Another Premature "Mission Accomplished" Moment in Somalia?
The official line at the top of this longish Reuters report from the freshly Ethiopean-invaded Somalia is that Ethiopean troops will "stay 'for a few weeks' while the government pacifies the chaotic nation." However, reading on you find Somalian Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi insisting "The Ethiopians will leave when they clear terrorists and pacify Somalia. It will be … weeks and months, not more."
As the story continues, we learn that Somalians are still taking potshots at their Ethiopean liberators, and that although "The government has told Mogadishu residents to hand over their weapons by Thursday or be forcibly disarmed…..at one [collection center] seen by Reuters, not a single gun had been handed in. Traders said gun prices had gone up and some were still buying weapons."
And don't miss the ominous last sentence of the story, horror movie hints of a grim sequel:
U.S. warships were patrolling off Somalia to stop SICC leaders or foreign militant supporters escaping, diplomats said.
How long can the U.S. ships stay offshore? Stay tuned.
