Despite billions in U.S. aid spent on Somalia to, as President Obama observed: “strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace,” a new U.N. report confirms that “the military strength of al-Shabaab, with an approximately 5,000-strong force, remains arguably intact in terms of operational readiness, chain of command, discipline and communication capabilities.”
“By avoiding direct military confrontation, it has preserved the core of its fighting force and resources.”
Meanwhile, as the U.S. is pulled deeper into this costly and seemingly unwinnable war, Western oil companies from Canada and Norway are trolling Somalia’s semi-autonomous regions – Puntland and Somaliland – for potentially-enriching oil exploration contracts.
In some cases Somaliland and Puntland have awarded licenses for exploration zones that overlap.
No comments:
Post a Comment