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| Africa Horn |
| Museveni's vow to conquer al Shabaab easier said than done |
| 2010-07-18 |
| [The Nation (Nairobi)] President Yoweri Museveni's vow to crush the Somali-based al Shabaab extremist group after the deadly bomb attacks in Kampala is typical of a leader who values his warrior credentials. The Ugandan president said: "Our troops will pursue and crush al Shabaab right inside Somalia. We will commit up to 20,000 troops for the mission," he said and vowed to eliminate the terror-linked group. Even before the Uganda attacks, the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development had announced plans to send 2,000 more African Union peacekeeping troops to beef up the present 6,000-strong contingent supporting the beleaguered Transitional Federal Government's hold on just a small section of Mogadishu. The warrior in Museveni wants not just revenge, but to steeply escalate the mandate of the AU peacekeeping mission made up essentially of soldiers from Uganda and Burundi, the countries receiving threats from al Shabaab. While the AU and IGAD may be strengthening the African Union Mission in Somalia to more effectively support the Transitional Government, President Museveni obviously wants to 'eliminate' al Shabaab. The twin bomb attacks in Kampala bought home the stark reality that violent extremists in lawless Somalia have the capacity to export their brand of terror across the East African region. It follows that countries in the region must recognise the cancer in their midst, and formulate the strategies to either cure it or cut it out. Uganda was targeted by al Shabaab because it is the main contributor to the African Union peacekeeping contingent. Burundi has also received threats. Other African countries that had pledged troops, including giant Nigeria, have baulked at putting their soldiers in harms way. The rise of Islamic extremism in Somalia, particularly by al Shabaab and its claims to links with the al Qaeda, has put the dirt-poor country on the international radar. Kenya has a long history of linkages to the Somali conflict starting with the secessionist campaign in the country by Somali-speaking North Eastern Province in the early years of independence. Neighbouring Ethiopia has had similar problems with its equally vast Ogaden Province also inhabited by Somalis. Kenya is among the countries in the region that have condemned the Kampala bombings and has vowed to remain steadfast in the face of threats from Somalia. The United States, the European Union and various other countries have pledged help to contain the menace coming out of Kampala. It is in one thing, however, to pledge action, including retaliation or revenge. It is quite another to take the concrete steps required to neutralise the threat of terrorism fuelled by religious extremism. So far all efforts since the fall of the Siad Barre dictatorship to stabilise the lawless country or to contain the extremist menace have come to grief. In many cases efforts at outside intervention have made the situation worse. An international coalition led by the United States tried to pacify Somalia in 1992 one year of the fall of the Siad Barre dictatorship, only to be run out of town with a very bloody nose. |
| Posted by:Fred |