The Most Dysfunctional Area On The Planet

July 2, 2010: On paper, the Transitional Government (TG) should be able to wipe out the Islamic radical groups. The TG "army" and their clan militia allies add up to about 15,000 gunmen (including 5,300 peacekeepers, the only professional troops in the country). The Islamic radical groups have about 5,000 armed men. The difference is dedication to their cause. The TG force is more in it for traditional reasons (money, tribal obligation). The Islamic radicals are on a mission from God, and more enthusiastic. They don't pay as much, but they do so more consistently. All this gives them an edge in combat. But most of the time, the Islamic radicals are more feared than popular. Islamic radicalism is not alien to Somalia. Such movements come along every few generations. The strict enforcement of lifestyle rules eventually makes the radicals so unpopular that the people violently rebel. Most Somalis are waiting for the backlash to do its magic. Read More