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Yesterday’s news today…

11 January 2007 14 views No Comment

�The stadium was packed, the guns were cocked and even the drenching rain could not douse the jihadist fire�…

�- From �Islamists rally Somalis to prepare for war with Ethiopia�, IHT, Dec 14, �06 (by Jeffrey Gettleman and Mark Mazzetti, Pg 4).

So I guess Somalia is probably going to be the next jihadi hotspot. I thought this was stale news (my post was in Oct ’06).

But lest anyone has forgotten, here�is a sobering piece of what happened the last time US interevened in Somalia: “Anatomy of�a Disaster” (George J. Church, TIME Cover story, Oct 18 ’93).

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1. Tosh Sheshabalaya said:

Looks like others were busy in Somalia. Quote from a piece on Indian peackeeping in ATCA:
http://www.intentblog.com/archives/2006/09/the_commonwealt.html

The UN itself has huge praise for another very complex peacekeeping effort (in Somalia): “The UN Operation in Somalia is considered one of the most difficult and challenging operations the UN has ever attempted. Indian naval ships and personnel were involved in patrolling duties off the Somali coast, in humanitarian assistance on shore, and also in the transportation of men and material for the United Nations. The UNOSOM II operation involved peace enforcement under Chapter VII. The objective was humanitarian relief. The Indian contingent successfully combined the often conflicting roles of coercive disarmament and humanitarian relief to the civilian population. With stand-alone capacity, the Indian brigade had operational responsibilities for one-third of Somalia viz 173,000 sq km area of responsibility, the largest ever held by any contingent. In spite of such a large area of operations, there were minimum civilian casualties in the area of responsibility of the Indian contingent. The Indian contingent dug a large number of wells, constructed schools and mosques, and ran mobile dispensaries and relief camps, which provided veterinary care, and medical and humanitarian relief to a large number of Somalis and their livestock. In spite of suffering casualties the Indian contingent exercised utmost restraint in firing in self defence. It also organized and carried out rehabilitation and resettlement of thousands of refugees and helped to repatriate them to their homes. The Indian contingent played a vital role in reviving the political process by organizing reconciliation meetings. The last remaining units of the Indian contingent were repatriated from Somalia on board Indian naval ships from Kismayo port. India demonstrated its capacity to provide an integrated force, comprising land and naval forces as well as air support.”

12 January 2007

2. Shantanu said:

Great quote Tosh…thanks for drawing my attention to it.

12 January 2007