Al Qaeda in Somalia?

Is al-Qaeda on the march in Somalia? According to Somali interim PM Ali Mohamed Ghendi, it is. After Islamic militias captured the southern town of Kismayo, on Sunday, Ghendi cried out for international help: I would appeal to the governments of the region to join our efforts and protect the region from the expansion of ...

Is al-Qaeda on the march in Somalia? According to Somali interim PM Ali Mohamed Ghendi, it is. After Islamic militias captured the southern town of Kismayo, on Sunday, Ghendi cried out for international help:

Is al-Qaeda on the march in Somalia? According to Somali interim PM Ali Mohamed Ghendi, it is. After Islamic militias captured the southern town of Kismayo, on Sunday, Ghendi cried out for international help:

I would appeal to the governments of the region to join our efforts and protect the region from the expansion of this al-Qaeda network, these terrorists.”

What makes this characterization completely disingenuous is that Ghendi was among those who celebrated the take over of Mogadishu by the Islamists a few months back. This is Prime Minister Ghendi in a June interview with Radio France Internationale:

It was an excellent step forward… because [the previous secular warlord leaders] were not ready for a government, they were not ready for peace.” 

So, why the flip-flop? As it turns out, Mr. Ghendi fears that the Islamists may be positioning themselves for an attack on Baidoa, the seat of his transitional government. The al-Qaeda allegation is meant to provide justification for the involvement of Ethiopian troops that are reportedly inside the country. Gregory H. Winger, in a recent Christian Science Monitor op-ed, points out that part of the reason why Ethiopians are eager to defend the transitional government against the Islamists is to gain international aid – because they’ll be seen as partners in the war on terror. It’s just more evidence that anytime someone wants to get the United States’ attention, you’ll hear the al-Qaeda connection invoked.

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