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‘Lawless since 1991’ - Somalia and the Brennan kidnapping : Comments
By David Robinson, published 14/12/2009The recent release of Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan is a dramatic cautionary tale that resonates with many intrepidly-wandering Australians.
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In response to UNSC 794, the UN (not the US) arranged to negotiate with the 'warlords' who are not the natural leaders among Somali society - elders are. The UN gave the warlords a seat on the international stage. While warlords were still fighting each othel, the UN attempted to deploy a peacekeeping force in Somalia. There was no peace, and the UN was unable to control either the port or the airport as a point of entry for the peacekeepers.
After worldwide coverage by CNN of the starvation caused by fighting warlords (attack a village, kill all the men, rape the women, burn the grain for next year and throw the men's bodies down the well, hence polluting the water source), the US reacted in December 1992 by deploying troops. The Australian Government (Labor) was keen to publicise its part with an election only four months away. The rules of engagement for US and Australian forces were a little more robust than the UN usually authorises for peacekeeping operations. To cut a long story short, after five months the UN was finally on the ground and officially took over from the US (and Australians, Canadians, Germans, Dutch etc).
(more to follow)