Analysis : Washington’s U-turn on Somalia

[General Duke]

Washington’s U-turn on Somalia

25 Sep 25, 2010 - 12:40:56 PM

 

By Yasir Mohamed

 

Development projects, such as education and primary health care, can improve Washington’s image in the region and tackle radicalisation.

 

The United States decision to cooperate with Somalia’s breakaway regions, Somaliland and Puntland in development projects, is a laudable initiative that can be a recipe for success in addressing the country’s growing security concerns. Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, made the announcement, apparently after his government’s support to the transitional government of Somalia failed to appease increasing Islamist insurgency in Mogadishu.

 

After its armed humanitarian intervention in 1990s ended in disaster, the United States adapted a wait-and-see policy towards Somalia. But after 2001, as part of its counter-terrorism operations around the world, it extended support to warlords who formed “Antiterrorism Alliance” in 2006 and fought “Islamic Courts Union”. Its support to warlords who had long been an obstacle to peace and foiled any efforts to stabilize the country was a counter-productive. With Islamists gaining power rapidly, warlords soundly defeated, and the interim government unable to take control, Washington backed Ethiopian invasion to oust the Islamists and seat the government in the capital. But this has not proven success either and Ethiopian troops withdrew in January 2009.

 

Washington again threw its weight behind Islamist moderates to spearhead the interim government in a bid to defeat the radical wing. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Chairman of the Union of Islamist Courts, who during his UIC leadership labelled his predecessors as “infidels” and justified attacks against peacekeepers, was chosen as president of the transitional government. However, his leadership empowered the radical wing than to suppress them. Alshabaab now control most of the capital, including the Bakaara market, the financial hub of the capital, while Sharif’s government is increasingly becoming unpopular and losing control with its troops defecting to the insurgents due to lack of payment and high level corruption in the government.

 

While the mess of insurgency and radicalisation raged across the south, there has been a relative peace and functioning governments in the northern part of the country; Somaliland, and puntland. Somaliland for instance conducted a fair and free election that has seen a peaceful power transfer to Ahmed Silanyo, a long time opposition leader, educated in the UK. While the International Community focused on Mogadishu, throwing millions of dollars to feeble institution, these genuine partners have been ignored or marginalized. The two administrations have funded their local police, development projects with their little income from their coffers.

 

The counterproductive policy of prioritizing counter terrorism over human rights and development has further boosted terrorism and gave radicals cause to continue war and win public support. For example, in many regions in the South, locals are lending support to Alshabaab because they have restored peace and stability and removed road blocks. The Western partnership in the continuation of war, which locals no longer dire to, has drawn support to Alshabaab whose growing influence and recruitment can not be underestimated. Few days ago, a report jointly issued by aid organisations ranked Somalia as the lowest country in primary education enrolment followed by Eritrea and Haiti. The question is where these children would go if they are not at school. The answer is clear. They are recruited for war by both government and insurgents, because their families cannot afford to pay school fees.

 

Instead of donating millions of dollars to a powerless authority that has no sincerity, the US government need to draw a new policy, contribute in development projects to gain public support which is crucial in dealing with such security problems. In the Southern Somalia, they need to back regional administrations in Banadir, Kismayu, Bai****. So it would be much easier for regions to talk and form central or federal government depending on their desire. It would be incredible and unjustifiable if funds allocated to Somalia are channelled through Sharif’s government which controls no more than 3 kilometres while Somaliland and Puntland are restoring security and governance into two large states. Education (particularly the curriculum) is an important investment to tackle extremism. When there is no regulation and schools teach what they want, the young generation is at risk of being misguided and radicalized. We should target youngsters before they are radicalized not kill them when they are misguided.

 

N.B Somaliland has declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after bitter war with Somalia’s last functioning government. It has maintained its independence since then and has not participated in the dozen peace conferences held for Somalia’s warring factions. Puntland however considers itself as part of Somalia but pushes for a federalized Somalia.

 

Yasir Mohamed is a Somali citizen who has been following developments in Somalia and campaign for human rights and democracy. [/bHe can be reached at yasirmoham@gmail.com

[General Duke]

Somalia: U.S. policy, interventionism, and the path to peace [Editorial]

25 Sep 25, 2010 - 5:25:41 PM

 

GAROWE ONLINE EDITORIAL | The path to peace must commence with recognition of realities on the ground in Somalia.

 

America's policy vis-à-vis that war-torn nation called Somalia has, at least inadvertently, contributed to the spark of today's Mogadishu insurgency which began nearly four years ago. It was the Islamist armed group, Islamic Courts Union (ICU), then led by the current President of the TFG of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, that efficiently mobilized resources to counter the actions and propaganda of a group that called itself, the "Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism," or ARPCT. Founded by a coalition of Mogadishu's violently notorious warlords, the ARPCT was allegedly funded by a covert CIA program that aimed to seize terrorism suspects hiding in Mogadishu and protected by ICU fighters. The ICU's victory after a four-month conflict against the ARPCT accumulated in the Islamist takeover of Mogadishu in June 2006 and the collapse of the U.S. covert program.

 

The failure of the ARPCT was not the only failure of that project. Today, the armed ICU offshoots such as Al Shabaab and Hizbul Islam still use propaganda designed upon that premise: that America's policy only cares about capturing or killing terrorism suspects. In propaganda reels, the Islamists say they are "defenders" against such American militarism in Somalia.

 

The policy of interventionism must be approached within the context of valuing what is lost and what is gained. The failed U.N. mission in the 1990s, and the incessant media references to the Hollywood film "Black Hawk Down", has desensitized U.S. policy on Somalia and empowered those who pursue solely the narrow vision of "counterterrorism" at the expense of genuine and workable partnerships. It was that line of thinking that led to the failure of the ARPCT program; indeed, even then, the U.S. sidestepped the U.N.-recognized TFG (today's predecessor interim government) to accomplish short-term goals in counterterrorism.

 

The announcement of a U.S. policy shift by the State Department is a small, but important step in the right direction. Mr. Johnnie Carson, who is the Assistant Secretary for African affairs, announced that the U.S. would "aggressively" engage the self-governing states of Somaliland and Puntland, both stable regions in northern Somalia.

 

The BBC quoted Mr. Carson as saying: "We think both of these parts of Somalia have been zones of relative political and civil stability, and we think they will in fact be a bulwark against extremism and radicalism that might emerge from the south."

 

Mr. Carson ruled out U.S. recognition of any separatist region, which in this case applies solely to Somaliland, whilst underlining that Somalia's problem is "both a regional and a global problem."

 

From the American diplomat's comments we can infer that the U.S. government has: a) changed its Somalia policy; b) now recognizes as "political entities" separate of TFG control both Puntland and Somaliland; c) wants regional and world governments to actively share responsibilities over Somalia; and d) seeks a new policy of supporting local governments that can prop up the TFG domestically.

 

Since 1998, the State of Puntland has been saying rather consistently that it wants to be part of a "federal" Somalia and to maintain some measure of political autonomy until that goal is realized. Puntland has been the most important domestic backer of the TFG since the latter was was formed in 2004. Puntland has also encouraged the formation of other state governments to prop up the TFG in Mogadishu. While southern Somalia fell under the control of Al Shabaab insurgents, and the separatists in Somaliland sought recognition as an independent country, it was the people of Puntland who stood united and strong for "one Somalia" and kept the blue Somali flag with the white star flying high in the air at all government buildings.

 

The path to peace must commence with recognition of realities on the ground in Somalia. The political collapse of 1991 completely disintegrated the Somali nation-state and what emerged was a tri-faced reality: Mogadishu and southern Somalia (south of Puntland) became the hotbed of wars in a violent competition for power and resources that continues till today; Puntland, in northeastern Somalia, founded its own regional authority and strengthened peace and order; and Somaliland, in Somalia's northwestern corner, where a group declared independence but at least brought peace and governance.

 

It is this reality that dictates everything that takes place in Somalia. It is this reality that prevents Al Shabaab's advances upon Puntland and Somaliland, where local populations have known governance unlike the southern regions plagued by armed conflict where Al Shabaab offers itself as an "alternative government" to local populations. U.S. and international recognition of this reality is a critical development in helping Somalia recover from years from political collapse.

 

Secondly, the path to peace must take a holistic approach that incorporates social reconciliation and political settlement with economic equality and empowerment. Social reconciliation is needed for Somalia at all levels, from districts to nation-wide genuine reconciliation among relatives and neighbors, friends and foes, regions and communities.

 

Thirdly, political settlement in Somalia will be strengthened and bolstered by a successful program of social reconciliation and interaction among communities. A resolution for outstanding grievances like civilian killings and looted properties can be reached at community-level reconciliation, while political settlement would involve Mogadishu's capital status, parliamentary representation, reintegration of national armed forces, and the division of power between federal and state governments, can be tackled during the political process.

 

Fourthly, the reconciliation of communities combined with the settlement of political differences creates an environment conducive to economic development and growth. Somalia offers tremendous resources, both human and natural, and there is a great potential for vast economic opportunities with the restoration of peace and national governance.

 

The U.S. pledge to aid Puntland and Somaliland in the sectors of agriculture, water, health and education, is an important step that sends the right signal to all Somali communities. The message is twofold: 1) that t hose regions who self-govern and restore order will be rewarded with development projects; and 2) that it weakens the insurgents' propaganda and shows that America does care by forming partnerships with the Somali people.

 

It is hoped that the delivery and impact of U.S. aid to the stable regions will not suffer from the chronic corruption renowned for U.N. offices in Nairobi. Both governments in Puntland and Somaliland are more than capable of hosting, managing and directing the flow of development projects, but might require some external technical expertise.

 

The U.S. must set the example in empowering Somali communities by assuring that the development projects create jobs mostly for Somalis, contribute to local economic activities, and advance common goals and interests.

 

America can hardly afford yet another failed policy in Somalia – that is, if America wants to correct its past policy miscalculations and still wants to "win" the hearts and minds of the Somali people.

[General Duke]

The announcement of a U.S. policy shift by the State Department is a small, but important step in the right direction. Mr. Johnnie Carson, who is the Assistant Secretary for African affairs, announced that the U.S. would "aggressively" engage the self-governing states of Somaliland and Puntland, both stable regions in northern Somalia.

 

The BBC quoted Mr. Carson as saying:

"We think both of these parts of Somalia have been zones of relative political and civil stability, and we think they will in fact be a bulwark against extremism and radicalism that might emerge from the south."

 

Mr. Carson ruled out U.S. recognition of any separatist region, which in this case applies solely to Somaliland, whilst underlining that Somalia's problem is "both a regional and a global problem."

 

From the American diplomat's comments we can infer that the U.S. government has: a) changed its Somalia policy; b) now recognizes as "political entities" separate of TFG control both Puntland and Somaliland; c) wants regional and world governments to actively share responsibilities over Somalia; and d) seeks a new policy of supporting local governments that can prop up the TFG domestically.

[General Duke]

Dowladaha Somaliland iyo Puntland ayaa si waafi ah uga jawaabay baaqa kasoo yeeray Kaaliyaha xogheyaha arrimaha dibada ee Maraykanka u qaabilsan arrimaha Afrika Mr.Johhnie Carson ee ahaa in Mareykanku wada shaqeyn dhow la yeelanayaan maamulada Somaliland iyo Puntland,isla markaana u gacan ka geysanayo sideey horu mar u gaari lahaayeen maamulaadasi.

 

Mr.Carson ayaa doaboolka ka qaaday in wada shaqeynta Mareykanka uu la yeelanayo maamulada Somaliland iyo Puntland ay gacan ka geysan karto ka hor taga kooxda  Al-Shabab iney ku fidaan deeganadaas nabada ah ama ay khal khal galiyaan xasiloonida ka jirta deegaandasi.

 

Wasiirka arrimaha dibada ee Somaliland Dr.Maxamed Cabdulaahi Cumar oo shir jiraa’id ku qabtay magaaladda Hargeysa ayaa asgoo ka jawaabaya sheegay in ay soo dhoweynayaan hadalkaas culus ee Maraykanka ku dhawaaqay,wuxuuna wasiirku til maamay in ay si weyn ula shaqeynayaan Dowlada Mareykanaka.

 

Dhinaca kalena Warsaxaafadeed ka soo baxay madaxtooyada Puntland ee caasimada Garoowe ayaa sidoo kale waxaa looga hadlaya hadalka kasoo yeeray Dowlada Mareykana.

