The US has been keen to escalate its drone war in Somalia, but has been having trouble finding people to lob missiles at. To that end, the administration is poised to announce a massive new bounty program targeting leaders of al-Shabaab.
The exact details of the bounties will not be released until a formal press conference on Thursday but are said to offer upwards of $33 million for information regarding the whereabouts of various al-Shabaab leaders and supporters.
At present, Somalia is being invaded by Kenya, Ethiopia, and members of the African Union, all trying to install a self-proclaimed transitional government which has stalled in the capital city of Mogadishu. The US has been supporting the assorted invasions, and sent “tons” of arms to the transitional government in giant crates, only for the weapons to show up on the black market.
The nations have claimed significant military gains in recent weeks, and have predicted al-Shabaab’s eventual defeat. Given past predictions to this effect never panned out, it is likely premature to declare the conflict all but over.
The massive bounties program have been ongoing since 2004 in Somalia and all that has achieved was the birth of Shabab. The US is unable to engineer a competent "puppet" , an oxymoron, regime. The TFG is comprised of former warlords and corrupt western educated swindlers. I am betting the house that a stable government in Somalia will not be achieved as long as the US continues to "help".
The US does exactly the same thing wherever it goes, whether it's Somalia or Nicaragua. Still, they expect different results each time.
I got some idea. If someone is ready to buy me a plane ticket to Somalia, I’ll go there and give myself up as a Somali militant and collect the massive bounty. I’ll then send the money back to my folks and tell them to pay you back the price of the plane ticket.
Why do I do this? I’m damn too old to overlook the massive bounty offer.
Hey Nathan,
I have better offer, I am Somali. Turn me and we can split the bounty.
It doesn´t matter where the guns end up; the black market is just fine. The important thing, for the establishment, is that those guns were bought from American industrialists who received full payment for those weapons prior to shipment to the world market. Wonton death is good business for America´s elite.
The article´s headline should have read: "US Offers Massive Bounties of Borrowed Chinese Dollars for Somali Militants."
If that ain't the epitome of shame. The biggest, wealthiest, strongest most powerful army in the world can't even catch a couple of hungry teenagers shooting at them with bows and arrows. But they think that they're going to take China. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! The US has gone mad for sure.