The problem with Somalia

Even after the defeat of the Islamists in Somalia, that country was still going to be a heavily flawed place. Here's further evidence of that. The African Union, which has pledged 8000 troops for a peacekeeping mission in Somalia, has only managed to scrape together 2500 troops. Story from the Christian Science Monitor.

As African leaders met for the second and last day of the African Union (AU) Summit Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, there were many questions about unfinished business and what they have actually accomplished.

Chief among them is the shaky AU peacekeeping force planned for war-ravaged Somalia. While a few African countries – Uganda, Nigeria, and Malawi – have pledged 2,500 of the 8,000 requested troops, most remain silent.

South Africa, a regional power normally willing and able to send peacekeepers, gave a definite "no" this week, citing its own overstretched military, the lack of Western donor support, and the lack of a workable peace plan.

Its concerns underscore the stumbling blocks for the AU as a whole. And with multiple peacekeeping missions throughout the continent, the AU may be reaching the limits of its capacity to handle more conflicts.

"I get a sense that troop-contributing countries want a better understanding of the situation in [Somalia] before sending their troops," says Matt Bryden, an analyst for the International Crisis Group in Nairobi. Even if countries do soon commit to sending 8,000 troops, Mr. Bryden says that may not be enough. "With 8,000 peacekeepers, they'll be hard-pressed to provide airport and VIP protection, let alone protecting the cities," he says. "It's not realistic."

This is definitely not a good situation. If there is not some force within Somalia that is capable of keeping some semblance of order, the warlords will swing back in. From my point of view, a violent future for Somalia seems increasingly inevitable.

To live in such a country, from the perspective of an American, is almost completely unbelievable. I cannot imagine living in a country ripped apart by decades of civil war, outside conflict, and warlordism. For the sake of the average person in Somalia I want light at the end of the tunnel.

Bryan at Hot Air has a very well written analysis of the current dismal situation in Somalia and Darfur. If Somalia interests you, it's definitely worth a read.