 [Strategy] Islamic terrorism and other forms of disorder appear easier to deal with than the endemic and crippling corruption that has prevented efficient (or any) government and greatly limited economic growth. The basic problem is the traditional clan (tribal) form of government persists and this system depends on what Westerners regard as corruption. But to most Somalis looking out for your clan (no matter what the cost to your neighbors) is a tradition too many Somalis are unwilling to give up. The current government has some Western trained officials but they are not able to make the fundamental changes needed to save Somalia from itself. Foreign donors are running out of patience in the face of continual theft of foreign aid and money intended for government services (health, security, infrastructure and so on). As a practical matter there is no single Somalia but dozens of heavily armed clans that consider themselves sovereign and entitled to grab what they can any way they can. The current Somali government budget is $216 million and largely comes from foreign aid donors. Because most of this budget is still stolen by senior government officials most foreign aid (over a billion dollars a year) is spent by foreign aid officials in Somalia. The government does not like this because that aid is much more difficult to steal. |