| Page 2 of 2 < |
U.S. Debating Shift of Support in Somali Conflict
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Lawlessness in Somalia, where a political vacuum since the government's collapse in 1991 has been filled by rival warlords and militias, is a concern for the U.S. military because the country has provided sanctuary for terrorists and has fostered groups that seek to impose strict Islamic law, or sharia.
In late 2006, Ethiopia dispatched thousands of troops into Somalia to unseat a group known as the Islamic Courts movement, which the U.S. military says is affiliated with al-Qaeda.
That incursion also created an opportunity for the U.S. military to take action in Somalia with counterterrorism raids by small Special Operations teams. Together with the CIA, they are attempting to eliminate members of what is known as the East Africa al-Qaeda cell, thought to be responsible for the U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, according to defense officials.
"They are precise, laser-like focused, small, a handful of guys who go in and out," the defense official said. "Some things the agency [Central Intelligence Agency] does, some things they allow us to do," the official said, adding that counterterrorism operations are ongoing.
In Somalia, the U.S. military has also staged at least two AC-130 gunship airstrikes and a naval strike targeting suspected al-Qaeda operatives in the past year.
In recent months, human rights groups have accused Ethiopian forces of abuses such as rape and indiscriminate killing of civilians as they bomb and burn villages in counterinsurgency operations.
Despite those allegations, the Pentagon continues to back the Ethiopian presence. "Any government that provides Somalis with assistance we support, including Ethiopia," a senior defense official said. "I am unaware of specific allegations regarding the conduct of the Ethiopian troops."
