Somalia Cries For its Dying Children

We sent troops to Somalia during the Bush Adminstration as a humaniatarian effort.  I was in the Military than and provided mental health services to deploying and returning soldiers from the Field.  President Clinton continued on but the effort became more of a battle between war lords and our soldiers.  Following  the, "Black Hawk Down" incident we withdrew all of our troops.  Many of the soldiers I treated feel like they abandoned the area and wanted to return to battle.  The Clinton Administraton made the discison to protect the troops and bring them home.  The Current Bush Admin had increased aid to African Nations 3 fold.  I do feel like we continue to drop the ball when it is poor African Countires.  It seems to hapen no matter who is president, Rwanda, Congo, Chad, Sudan, and the list goes on.  Somalia is in a war again ther has been no real leadership for years.  Soldiers from other African Countires are in there.  America / Americans and others who are blessed need to give without the desire for a return.  Somailia is a good example.

good stuff:

Swan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

good stuff:

Swan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Jordan and Politisite,

Thank you for the GS flags - hopefully they will help to bring notice to what is happening in the volatile countries that make up the Horn of Africa.
    ~ Swan

good stuff:

Hello Swan, I enjoyed (if that's the right word) your article very much and will try to get my hands on the book you suggest. As you say the suffering of the poor Somali children should be better covered in the press.

good stuff:

Swan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

It seems more the world is crying more over Somolia and other third world children currently under the oppressive regimes of Despot Dictators, stealing food and monetary aid to finance their own armies and put into swiss banks, with the present long going turmoil and corruption the World Bank won't lend a penny to them, and for good reason, it will never go for its intended purpose, Health, Food, Education , Housing, clean Water and Infrastructure, thus a sad state of affairs.

Liberia is currently trying to reverse its state of affairs, though a long way off, at least they are trying.

Below is todays news on Somolia dated March 29, 2008.  Certainly time for Western Countries to finally step in and stop this once and for all.

UN FOOD TRUCKS LOOTED

MOGADISHU -- Somalis uprooted by fighting in Mogadishu looted trucks carrying UN food aid yesterday, highlighting what relief agencies warn is a fast deteriorating humanitarian catastrophe. Somalia now has a million internal refugees, aid workers say.

Good coverage on one of the saddest chapters of contemporary history. Somalia also has a breakaway state called Somaliland.

Somalia and her neighbours have an interesting colonial history. Djibouti is formerly known as the French Somaliland. The internationally recognised Somalia of today is made-up of Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland. The British Somaliland got independence on 26 Jun 1960 lasting only 5 days till the  Italian Somaliland got independence. They were united to form the Somalia of today.

When the Somali central government collapsed in 1990, more or less the old British Somaliland declared independence. Its still an unrecognised defacto state. Despite total lack of recognition and thus aides and trade benefits from other countries and NGOs, since the UDI it has slowly crept back to a stable defacto state with lot more quality of life than Somalia, thanks to their Diaspora. Recently UK, EU, Sweden & AU have sent delegations to consider development aides, thus establishing semi formal contacts with the defacto state.

Their resourcefulness & success can be summed up the fact that in the recent wave of violence (2006 onwards) Somaliland has accepted thousands of refugees from Somalia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaliland