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Africa Horn
African Union troops risk al-Shabab engagement
2010-08-11
[Maghrebia] Somalia is heading toward another confrontation on its soil following the African Union's decision to send an additional 4,000 troops to bolster the force of 6,000 already stationed there.
Makes me wonder if the smarter thing to do is to build a fence around lower Somalia, between it, Puntland to the north, Kenya to the south and Ethiopia to the west. Moats, crocodiles, sharks with frikin' lasers on their heads, etc., and let al-Shabab have their playpen.
The latest decision is likely to spark a confrontation with Harakat al-Shabab al-Mujahidin, a militant group that declared loyalty to al-Qaeda and seeks to topple President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed's transitional government.

The Somali government carries limited authority over a country that has been divided by competing political factions since 1991.

But what are the possible consequences of a confrontation between the African Union forces known as AMISOM and al-Shabab?

The more realistic possibility is that AU troops will enter as a direct party in the battle against the al-Shabab fighters, who control the majority of southern and central Somalia, in addition to areas in the capital city of Mogadishu.

Until now, the AU troops, deployed in Mogadishu since spring 2007, could only respond to attacks. Their mission consisted of providing support to the Somali transitional government forces in fighting off attacks against their positions in the capital.

Although the Kampala summit did not significantly alter the AMISOM mandate, it gave troops more freedom to launch pre-emptive strikes against the rebels before they launch their attacks.
Posted by:Fred

#2  Actually, the Ugandans are looking forward to an engagement with Al-Shabab; hopefully one that will involve extended combat with all of Al-S's troops. The Ugandans are looking for some payback for the terrorist bombing during the World Cup.
Posted by: Shieldwolf   2010-08-11 20:02  

#1  If I were the Commander in Chief, I'd be "suggesting" that 200-300 former Rangers, Green Berets, Seals, and other SOF troops "volunteer" (at high pay) to go teach in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Chad, southern Sudan, and northern Somalia (Puntland, Somaliland), possibly in other places in central/southern Africa. Teach a little military discipline, small-unit tactics, basic skills, and self-defense. Maybe provide "village defense forces" training to Ugandans Kenyans, Tanzanians, and others that may face Somali-style terrorists. Train Somalis from the refugee camps, and send them back into Somalia to train and support others. Two can play this game, but we're not playing. If we don't want Al-Shabaab to win by default, we need to get our butts in gear.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2010-08-11 13:19  

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