Analysis

By Scott A Morgan

While most of the World is paying attention to the Mission to Ethiopia currently be undertaken by Secretary of State Rice there is another mission underway that will just as much impact. This other mission which also deals with potential Peace and Security Issues has not garnered the Press of the Rice Mission. This Mission is being led by the current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Secretary Gates was visiting Djibouti which currently is the only African Country where American Troops are actively based. He was addressing regional Security Issues which include Piracy, The Potential Outbreak of Hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia amongst other areas of concern in Washington. But the remarks that will have pundits from the US to Africa talking is one crucial statement that the Secretary made. The United States is reassessing its Policy towards Somalia.

The current Government of Somalia is in a state of flux. Considered by many Analysts as to be weak despite backing from the United Nations and the Western Powers it appears to have little influence outside the capital of Mogadishu. Currently the Government is being assisted by a substantial number of Ethiopian Troops while the African Union has considerable trouble recruiting troops from its members to form a Peace Keeping Force. The only countries that have contributed troops are Uganda, Burundi and Nigeria. In recent weeks there has been a considerable increase in the fighting in the country.

What options are available to the United States at this time? Currently there are spirited Consultations between the Pentagon, The State Department, The CIA and others about what to do. The Secretary is concerned about the status of Al-Qaida in Somalia. There are also concerns regarding the Human Rights Abuses that are being Committed by the Ethiopian Forces as well. Any action that will be taken by the United States will also affect Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Yemen.

Currently the planners in the Pentagon favor recognizing the Independence of the Breakaway Section of Somaliland. This section which was United with the Southern Region known as Puntland after a Plebiscite in 1960 has tried to separate from the rest of the Country after the fall of the Siyad Barre Regime in 1991. Since that time the region has created its own Government and has lobbied hard internationally for recognition as an Independent State. Currently the African Union has not realized this dream for them.

Meanwhile at the State Department wants to fix the Country as a whole. This policy has been a failure since the mid -90s. For the better part of that decade there was not a functioning Government within Somalia. Violence reigned supreme as Islamist and Secular Forces fought for control of not only Mogadishu but the country as well. Currently the Pentagon and the CIA are undertaking Counterterrorism Operations within Somalia. Special Forces are known to be Operating in the Country as they did to support the Ethiopian Incursion.

So what will the United States do? If the US wants to support an Independent Somaliland which is a feasible policy then the only thing holding that back is the State Department. The position of the State Department is that in an issue of such importance we should not step on the toes of the African Union. At this time the Pentagon and other Security Apparatus of the US are ready to consult those in Somaliland because that part of Somalia is a functioning viable state in the minds of many people. So now what will the USA do?

The Author is the editor of Confused Eaglewhich is available at morganrights.tripod.com. He can be contacted at scott_morgan_23220@yahoo.com

Source: Somaliland Times