President Biden will deploy up to 500 US troops to Somalia, reversing a withdrawal of most US forces from the country that was carried out at the end of the Trump administration.
“President Biden has approved a request from the Secretary of Defense to reestablish a persistent US military presence in Somalia to enable a more effective fight against al-Shabaab,” a senior Biden administration official told The Hill.
The Trump administration withdrew about 700 troops from Somalia, but most were redeployed elsewhere in East Africa, including in neighboring Djibouti and Kenya. “This is a repositioning of forces already in theater who have traveled in and out of Somalia on an episodic basis since the previous administration made the decision to withdraw in January 2021,” the Biden administration official said.
Biden is sending troops to Somalia to help the Mogadishu-based government, which has little control over the country, fight al-Shabaab. According to The New York Times, Biden also signed off on giving the Pentagon the authority to target about a dozen suspected al-Shabaab leaders, which signals US airstrikes in Somalia might ramp up.
US airstrikes against al-Shabaab had significantly declined under the Biden administration. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has announced five airstrikes against al-Shabaab since Biden came into office, compared with 52 airstrikes in 2020.
President Trump significantly escalated the US war against al-Shabaab by sending regular troops to Somalia in 2017 for the first time in decades and ramped up the air war by loosening the rules of engagement.
The US hypes up the threat of al-Shabaab due to its size and al-Qaeda affiliation. But the group did not declare loyalty to al-Qaeda until 2012, after years of fighting against the US and its proxies, including a US-backed Ethiopian invasion in 2006.
looks like old Joe wants another war going for the MIC
Looks great on TV. Fire missiles, see things blow up, declare X number of ENEMY TERRORISTS LINKED TO AL-QAEDA BUT NOT THE ONES WE ARMED IN SYRIA killed. Back to what war should be, TV entertainment for Americans so politicians can win the next election.
It’s easier to count those countries that don’t have US troops on their territory (not many) than count those that do (a hold lot).
Another day, another war action….
I doubt Biden would have done this if Russia wasn’t bogged down in Ukraine.
“Ukraine orders Azovstal fighters to surrender” Azovstal had already surrendered. Ukraine has lost control. Hence the replacement of the top military commander in Kiev.
On May 16, as a result of negotiations with representatives of Ukrainian servicemen blocked at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, an agreement was reached to evacuate the wounded.
In the Donbass Russia is fighting for the Russian world, ie a war against NATO. Russia is bleeding out NATO troops weapons and economic future of the Western powers.
You think i am wrong, watch and learn.
Doom, aren’t you the guy who yesterday proclaimes that US Lt. Gen. Roger Cloutier; – Canadian General Trevor Cadieu; – US Admiral Eric Olson and – British Lieutenant Colonel John Bailey were captured at Azovstal? What the hell are your sources? Don’t you realize no one takes you seriously? With supporters like you, Putin doesn’t need critics.
A large portion of them are members of the Neo-Nazi ‘Azov regiment.’ The military uniforms of the group feature Nazi insignia and its members have been photographed with tattoos of symbols such as the swastika. Its first commander Andrey Biletsky has said he believes it’s Ukraine’s mission to “lead the white races of the world in a final crusade… against Semite-led Untermenschen.
It will be interesting to see who has been captured when the dust settles. We are about to find out.
The first stage of surrender was completed on Monday. 264 soldiers left Azovstal. There are now 53 wounded servicemen in a hospital in Novoazovsk and 211 soldiers in Yelenovka.
After the last Ukrainian soldier leaves Azovstal, the battle for Mariupol will be over and Russia will have gained total control of the strategically vital city and the land bridge to Crimea. The Donbass now controls 20% of Ukraine. Yep sounds like they are bogged down to me.
The surrender deal would not have been concluded without special consideration for remaining NATO personnel to be exchanged for more than just Azovstal.
So what didn’t the democrats learn from the first Black Hawk Down situation.
It didn’t generate a blockbuster movie franchise.
The US did not waste anytime to humiliate the new Somali President.
Adding a thousand more US troops to the American colony in Mogadishu.
Huge section of Mogadishu south of the airport is off limits to all Somalis.
It is totally American territory including amenities such a litte Gitmo.
There is no need to send the hapless to be shipped else for enhanced interrogation, they get the priviliged to be tortured in their own country.
WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I voted for a dumb *ss for POTUS!!!!!!!!!
Well, what are our choices. It doesn’t matter which candidate wins or party is in power. The wars continue. Would the wars stop if the American people demanded it? I doubt it. We’ve lost control, maybe never had control.
that is the american reality right there
that is the american reality right there
Imagine a year where Washington doesn’t drop a single bomb. Maybe that happened at some point in the 1990s.
Somalia’s history: Warlords controlled Mogadishu and the roads, extorted money from businessmen taking goods to the capital, and raping women. Businessmen and the people in Mogadishu turned to the Islamic courts, funded them, and they defeated the warlords. They brought peace and stability to much of Somalia, finally.
al-Qaeda in Yemen and Iraq came to Somalia, to stay or to pass through, and the Somalis couldn’t say no to those fighting the occupation of Iraq. So Washington financed the Xtian Ethiopian government to invade Somalia.
With Somalia virtually destroyed, large fishing fleets from South Korea and Japan came to take all the fish from the coastal waters. The fishermen lost their livelihoods and people had no fish to eat. So the fishermen became pirates, and everyone condemned Somalia, not Washington-funded Ethiopia.
Many Somalis are still fighting against the Ethiopian-controlled government, and that’s why al-Shabaab exists. I can’t say I blame them. They are also anti-Wahhabi, meaning against the extremist Saudi form of Islam, which is a plus.
Maybe, but in retrospect I view the 1990s as one heck of a decade war-wise. Persian Gulf War, the destruction of Yugoslavia, probably stuff I don’t remember. It all gets to be a blur.
same sh*t different day business as usual
President Trump significantly escalated the US war against al-Shabaab by sending regular troops to Somalia in 2017 for the first time in decades and ramped up the air war by loosening the rules of engagement.
didn’t trump claim to be the only anti-war guy on the entire planet?