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Programs and Events

U.S-Nigeria: Partners in Security Cooperation – Ambassador McCulley (April 26, 2012)

Abuja | April 26, 2012
Ambassador McCulley listening to Rear Admiral Lokoson. Embassy Photo by Sani Mohammed.

Ambassador McCulley listening to Rear Admiral Lokoson. Embassy Photo by Sani Mohammed.

 

Abuja, Nigeria – “The United States and Nigeria share a strong partnership when it comes to security cooperation,” says Ambassador Terence P. McCulley in a lecture to participants of the National Defense College Abuja who will soon be traveling to the U.S. on a study tour.
While at the National Defense College on Thursday, April 26th, Ambassador McCulley accompanied by the Embassy’s Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) Chief Lieutenant Colonel Jermain Raymond Sabbatt III paid a courtesy call on the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Thomas Lokoson.  The Ambassador was also given a tour of the college’s Center for Strategic Research and Studies as well as the college library by the Deputy Commandant of the College, Major General Idris. 
Rear Admiral Thomas Lokoson said he wants the college to collaborate more with the United States, especially in areas of training and equipping of the college library.
Ambassador McCulley said he appreciated the tour and reiterated the United States considers Nigeria as its most strategic partner on the African continent.
He said both nations’ militaries have enjoyed a close collaboration which is an essential element of their overall bilateral engagement, including equipment transfers such as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Chase, now the NNS Thunder, joint missions such as medical civic action programs plus completed and ongoing training programs in both countries.
Recalling the role of the military in U.S. history, Ambassador McCulley said civilian control of the military is an important concept for any secure, democratic nation to uphold, adding when elected civilian officials formulate policy the important role of the military is to implement that policy in order to guarantee national security. 
He said the role of the military in America’s democracy is based on the concept of the “citizen-soldier,” with what former Chief Historian of the U.S. Army Center of Military History David Trask called “the unshakable conviction of the American people that civilian control of the armed forces is an essential aspect of government of, by and for the people.” 
“Those of you attending the study tour in the U.S. will learn about another aspect of civil-military engagement, which is disaster response and emergency management,” Ambassador McCulley remarked. 
He said they will learn about recent successes of the U.S. military, including the U.S. military’s response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which was a joint effort with other U.S. government agencies like USAID. 
Ambassador McCulley remarked the Nigerian Military has a lot of responsibility, and the U.S. had pledged at the Bi-national Commission this past January, to support Nigeria in addressing regional security challenges and therefore looks forward to strengthening the excellent partnership the two countries enjoy. 
Follow this link to read the full text of the Ambassador’s lecture remarks (Note: Pls insert link to the Ambassador’s remarks)

Abuja, Nigeria – "The United States and Nigeria share a strong partnership when it comes to security cooperation," says Ambassador Terence P. McCulley in a lecture to participants of the National Defense College Abuja who will soon be traveling to the U.S. on a study tour.

While at the National Defense College on Thursday, April 26th, Ambassador McCulley accompanied by the Embassy's Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) Chief Lieutenant Colonel Jermain Raymond Sabbatt III paid a courtesy call on the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Thomas Lokoson.  The Ambassador was also given a tour of the college’s Center for Strategic Research and Studies as well as the college library by the Deputy Commandant of the College, Major General Idris.

Rear Admiral Thomas Lokoson said he wants the college to collaborate more with the United States, especially in areas of training and equipping of the college library.

Ambassador McCulley said he appreciated the tour and reiterated the United States considers Nigeria as its most strategic partner on the African continent.

He said both nations' militaries have enjoyed a close collaboration which is an essential element of their overall bilateral engagement, including equipment transfers such as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Chase, now the NNS Thunder, joint missions such as medical civic action programs plus completed and ongoing training programs in both countries.

Recalling the role of the military in U.S. history, Ambassador McCulley said civilian control of the military is an important concept for any secure, democratic nation to uphold, adding when elected civilian officials formulate policy the important role of the military is to implement that policy in order to guarantee national security.

He said the role of the military in America’s democracy is based on the concept of the "citizen-soldier," with what former Chief Historian of the U.S. Army Center of Military History David Trask called "the unshakable conviction of the American people that civilian control of the armed forces is an essential aspect of government of, by and for the people." 
"Those of you attending the study tour in the U.S. will learn about another aspect of civil-military engagement, which is disaster response and emergency management," Ambassador McCulley remarked.

He said they will learn about recent successes of the U.S. military, including the U.S. military’s response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which was a joint effort with other U.S. government agencies like USAID. 
Ambassador McCulley remarked the Nigerian Military has a lot of responsibility, and the U.S. had pledged at the Bi-national Commission this past January, to support Nigeria in addressing regional security challenges and therefore looks forward to strengthening the excellent partnership the two countries enjoy.

Follow this link to read the full text of the Ambassador’s lecture Remarks