It should come to me as little surprise that I was questioned about the pertinence to the War On Terror News of an article about Somalia. It has been some time since we mentioned the pertinence of Somalia to the struggle between islamism and democracy.
In the minds of some, perhaps many, the Global War on Terror is limited to Afghanistan & Pakistan, with Iraq being an unjustified diversion, hardly global at all. Afghanistan is currently the center of attention and arguably the central front in the War On Terror. Though some believe it is where it all started, this is not necessarily the case.
The opening battle in this war occured in Mogadishu, Somalia. The US didn't even realize that we were fighting a new enemy, at that time. The US thought that Aidid's atrocious militants were nothing more than a small entity within a small country on the far side of Africa. But they were fully supported by Al-Qaeda, having received special training, special equipment, and other support from a new enemy we had barely recognized as a threat more than a small time belligerent at all. The very RPG's that shot down our Black Hawks had been modified and delivered by Al-Qaeda.
Today, many still believe Our Military was defeated in Somalia, but this too is untrue. Our Rangers and Delta Force took on a force multiple times larger than themselves in the enemy's stronghold. They captured key leaders of Aidid's force, though Aidid himself was not at the location. Depending on the report, Our Military killed 10-100x as many enemy combatants as US Soldiers in the fight. They killed 100-20,000x as many enemy combatants as the losses they took.
The Battle of Mogadishu was a Military Victory, sullied only by a political defeat by an Administration afraid of "the next Viet Nam." The idealism that put our forces there fell prey to the realism that the CinC was not respected by the Troops, that he would forever be tainted for his protests in the very capital of the previous enemy at a time of war with the surrogates of that enemy. Partisanship played it's role in forcing a retreat on political, not military terms.
Somalia continues to be an active warzone in the War On Terror, even if direct US participation is minimal. Islamist militants continue to fight against a weak "government" with occasional aid from Ethiopia and other outside sources. It also seems to be a magnet for US Al-Qaeda elements, as we recently learned that "al-Ameriki" was born Omar and went to High School in Alabama. Somalia Refugees given a new life in Minnesota and elsewhere are also turning up on the battlefield in their homeland, fighting for islamism.
But The Sudan is the place where Osama bin Laden was first "discovered." A retired Special Forces Command Sergeant Major, turned CIA Contractor, with decades of experience in both arenas was on a counter-terrorism mission in Khartoum, Sudan when he noted OBL with his contingent of Afghan Body Guards preaching to locals about jihad and fighting against America.
He not only photographed the young firebrand but twice recommended that OBL be taken out before he was able to put his plan in action. He offered a plan to do so, though he continued on with his primary mission successfully. It was the early 90's and Billy Waugh was on the trail of the most notorious terrorist of the day: Carlos The Jackal.
Carlos had not been photographed in decades at that time. Billy Waugh was able to capture Carlos on film and also offered up a plan for his capture. The US Administration of the 90's not only had no stomach for taking out OBL, but also decided against capturing Carlos. Instead, they offered him to the French, who felt less apprehensive about taking Carlos out of the terrorism game. Last I checked, Carlos was still rotting in a French jail, in isolation, ending his career as a terrorist for financial gain.
How did these two terrorist leaders come to be found in the capital of The Sudan? The country was at the time the equivalent of Vienna of the Cold War era, a permissive environment for both sides, where the government turned its attention away from unsavory actors, so long as they were bringing in money and not causing undue attention to its own corrupt ways. It was a haven for all kinds of bad guys, and courting any source of money for its leaders.
The Sudan was a place where Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda could meet outside the normal suspicions. The government courted both Iran and AQ for financial support. Today, the government there is hardline islamist and has been recognized for its mass slaughters of Christians in South Sudan as well as remembered for its actions against a British Teacher that allowed her students to name a Teddy Bear, Muhammed. Non-islamic rebels in the South continue to fight for their lives against an islamist government.
Elsewhere in Africa, islamist jihad continues in Egypt, in Algeria and elsewhere, with little in the way of US involvement, but strong in the efforts of direct AQ and Iranian involvement. But African Islamism is different than Iranian or Saudi Islamism. Whereas, Arab islamism centers on idealism of strict enforcement of Sharia law (their interpretation) as a means of hoarding all means of power (economic, religious, and political) in the hands of "mullahs," African Islamism is based more in realism of using that brand of idealism to acquire and retain power.
Clearly the Islamist Struggle and terrorism is evident in Africa and in Afghanistan & Pakistan. This alone would demonstrate a trans-continental war waged by our enemies from Africa to Central Asia.
War on Terror News©2009, ARM, all rights reserved.
This Post: Part 1: Africa
Wednesday: Part 2: Europe & Asia
Thursday: Part 3: The Americas
Friday: Part 4: Nationalism & Culture
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