Council On Foreign Relations Scholar John Campbell Signed A Letter To Secretary Clinton Urging The State Department Not To Designate Boko Haram As A Foreign Terrorist Organization. [Letter To Secretary Clinton, Carl Levan, 5/21/12] THESE CLAIMS WERE ECHOED BY U.S. AND NIGERIAN OFFICIALS Assistant Secretary Of State For African Affairs Carson: “There Was A Concern That Putting Boko Haram On The Foreign Terrorist List Would In Fact Raise Its Profile, Give It Greater Publicity, Give It Greater Credibility, Help In Its Recruitment…Drive More Assistance In Its Direction.” “Inside the Clinton State Department, the most vocal official opposing designating Boko Haram was Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, who served in that position from 2009 to 2013. Several officials said that the Nigerian government was opposed to the designation and Carson was focused on preserving the relationship between Washington and Abuja. Carson defended the decision to avoid naming Boko Haram a terrorist organization in a Wednesday phone call with reporters. ‘There was a concern that putting Boko Haram on the foreign terrorist list would in fact raise its profile, give it greater publicity, give it greater credibility, help in its recruitment, and also probably drive more assistance in its direction,’ he said.” [Daily Beast, 5/7/14] Nigerian Ambassador To The U.S. Adebowale Adefuye: “The Current Well-Intentioned Efforts By A Few Members Of Congress To Classify The Boko Haram As A Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Actually Risk Deepening And Entrenching The Boko Haram Movement, Thereby Endangering More Lives.” “Our government is working hard to defeat the motley band of criminals popularly known as Boko Haram, a group that is likely to try to capitalize on the recent wave of unrest. In order to effectively combat Boko Haram, we need American help to be complementary — not contradictory — to our own efforts. The current well-intentioned efforts by a few members of Congress to classify the Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) actually risk deepening and entrenching the Boko Haram movement, thereby endangering more lives.” [Nigerian Ambassador Adefuye, The Hill, 9/20/12] Nigerian Ambassador To The U.S. Adebowale Adefuye: An FTO Designation For Boko Haram Risked “Stymieing Desperately Needed Humanitarian And Commercial Activity.” “Contrary to providing substantive tools for defeating Boko Haram, a FTO designation, with its implications on all financial flows, risks stymieing desperately needed humanitarian and commercial activity. Ironically, aid destined for northern Nigeria, where poverty and lack of opportunity creates fertile soil for Boko Haram’s recruitment, is the most likely to be hindered. Dangerous opportunists would seek to fill this development vacuum and portray the U.S. effort as retaliation against Muslims in Nigeria’s north.” [Nigerian Ambassador Adefuye, The Hill, 9/20/12] ONE OF THE SIGNERS OF THE LETTER TO SECRETARY CLINTON URGING AGAINST AN TERRORIST DESIGNATION OF BOKO HARAM WAS FORMER BUSH AMBASSADOR JOHN CAMPBELL Council On Foreign Relations Senior Fellow For Africa Policy Studies John Campbell Served As A Political Counselor In Nigeria Under George H.W. Bush And The Ambassador To Nigeria Under George W. Bush. “John Campbell is the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York. Rowman & Littlefield published his book, Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink. The second edition was published in June 2013. He writes the blog "Africa in Transition" and edits the Nigeria Security Tracker. From 1975 to 2007, Ambassador Campbell served as a U.S. Department of State Foreign Service officer. He served twice in Nigeria, as political counselor from 1988 to 1990, and as ambassador from 2004 to 2007. Ambassador Campbell's additional overseas postings include Lyon, Paris, Geneva, and Pretoria. He also served as deputy assistant secretary for human resources, dean of the Foreign Service Institute's School of Language Studies, and director of the Office of UN Political Affairs.” [Council on Foreign Relations, accessed 4/9/15]