 

Dowlada Puntland ayaa dhinaceeda sheegtay in ay soo dhaweynayaan isbedelka siyaasadeed ee arimaha Soomaaliya ee dawladda Maraykanku muujisay,waxeyna sheegen in muda dheer la sugayay tilaabadaasi,ayna tahay mida kaliya ee lagu bad baadin karo hanbada ka hartay Shacabka Soomaaliyeed.

 

Dowlada Puntland waxey hoosta ka xariiqaday in ay tilaabadaani waxbadan ka caawin karto maamulada ka jira Soomaaliya,isla markaana ay diyaar u yihiin in ay wada shqeyn toos ah la yeeshaan Dowlada Mareykanka,tasoo gacan ka geysaneynsa sare u qaadida adeega bulsha sida caafimaadka, Biyaha, waxabarshada, beeraha iwm.

 

Hadaba tilaabadan siyaasadeed ee Dowlada Mareykana u qaaday dhinaca Soomaaliya ayaa u muuquta dharbaaxo soo gaartay DFKMG ee Soomaaliya, tasoo xiligaan cagaha la heshay wadadii fashilka oo dowladihii ka horeeyay ku baxeen,waxeyna waji gabax weyn ku tahay Axmed Tuke in asgoo ku sugan Shirka New York ay Dowlada Mareykanku ****olka ka qaado hadalo dharbaaxo iyo mustaqil madoow ku ah DFKMG.

 

Dadka qunyar socdka ah ee indha indheeya siyaasada jahwareersan ee Soomaaliya ayaa iyagu ka bixiyay ariktiyo kala duwan,waxaana qaarkood ay ku tilmaameen in ay muujineyso ka amiin bax ay Dowlada Mareykanku ka amiin baxaday Dhaqamada Masuuliyiinta DFKMG ee Soomaaliya ee u muuqda kheyru masuul nimo iyo kuwa aan dan ka laheeyn shacabka Soomaaliyeed ee diifta iyo darxamuda meel walba la daadsan,balse ay ka fikirayaan oo kaliya iney ka qanimeystaan deeqaha iyo gar gaarka loogusoo dhiibay umada Soomaaliyed.

[General Duke]

Puntland Supports the new US "Two-track" Somalia Engagement Policy.

26. september 2010 

 

 

PUNTLAND STATE OF SOMALIA

MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

PRESS RELEASE

 

Sunday, September 26, 2010

 

The government of the Puntland State of Somalia welcomes the statement by the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Ambassador Johnnie Carson during his September 24, 2010 joint press conference at the United Nations General Assembly with P.J. Crawley, US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs unveiling the United States’ new “two-track” Somalia engagement policy. The government of Puntland appreciates this new and pragmatic approach which we think better reflects the current political reality in the country as well as how best the long lasting present quagmire can be ended. The TFG’s glaring lack of capacity to fulfill its mandate by upholding the charter, fostering national reconciliation, embracing and encouraging the constitutional development process, and fighting and defeating violent extremist groups can no longer be ignored.

 

This new policy will not only be viewed as a strategic reward of the commitment to peace and institutional governance chosen by the people of Puntland and Somaliland, it stands also, if vigorously pursued, to create demonstrable incentives significant enough to entice the rest of Somalia to appreciate the fruits of peaceful state building, adherence to the rule of law, good governance and the rejection of the kind of anarchic tendencies that encourage terrorism, piracy and similar criminal activities.

 

Puntland State stands ready to work with the government of the United States and the rest of the international community in creating a terror-free, peaceful and democratic Somalia at peace with herself and with the rest of the international community including our neighbors. The United States’ new engagement policy will most certainly help us move closer to the attainment of this much cherished albeit heretofore elusive goal. Puntland will cooperate with the international community in particular, the United States, the EU, the United Nations, the AU, the OIC, the LAS and IGAD among others in the search for more effective ways of rebuilding and strengthening the federal institutions in Somalia. To this end, we are ready to, if necessary, provide to both the most essential international agencies and key transitional federal institutions with safe and operational office space inside Puntland for as long as needed.

