President Obama told Vox that the first thing he does when he gets up in the morning is drinks his tea while reading a “thick book full of death, destruction, strife, and chaos” that’s been prepared for him to outline what’s going wrong with the world.
Well, this is what he’s reading about over tea this morning:
Boko Haram has targeted Chad in its latest wave of violence, killing at least 25 people http://t.co/sLH4JqobtP pic.twitter.com/1zoPvNBiJW
— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 13, 2015
Boko Haram militants from Nigeria attack Chad village in first assault on neighboring country http://t.co/EmyxyHACJv pic.twitter.com/BDkfChOp1v
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 13, 2015
BREAKING: Army says suspected Boko Haram militants attack Chad after violence in Cameroon, Niger
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 13, 2015
And the Daily Beast is reporting that the Obama administration is now linking Boko Haram to ISIS, noting their “increasing” communications with other terrorists in the region:
ISIS and Boko Haram Are Trading Tips on Terror
Extremist groups Boko Haram and ISIS are growing increasingly connected in ways that could magnify their abilities to inflict violence and terror, a senior intelligence official revealed Thursday.
National Counterterrorism Center Director Nicholas Rasmussen drew attention to “the increased intercommunication between Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the northern part of, the northwestern part of Africa, and even with ISIL” during a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
He then pointed out that these extremist groups were broadening their reach through mutual contact.
“All of that just adds to the picture of an interconnected terrorist network with the ability to share resources, personnel, expertise, and tradecraft in a way that serves as a multiplier to their own capabilities, and that’s a disturbing trend,” Rasmussen told the panel.
Wonderful.
Tying Boko Haram to ISIS could lead to authorization for U.S. action against the Nigerian-based terrorists based on some interpretations of the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) that the president sent to Congress on Wednesday:
Just as recently as last week, intel officials were playing down prospect of coordination between ISIS and Boko Haram.
— Tim Mak (@timkmak) February 13, 2015
Boko Haram/ISIS "intercommunication" also raises question: Could anti-ISIS AUMF be used to justify strikes against Boko Haram in W Africa?
— Tim Mak (@timkmak) February 13, 2015
We're told now of an operational link between Islamic State & Boko Haram: http://t.co/5162olHc0U. That's news to me–handle with caution.
— Max Abrahms (@MaxAbrahms) February 13, 2015
Congress is currently debating the AUMF, although this debate comes six months after the president actually started doing what he’s asking Congress for permission to do now.
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Related:
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‘The frosh team’? AP reports 20,000 foreign fighters have streamed into Syria, Iraq to join ISIS
‘Humanity is an #epic #fail’: Boko Haram deploys ‘Islamist child soldiers’ [photos]
Boko Haram kills hundreds as John Kerry meets with Nigeria’s presidential candidates
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