Yet Again

It's the incompetence, stupid. We just handed 'em another country. Knight-Ridder (06.17.06):

"In early March, nine of Mogadishu's most prominent community leaders secretly flew to neighboring Djibouti and pleaded with U.S. military officials there to stop funding the warlords who were devastating the city. Backing the warlords, they said, would end up strengthening an Islamist militia with a shadowy radical wing. The Americans ignored their warnings, three of the Somalis at the meeting told Knight Ridder in separate interviews, and the community leaders' fears came to life this month when the Islamic Courts Union militia defeated the warlords and took control of the Somali capital." Somali leaders warned U.S. of strengthening Islamic militia

"Now, the Bush administration's Somalia strategy is in tatters, and the Islamist militia is poised to extend its control to all of southern Somalia, where intelligence officials believe at least two senior al-Qaida operatives are hiding." Knight-Ridder notes that it even though it "was impossible to confirm the Somali leaders' version of events", "two U.S, intelligence officials, speaking anonymously because they aren't authorized to talk to the media, said that CIA financial support for the warlords was approved by the Bush administration and coordinated by the agency's station chief in Nairobi." And if that wasn't enough, "(o)n Saturday, news agencies, quoting residents here, reported that two warlords fled to an American naval vessel off the Somali coast." The usual suspects give us the usual response: "U.S. officials in Washington have declined to comment on whether the United States provided aid to the warlords." Gee. Wonder why. On the other hand, the locals seem pretty happy about the turn of events. Gulf Times (06.18.06):

"The stabilisation of Mogadishu after Islamist leaders ousted US-backed warlords has dealt a blow to pirates and given a boost to business in the Horn of Africa nation, a prominent Somali businessman said. 'We never had business like this before,' said Abdulkadir Nur, who manages the strategic El Maan port just north of the Somali capital, as six ships from Dubai unloaded wood, sugar and cooking oil on the beach behind him." Islamic takeover 'good for Somalia business'

"'Before, there was theft of trucks, kidnappings, but since the Islamic Courts have taken over, there has been no trouble,' said Nur, who chairs the Benadir Maritime and Port Operation which runs El Maan, Somalia’s largest port." "'Now Mogadishu is 90% safe. Look at the price of munitions - down. That's good for peace, and so for business.'" Abdulkadir isn't just some guy hanging around the docks. He is "(c)onsidered one of the most powerful entrepreneurs in Mogadishu".