By Sean Malloy
The United States is deploying further troops and armour to Somalia after 12 US troops were killed, and at least one captured, in its October 3-4 attack on Hawiye clan leader, Mohammed Aideed. The attack killed an estimated 500 Somalis.
Six hundred troops, four state of the art tanks and a further two helicopter gunships have already arrived in Somalia. US President Bill Clinton on October 7 announced that he was sending another 1700 army troops and 3600 marines.
The majority of the US Congress is currently in favour of ending US intervention in Somalia. Republicans and Democrats alike have argued for a hasty withdrawal of troops. Clinton and secretary of state Warren Christopher are attempting to hose down the opposition by setting a deadline of March 31 for US withdrawal.
In a context of editorials and opinion columns comparing the US position in Somalia to past interventions in Vietnam and Lebanon, the USA Today/CNN poll reported that 52% of US people thought intervention in Somalia was a mistake.
Christopher said that it was necessary for the US to "finish the job" and establish "a secure environment".
Christopher and the US administration have not explained how this "secure environment" would be achieved. However, in practice US and UN forces have been supporting Mohammed Abshir, of the Darood clan, who is a pro-US former police chief. The US's Rapid Deployment Unit and Army Rangers have focused on "disarming" Aideed forces and "arresting" Aideed, in an effort to leave Abshir in a position of strength.
On September 9 a US raid on an alleged Aideed stronghold, which included the use of helicopter gunships, killed at least 100 Somalis. The majority of the dead were civilians.
Ironically, populated areas within Somalia without US troops are functioning relatively peacefully.
The latest attacks in Mogadishu have hardened Somaliland's resolve not to be occupied by UN or US troops. Somaliland seceded from Somalia in May 1991, after the overthrow of the Mohammed Siad Barre dictatorship.
Fearing a repetition of the US/UN attempts at determining the leadership of their country, Somaliland leaders are demanding that UN troops leave. In May large demonstrations of Somalis objected to the UN decision to deploy troops in Somaliland.
Between March and April this year, clan leaders met as the Council of Elders (Guurti) to reconcile clan differences and set down principles for long-term peace. The process has enjoyed grassroots support and has managed to solve fundamental disputes with its unique procedure of discussing problems for weeks or months if necessary.