantial military and law-enforcement assistance from Washington.

It also has the strongest military in the region and often plays a leading role in peacekeeping missions, such as the one currently in Liberia.

Despite U.S. concerns about corruption and crime, the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo has good relations with the United States, although it is seeking new allies in Asia and other parts of the world.

During a visit to Nigeria last year, President Bush praised Mr. Obasanjo for his leadership on the African continent.

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WTF does an African shithole like Nigeria need an IRBM for?

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-01-29 11:58am

WTF does Nigeria need missile systems for?

Bugger, Shep asked the same thing ... this so bordering on the obsurd, that I am, for once, lost for words ... maybe they will pass it on to South Africa or something? I have no idea...

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-01-29 12:04pm

Crown wrote:WTF does Nigeria need missile systems for?

Bugger, Shep asked the same thing ... this so bordering on the obsurd, that I am, for once, lost for words ... maybe they will pass it on to South Africa or something? I have no idea...

You don't sound it.

I can't see this resulting in much. "Advanced" and "North Korea" don't end up in the same sentence much.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-01-29 12:05pm

Crown wrote:WTF does Nigeria need missile systems for?

Bugger, Shep asked the same thing ... this so bordering on the obsurd, that I am, for once, lost for words ... maybe they will pass it on to South Africa or something? I have no idea...

Your Cat avatar scares me crown. It's.,...spoooky

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-01-29 12:16pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Crown wrote:WTF does Nigeria need missile systems for?

Bugger, Shep asked the same thing ... this so bordering on the obsurd, that I am, for once, lost for words ... maybe they will pass it on to South Africa or something? I have no idea...
Your Cat avatar scares me crown. It's.,...spoooky

Yet adorable!

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-01-29 12:19pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Crown wrote:WTF does Nigeria need missile systems for?

Bugger, Shep asked the same thing ... this so bordering on the obsurd, that I am, for once, lost for words ... maybe they will pass it on to South Africa or something? I have no idea...
Your Cat avatar scares me crown. It's.,...spoooky

What. The. Fuck.

You are the second person to say this ... is this a conspiracy?

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-01-29 12:23pm

Crown wrote: You are the second person to say this ... is this a conspiracy?

*chatters excitedly*

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-01-29 12:28pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Crown wrote: You are the second person to say this ... is this a conspiracy?
*chatters excitedly*

*Slaps Shep repeatedly*

Snap out of it, man! You're becoming delusional!

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2004-01-29 01:10pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:
MKSheppard wrote:
Crown wrote: You are the second person to say this ... is this a conspiracy?
*chatters excitedly*
*Slaps Shep repeatedly*

Snap out of it, man! You're becoming delusional!

No delfinial

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-01-29 01:21pm

Maybe the Nigerians plan on eating the missiles.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-01-29 01:23pm

Howedar wrote:Maybe the Nigerians plan on eating the missiles.

Don't you know? Rocket fuel is good for a growing body!

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-01-29 01:25pm

Then why are the North Koreans so short?

But you're right, rocket fuel is tasty. Especially hypergolic stuff, although I doubt the NKs are into that sort of thing.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-01-29 01:31pm

Howedar wrote:Then why are the North Koreans so short?

Because they're not eating enough solid fuel, that's why

GrandMasterTerwynn · Post by **GrandMasterTerwynn** » 2004-01-29 01:36pm

Crown wrote:WTF does Nigeria need missile systems for?

Bugger, Shep asked the same thing ... this so bordering on the obsurd, that I am, for once, lost for words ... maybe they will pass it on to South Africa or something? I have no idea...

Well, if anything, it ought to make the next round of Nigerian e-mail scams that much more interesting to read.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-01-29 02:26pm

Wow. We come to it at last: evidence that NK wants to export weapons systems.

BTW, Nigeria is in a rather dangerous socio-political area. Africa has a LOT of problems and is NOT very stable. Any African nation with ballistic missiles or NBC weapons would substantially shift the balance of power in the region.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2004-01-29 02:29pm

These people can't even feed themselves and they want to start an arms race? This is so appalling. Is Africa determined to bring up the rear end of the world forever?

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-01-29 02:36pm

Stravo wrote:These people can't even feed themselves and they want to start an arms race? This is so appalling. Is Africa determined to bring up the rear end of the world forever?