 

Moreover the government of Puntland will spare no effort to do everything possible to ensure the success of this new American policy toward Somalia and calls on the rest of Somalia as well as the international community to welcome this fresh approach by the US government.

 

Finally, the government of Puntland welcomes and deeply appreciates Ambassador Carson’s strong and unambiguous support for Somali unity, national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

[General Duke]

" ...But we will also be pursuing a secondtrack, which we think is also increasingly important, and that is we willwork to engage more actively with the governments of Puntland andSomaliland. We hope to be able to have more American diplomats and aidworkers going into those countries on an ad hoc basis to meet withgovernment officials to see how we can help them improve their capacity toprovide services to their people, seeing whether there are developmentassistance projects that we can work with them on.

[Timur]

I wish we could believe in this but its a complete joke. They are doing it in vain just to tell people that they have things in Somalia "under control." Its inevitable that Al-Shabaab will comb through the rest of the country shortly, we need to worry about what we can do to help a post-Shabaab Somalia rather than trying to stop fate and lengthen the civil war. Americans are the last people who should be trusted with fixing things, especially in the debacle in Afghanistan and Iraq, and their mistakes which are leading Pakistan down that same road.

[Duufaan]

timur

Yuo are smart suldaan. The italian exiled suldaans never came back. so did the british exiled suldaans

[General Duke]

This new shift of policy will have a major effect on the Somali political landscape in the upcoming decades..

 

It is hoped that the delivery and impact of U.S. aid to the stable regions will not suffer from the chronic corruption renowned for U.N. offices in Nairobi. Both governments in Puntland and Somaliland are more than capable of hosting, managing and directing the flow of development projects, but might require some external technical expertise.

 

The U.S. must set the example in empowering Somali communities by assuring that the development projects create jobs mostly for Somalis, contribute to local economic activities, and advance common goals and interests.

[General Duke]

Somalia: United States to Strengthen Engagement With Puntland, Somaliland

27 Sep 27, 2010 - 10:58:39 AM

 

by Merle David Kellerhals Jr.

 

The United States will strengthen engagement with the governments of Puntland and Somaliland in Somalia as part of a two-track policy aimed at curbing the growth of terrorist extremism, but also to support the Transitional Federal Government, says Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson.

 

At a briefing September 24 in New York, Carson said the two-track policy supports the Djibouti peace process, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the government of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, president of Somalia.

 

Carson, who is the assistant secretary for African affairs, told reporters at the special briefing that the first track is designed to help the TFG become more effective and more inclusive and to give it the ability to provide services to its people. In addition, the United States will continue to work to strengthen the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

 

Engagement with Puntland and Somaliland is part of the second track, he added.

 

"We hope to be able to have more American diplomats and aid workers going into those countries on an ad hoc basis to meet with government officials to see how we can help them improve their capacity to provide services to their people, seeing whether there are development assistance projects that we can work with them on," Carson said. "We think that both of these parts of Somalia have been zones of relative political and civil stability, and we think they will, in fact, be a bulwark against extremism and radicalism that might emerge from the South."

 

The United States, as part of the second track, will reach out to groups in south-central Somalia, local governments, clans and subclans that are opposed to al-Shabaab, the radical extremist group in the South. These are groups, Carson said, that are not allied formally or directly with the TFG.

 

"We will look for opportunities to work with these groups to see if we can identify them, find ways of supporting their development initiatives and activities," Carson added.

 

But Carson said the United States will follow the African Union position and recognize only a single Somali state.

 

A major meeting on Somalia was held by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the opening of the U.N. General Assembly that brought together heads of state from five different African nations, several African foreign ministers and European foreign ministers, Carson said.

 

Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg represented the United States as this meeting and set out the two-track policy, Carson said. The problems in Somalia, he added, are viewed as a national problem for the people of Somalia, a regional problem for Africa and a global problem.

 

"It is a problem that has metastasized over the last two decades, which has led to a situation where we now have international piracy, foreign fighters going into Somalia, and some groups in Somalia supporting remnants of the al-Qaida East Africa cell," he said.

 

The situation in Somalia poses a regional problem because of the large number of refugees flowing into neighboring Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen and Djibouti, he said. In addition to a large flow of refugees, large amounts of illegal arms are flowing into Somalia and illegal commerce is going on, he added.

