03/05/08 (B446) Un article publié en Anglais qui insiste sur les conséquences prévisibles des bombardements américains sur la Somalie et une augmentation de la déstabilisation du pays. (Abdulkadir Mohamed – Ato)

The US strike that killed the so-called Al-Shabaab or Somali youth insurgent leader, Aden Ayro today created different reactions among the Somali people everywhere.

Supporters of the weak and warlord-infested government of Somalia felt relief that one of their main foes is neutralized. Many Somalis, especially those in the Diaspora are holding back their thoughts to the airstrike as to not attract the wrath of Uncle Sam or being labeled as terrorist sympathizers. In the post 9-11 world of Guantanamo, renditions and patriot act, many Muslims in the West learned how to keep silent, survive and continue with their daily lives.

However, many Somalis inside Somalia perceive the latest US strike as an act of terrorism not that different of what the deceased insurgent leader was accused of.

They consider the US as enemy of the Somali people who turned a blind eye to their suffering. They contest that the US is self-interestedly pursuing unhelpful policies that will have the negative consequences, opposite of what it was supposed to accomplish.

They have their justifications: The US contracted Ethiopia for its « war on terror » to invade and occupy Somalia after forces loyal to the Islamists defeated the terrible warlords and brought some semblance of peace for six months in the summer of 2006. That peace has been spoiled. And the consequences of the US supported invasion of Ethiopia into Somalia created one of the worst humanitarian catastrophe in Africa.
The warlords are the real bad guys in Somalia but somehow they enjoy the support- both moral and monetary – of the US administration which prides itself to be the leader of the free world that spreads democracy; advocates human rights and freedom.

For narrow strategic reasons, The Bush administration had many times sided with the wrong groups in the Somali conflict.
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They supported the bloody and brutal warlords in Mogadishu many times. These warlords are now in the ineffective transitional government which has international legitimacy and support but miserably failed to bring peace to Somalia or to put together even one governmental institution. Sadly some of these sadistic warlords are rumored to be in the CIA payroll and the worst warlord was in Washington DC recently getting unworthy red-carpet reception from State Department and Pentagon officials.

Somali warlords with the backing and arming of Ethiopia have been the problem since Somali became a failed state 18 years ago. They are responsible for the displacement of Millions of Somalis, mostly children and women, the killing of half million Somalis, the destruction of cities, towns, rural villages and infrastructure. Instead of these warlords being brought to justice and to the International Criminal Courts, the International Community is working with these evil men and welcoming them into their fold. That is unusual and opposite of what the leaders of the free world say about freedom and human rights.

The desire of the majority of the suffering Somalis whose life and property have been destroyed by the sadistic warlords and the merciless occupying army of Ethiopia – supported and sustained by the US government all in the name of war n terror – , is to see the US government also hunting and targeting the warlords in Somalia with their superb and precise missiles.

The names and locations of the warlords are known to all and the majority of Somali people will unconditionally collaborate with all American spy agencies to flatten these sadistic warlords into pieces with airstrikes. Since the United States is now in the mood of hunting bad guys, why not continue the airstrikes and neutralization of all evil men?

The US interest in the strategic region of Horn of Africa not only lies with the removal of Al-Qaeda affiliated Islamist groups by airstrikes but eliminating the evil warlords as well. Majority of the Somali people will be grateful to the US administration if it undertakes such a noble act of humanity and assist millions of displaced and suffering ordinary Somali citizens by getting rid of the bloody warlords or at least letting human rights lawyers to bring the warlords to International Criminal Court of justice like Milosevic and Charles Taylor.

The warlords are only there to continue the misery of Somali people, escalate the violence, cleanse entire neighborhoods, and above all undermine the international communities efforts to bring opposing factions together. It is high time for the United States to end its unconditional support of the evil warlords. Neutralization of all warlords is a sound and farsighted policy to secure peace in Somalia.

The elimination of the warlords from power will create an environment conducive to peace and opportunity for American educated Somalis, with no blood in their hands and who have the interest of Somalia and the United States at heart to take a leadership role in pacifying the region and protecting the mysterious « strategic interest » of America in the region.

Abdulkadir Mohamed – Ato