tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1390405683674845575.post2082675568424096205..comments2022-12-12T03:04:55.977-08:00Comments on The Monkey Steals the Peaches!: Why Nigeria Rocks #1Winslow Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08914945154359674378noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1390405683674845575.post-56418105238700344552014-04-07T09:21:37.566-07:002014-04-07T09:21:37.566-07:00you are missing something, something that france e...you are missing something, something that france exemplifies more than any Med country other than Turkey-how Geostrategic position affects nation building. Look for Robert Kaplan's geopolitical analysis on France, contrast to his analysis of Angola, and really just read his American analysis (the inevitable empire essay series) and you will see how geography can be centrifugal or centripetal-things fall apart or things fall together? The Niger is more of a cultural border than a unifier, I dunno how navigable it is, but even so it opens up the east-west, not north-south. If you look at the rivers of france, esp the seine and loire, they damn near link the 2 coasts,which only spain has both atlantic/med coasts, but no rivers! France's beauce region is kings, thesouth and southwest have protective mountains, their main historical danger has been invasion via Belgium. Olives in the south, cheese in the north. Nigerians should take NO cues, NO succor, from the French example, not just any country gets to set the cultural tone for Europe. Not Just any country produces Charlemagne, Charles Martel, Talleyrand all down to Napoleon, CDGaulle, Daft Punk, Riberiy etc point is you need some advantages and unifying factors to get there. there is no defense, economic, transport, linguistic, or otherwise quantifiable benefit to Nigeria being Nigeria. Boko haram aren't as bad as the Janjaweed, and the south isn't Ogaden, but if Nigeria is not the most asinine colonial holdover I don't know what is<br /><br />This is all said with much love and best wishes, esp for the south. The north seems to me like more of the problem; ignorant, overly fecund, supremacist, indolent, monolithic in its political approach, strong strain of Arabinios/WannArabes and generally poisoning the relations of nigerians to each other and their natural wealth.Haus Mafia Kwenuhttp://jellybean.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1390405683674845575.post-38586446710934086752009-07-24T08:02:20.217-07:002009-07-24T08:02:20.217-07:00It's an interesting notion, no doubt. One migh...It's an interesting notion, no doubt. One might expand the case studies to include other European and Asian 19th-century "nations" with colonial holdings. The development of German, Italian, and Chinese nationalisms is of particular interest in my view. Consider the growth of German "identity" from the 16th century. Back then Germany as we know it was a bunch of feuding principalities, discrete city-states, religious enclaves, "unaffiliated" rural districts, etc.<br /><br />-JAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com