 

"Somalia is a collapsed state with a weak government unable to project either power or stability or to provide services to its people," Carson said.

 

Carson said that greater engagement means meeting periodically with government officials from Puntland and Somaliland, discussing a range of development issues that include health, education, agriculture and water projects.

 

The aim is to strengthen their ability to govern and to deliver vital public services, he added. All U.S. operations for Somalia are run out of Nairobi, Kenya, he said.

 

The Djibouti peace process is an African-led initiative that has the support of IGAD, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, according to Carson in a March press briefing on the peace process. It has the support of the African Union and the key states in the region, and has also been supported by the United Nations, the European Community, the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, he added. The Djibouti peace process recognizes the importance of trying to put together an inclusive Somali government and takes into account the importance of history, culture and clan and subclan relations.

[General Duke]

Maraykanka oo la Shaqayn Doona Puntland iyo Somaliland

 

Mas'uulka Maraykanka u qaabilsan arrimaha Africa ayaa shaaca ka qaaday in ay la shaqayn doonaan Puntland iyo Somaliland

 

VOA Somali | Washington, DC. Sabti, 25 September 2010

 

Dowladda Maraykanka ayaa sheegtay inay qorsheyneyso inay xoojiso xiriirada ay la leedahay Maamul goboleedyada Soomaaliya ka jira.

 

Sarkaalka Maraykanka u qaabilsan arrimaha Afrika Jonnie Carson ayaa jimcihii magaalada New York warbaahinta caalamiga ugu sheegay in Maraykanka uu bilaabi doono waxa uu ugu yeeray macaamil xooggan oo uu la sameyn doono maamul goboleedyada Puntland iyo Somaliland.

 

Carson ayaa sheegay in Maraykanka uusan qorsheyneyn in maamulladasi uu u aqoonsado midkoodna dal madaxbannaan, laakiin uu ka caawin doono mashaariicda dhanka Beeraha, biyaha, caafimaadka iyo waxbarashada.

 

Carson wuxuu sheegay in iskaashigaasi uu ka hortegi doono in kooxaha xagjirka ah ee ka tirsan maleeshiyada la fikirka al-Qaacida ee al-Shabaab inay ku fidaan gobolladaasi.

 

Carson wuxuu kaloo sheegay in Maraykanka uu sidoo kale la xiriiri doono kooxaha ka jira gobollada Koonfurta iyo Soomaaliya ee iyagu ka soo horjeeda al-Shabaab, haddii xitaa aanay xiriir la lahayn dowladda KMG ah ee ku sugan Muqdisho.

 

Dowladda KMG ah waxay maamushaa goobo yar oo ka tirsan magaalada Muqdisho, iyadoo gacan ka helaysa ciidamada Nabad ilaalinta ee Midowga Afirka ee AMISOM.

 

Kooxaha islaamiga ee dagaalka kala soo horjeeda dowladda KMG ah ayaa waxay maamulaan inta badan gobollada koonfurta iyo bartamaha Soomaaliya.

[NASSIR]

Based on USAID's programs in Somalia and the direct correlation with Corson's press statement, there's hardly a distinction. Contrary to Garowe Online, America won't extend diplomatic relations with both entities..

 

Carson said the U.S. would not establish formal diplomatic relations with the two entities or recognize their independence, but would help their governments with

agriculture, water, health and education projects.

Diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, will lead the effort and increase their informal visits to Somaliland and Puntland.

AP

 

---------------

GOVERNING JUSTLY AND DEMOCRATICALLY

USAID works with several partners to improve governance at the national, regional, and local levels, and to support key elements of civil society....

 

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

Civil unrest has eroded Somalia’s basic social services. USAID assists local communities by providing integrated health and education interventions and improving the capacity of governance institutions to deliver services throughout Somalia.

 

USAID has a higher education partnership with the University of Hargeisa to establish a program in conflict mitigation, and is also helping Somalia remain polio-free through child vaccinations.....

 

Source: USAID

[General Duke]

Greater engagement means just that, the US rep's words don't Corelate with what you are saying.

 

It's clear that this is a change in policy. And a welcome even if they don't do that much it's better to be onside with the worlds only super power.

[General Duke]

US Policy Change

[General Duke]