It's harder than it seems to get out of all their problems. Not only do they lack adequate food and medical care, but in LARGE regions of Africa more than a third of the population has AIDS. The afflicted tend to be in the younger age groups. Soon, Africa will have a large retired population, a VERY large new-born population, and practically no working class citizens. None of the African nations really know what to do about it. Their natural resources are largely claimed by international mega-corporations that actually have enough money to develop them, and so the African nations are left with very little. Their political instability, and constant in-fighting between countries has led to further disagreements, and almost all of the governments in Africa are facing outright rebellions.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2004-01-29 03:14pm

A sale would mark the first time that such technology has been introduced into sub- Saharan Africa, raising the prospect of a costly new arms race among some of the world's poorest and least-stable nations.

First of all, this is not at all the case. South Africa was developing intermediate-range cruise missiles during the ‘80s, with considerable Israeli involvement.

Second of all, Nigeria has a peculiar history of involvement with weapons of mass destruction. During the Biafran Revolt, they were confirmed to have acquired sufficient material for a radiological bomb – ostensibly with which to target Lagos.

Thirdly, Nigeria is now shouldering many of the U.N. obligations that South Africa is increasingly wary about having to finance. They are clearly in the running to become a major power broker – although I agree that missiles will take them far less a distance in that regard than more tanks or better aircraft.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-01-29 03:44pm

Just a thought, but could this be a way for North Korea to move against the US through its allies?

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-01-29 04:41pm

neoolong wrote:Just a thought, but could this be a way for North Korea to move against the US through its allies?

Wow. They sure showed us. By moving missiles to a country we don't really care about that's surrounded by lots of other countries we don't care about. I'm sure this is changing US foreign policy as we speak.

If they had been trying to show up the US, they would have picked a country in the Mid-East or Eastern Europe.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2004-01-29 04:52pm

I have to disagree with your opinion of North Korea's motives, Ossus, although I concur with the ultimate conclusion.

By negotiating any kind of deals at all, the North Koreans are attempting to prove to the world - and probably themselves as well - that they are still capable of disseminating weapons and prohibited materials to points across the globe, in contravention of Western desires.

Of course, that doesn't mean that Nigeria is about to become the next truly serious powerbroker (to some extent, it already is, and it still inspires fits of laughter).

Posbi · Post by **Posbi** » 2004-01-29 05:19pm

For being the most populous country of Africa Nigeria has an impressive record for being not impressive...

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-01-29 06:12pm

Master of Ossus wrote:
neoolong wrote:Just a thought, but could this be a way for North Korea to move against the US through its allies?
Wow. They sure showed us. By moving missiles to a country we don't really care about that's surrounded by lots of other countries we don't care about. I'm sure this is changing US foreign policy as we speak.

If they had been trying to show up the US, they would have picked a country in the Mid-East or Eastern Europe.

Who said anything about showing anybody else up. But it could and probably would cause problems for the US. And hey, it's not that difficult and good for a few laughs. Why not do it.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-01-29 06:34pm

Master of Ossus wrote:Wow. We come to it at last: evidence that NK wants to export weapons systems.

At last? You seem to have missed the past couple decades and such things as the shipload of Yemen bound North Korean SCUDS intercepted last year, they've been pretty openly doing this for a long time. As it is SCUD knockoffs and parts and fuel for SCUD knockoffs is basically the only foreign trade the nation has. There offering missiles to Nigeria no doubt because the nation could easily pay them in oil. I'd bet they've made offers to places like Gabon and others as well.

BTW, Nigeria is in a rather dangerous socio-political area. Africa has a LOT of problems and is NOT very stable. Any African nation with ballistic missiles or NBC weapons would substantially shift the balance of power in the region.

NBC weapons would be problem; conventional SCUD's however do jack shit to change anything. Even the shortest-range SCUD B's factory fresh are too inaccurate to do more then randomly bombard cities. But as it is Nigeria could already do that with its craptastic air force (built on the proud history of having its MiG-17's and Il-28's destroyed by rocket armed Swedish made primary trainers and B-26's). Scuds would really only be an issue and of value for prestige, big 8x8 trucks rolling by with missiles look mighty impressive.