Somalia, US, and the Dual-Track Letdown

If there is any evidence that the best bulwark against the spread of violent extremism in Somalia is found through fragments of clannish polities and regions that function independent of the state, then both the US and Somalia ought to shout ‘Eureka!’ in unison. If not, the likely outcome is pigeonholed security schemes and safe zones under the command of various dominant clans in partnership with contracted private security companies (who are accountable to no one.) And this, needless to say, would only prove being the best recruitment campaign for al-Shabaab."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Somalia in particular and Horn of Africa in general are at such a volatile stage that any misstep—domestic or foreign—could only further exacerbate that perilous condition. One such potential misstep gathering cloud is the recently proposed US foreign policy toward Somalia known as the Dual-Track approach.
 Read More