U.S.-trained Somali troops stand at attention during a graduation ceremony. (Photo: U.S. Africa Command)
Dec 03, 2020
In a widely anticipated move, President Donald Trump has ordered almost all 700 U.S. troops deployed to Somalia withdrawn from the East African nation by early next year, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday afternoon.
According to the Pentagon, "this action is not a change in U.S. policy."
Military action will continue, it said, in service of defeating militant extremists and ensuring a U.S. "strategic advantage in great power competition."
Somalia has suffered from U.S. drone and other airstrikes, as well as ground raids by mostly Special Forces troops, since 2007, when former President George W. Bush expanded the so-called War on Terror to include the war-ravaged nation.
\u201cIf the goal is to reduce unnecessary war and improve U.S.-Africa policy outcomes, then the U.S. must leverage every tool in its statecraft toolbox in order to do so. That means leading with diplomacy.\n\n3/\u201d— Quincy Institute (@Quincy Institute) 1607125609
Both the air and ground operations have killed civilians. In July, Amnesty International said the U.S. has "carried out at least 189 air strikes in Somalia since 2017," and that "in just nine of those airstrikes... 21 civilians were killed and 11 others were injured."
Earlier this year, The Interceptreported that the U.K.-based monitor group Airwars has counted at least 71 and as many as 139 Somali civilians killed by U.S. strikes since 2007.
These deaths rarely make headlines in the U.S. corporate media. It was, however, widely reported in the mainstream media that a CIA officer and former Navy SEAL was killed in Somalia late last month during a raid targeting a suspected bombmaker for the al-Shabaab militant group.
The Pentagon's announcement of the Somalia withdrawal came two days after Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the debate about how many U.S. troops to keep in the country was still ongoing.
Friday's announcement also came eight days after acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made a surprise Thanksgiving visit to U.S. troops stationed in Somalia.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In a widely anticipated move, President Donald Trump has ordered almost all 700 U.S. troops deployed to Somalia withdrawn from the East African nation by early next year, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday afternoon.
According to the Pentagon, "this action is not a change in U.S. policy."
Military action will continue, it said, in service of defeating militant extremists and ensuring a U.S. "strategic advantage in great power competition."
Somalia has suffered from U.S. drone and other airstrikes, as well as ground raids by mostly Special Forces troops, since 2007, when former President George W. Bush expanded the so-called War on Terror to include the war-ravaged nation.
\u201cIf the goal is to reduce unnecessary war and improve U.S.-Africa policy outcomes, then the U.S. must leverage every tool in its statecraft toolbox in order to do so. That means leading with diplomacy.\n\n3/\u201d— Quincy Institute (@Quincy Institute) 1607125609
Both the air and ground operations have killed civilians. In July, Amnesty International said the U.S. has "carried out at least 189 air strikes in Somalia since 2017," and that "in just nine of those airstrikes... 21 civilians were killed and 11 others were injured."
Earlier this year, The Interceptreported that the U.K.-based monitor group Airwars has counted at least 71 and as many as 139 Somali civilians killed by U.S. strikes since 2007.
These deaths rarely make headlines in the U.S. corporate media. It was, however, widely reported in the mainstream media that a CIA officer and former Navy SEAL was killed in Somalia late last month during a raid targeting a suspected bombmaker for the al-Shabaab militant group.
The Pentagon's announcement of the Somalia withdrawal came two days after Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the debate about how many U.S. troops to keep in the country was still ongoing.
Friday's announcement also came eight days after acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made a surprise Thanksgiving visit to U.S. troops stationed in Somalia.
In a widely anticipated move, President Donald Trump has ordered almost all 700 U.S. troops deployed to Somalia withdrawn from the East African nation by early next year, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday afternoon.
According to the Pentagon, "this action is not a change in U.S. policy."
Military action will continue, it said, in service of defeating militant extremists and ensuring a U.S. "strategic advantage in great power competition."
Somalia has suffered from U.S. drone and other airstrikes, as well as ground raids by mostly Special Forces troops, since 2007, when former President George W. Bush expanded the so-called War on Terror to include the war-ravaged nation.
\u201cIf the goal is to reduce unnecessary war and improve U.S.-Africa policy outcomes, then the U.S. must leverage every tool in its statecraft toolbox in order to do so. That means leading with diplomacy.\n\n3/\u201d— Quincy Institute (@Quincy Institute) 1607125609
Both the air and ground operations have killed civilians. In July, Amnesty International said the U.S. has "carried out at least 189 air strikes in Somalia since 2017," and that "in just nine of those airstrikes... 21 civilians were killed and 11 others were injured."
Earlier this year, The Interceptreported that the U.K.-based monitor group Airwars has counted at least 71 and as many as 139 Somali civilians killed by U.S. strikes since 2007.
These deaths rarely make headlines in the U.S. corporate media. It was, however, widely reported in the mainstream media that a CIA officer and former Navy SEAL was killed in Somalia late last month during a raid targeting a suspected bombmaker for the al-Shabaab militant group.
The Pentagon's announcement of the Somalia withdrawal came two days after Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the debate about how many U.S. troops to keep in the country was still ongoing.
Friday's announcement also came eight days after acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made a surprise Thanksgiving visit to U.S. troops stationed in Somalia.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.