US deploys small military team to Somalia

The military of Somalia was in faction until 1991, made up of the army, navy, air force, and air defense command. The outbreak of the Somali Civil War during that year led to the de facto dissolution of the national armed forces. However, efforts to re-establish a regular armed force by a re-constituted Somali federal government have made progress so far. The military of Somalia is now overseen by the TFG Ministry of Defense, a branch of Somalia's new Transitional Federal Government (TFG) that was formed in 2004. The Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces.The Pentagon acknowledged Friday that the United States sent a team of military advisers to war-torn Somalia last month to help Somalia and other African forces to fight al-Shabab opposition group. The team, which the Pentagon characterized as “small,” is to provide communications, logistics and planning assistance. Its installation in Mogadishu, where a climate of car and suicide bombs, widespread fighting and very tenuous government authority has prevailed since 1991, represents the first U.S. boots on the ground since the October 1993 “Black Hawk Down” killing of American servicemen. That incident led to the withdrawal of U.S. troops who had been in Somalia since late 1992. Why is President Barack Obama changing policy on this Northeast African street without joy by again stationing U.S. forces there? His action is consistent with continuing American involvement in Somalia through a CIA presence, raids by Special Operations forces, fighter-bomber strikes, drone attacks and training and financing provided to Somali, Kenyan and other African fighters who have sought unsuccessfully to impose order there. This is also another chapter in the quest for relevance pursued by the U.S. Africa Command, created during the Bush administration in 2008. By showing that it is needed, it can better protect itself from cuts in the Pentagon budget.