US to engage in 'hit and run' war in Somalia

The United States is involved in preparatory military operations in Somali for a 'major' offensive against Somali fighters, report says. US is providing military assistance to Somali government in order to retake capital Mogadishu from Somali fighters, a recent report in The New York Times indicates. The American military is conducting nighttime surveillance in the Al-Shabab-controlled areas of the capital and training Somali intelligence officers and forces in addition to providing logistical supports for the government, the report adds. All the preliminary efforts, including reconnaissance and logistic operations, are meant to help launch a major assault on what US government dubs the 'al-Qaeda' branch in Somalia within 'a few' weeks... The report also refers to secret US military and intelligence involvement in the Horn of Africa conflicts in the aftermath of the overthrow of Somalia's junta leader Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. It also mentions the US Central Intelligence Agency's failed collaborations with Somali warlords to stop the fighters in 2006 which led to a US-backed invasion of the impoverished African state by Ethiopian forces in the effort to kill top leaders of Somali fighters. In summer 2009, the American government hastily shipped in millions of dollars of weapons in order to save the Somali government... American officials claim that between 6,000 and 10,000 trained Somalia troops would fight in the offensive against an estimated 5,000 Somali fighters.

Somalia was a moderately succesful colony under the Italians, who turned Mogadishu into a city of ... believe it or not ... of astonishing beauty and sophistication.

The minute their post-war protectorate was over, it started sliding downhill faster than a bobsled. The Italian secret was shameless "divide and conquer" amongst the warring tribes, usually by means of hefty bribes to one clan, tribe, or leader, then another. The Americans disdained their advice and paid the price.

Now the place is a hellhole of civil war, kept on the boil by the CHICOM and al-qaeda. The once half-way decent infrastructure is in rubble. The "government" is useless, as are, IMHO of course, Somalis in general. They make Kenyans look almost Swiss by comparison.

The government troops already outnumber the "rebels," or whatever we're calling them, and are just as well-armed, when they are not selling their weapons. No amount of help can bail these post-colonial ani out of trouble.

Recommendation: A small fleet: a helicopter carrier and 3 old 8-inch cruisers, accompanied by destroyers and patrol boats. Just shell the pirate enclaves once in a while and when not, try the French Yacht Club at Djibouti.

These Worthy Oriental Gentlemen need another 500 years of the severest correction. Not encouragement. Too bad there isn't come sort of effective international peace-keeping organization to provide it.

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