Former US Ambassador Favors Arab Troops In UN Somali Peacekeepinbg Force

[General Duke]

Former US Ambassador Favors Arab Troops In UN Somali Peacekeepinbg Force

 

By Joe De Capua

Washington

17 September 2007

 

Somali leaders meeting in Saudi Arabia Sunday say they want Arab troops to play a major role in a peacekeeping force in their country. The meeting in Riyadh between members of the Transitional Federal Government and various factions follows a recent reconciliation conference in Mogadishu.

 

For a look at greater Arab involvement in the Somali peace process, VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua spoke with Professor David Shinn of George Washington University. Shinn, a former US ambassador to Ethiopia, favors the Arab troop proposal.

 

 

David Shinn

 

“On the face of it, it’s a sound idea in that it is clear that the African Union is not capable of putting together a significant peacekeeping force to go into Mogadishu. I have said for some time that it really has to be a United Nations peacekeeping force. And the idea of focusing on using African and Arab troops is, I think, a very sound one. I think it would be very useful, especially, to get Arab troops involved in this. This is also a way in which it would be possible for the Ethiopians to leave Somalia. The problem is that it still doesn’t resolve the basic issue and that is serious power sharing between the Transitional Federal Government on the one hand and the moderate opponents…on the other, Most of whom have met recently in Eritrea,” he says.

 

Asked why he would favor Arab participation in a peacekeeping force, Shinn says, “I think that the Arab troops would be able to empathize relatively well with Somalis. Somalia is a member of the Arab League. It’s also a member of the African Union. The Arab forces would of course speak Arabic and a surprising number of Somalis speak Arabic. I think that culturally, the Arab countries are in some ways better attuned to Somali culture than are some of the African countries. They’re all Muslims.”

 

Recently, Somali opposition leaders and Islamists met in Asmara, Eritrea, and said

Gunmen in Mogadishu (file photo)

they plan to retake control of the country and drive out Ethiopian forces. Shinn says they would be opposed to any peacekeeping force, even one that included Arab troops.

 

“I think they would oppose the idea of any troops coming in because I think they have decided that they want to seize power and they don’t want anyone there to stop them. At the moment, it’s the Ethiopian forces who are preventing that. And if you had a peacekeeping force in there under the United Nations, they would play the role of trying to mediate or resolve problems between the competing sides rather than just hand power over to them,” he says.

 

Source: VOA, Sept 17, 2007

[me]

Arab peacekeepers or not, will it change the nature of the TFG? will it change the federal charter? will the warlords vacate the political scene? if you answer 'no' to all those questions, then whats the point?

 

Do you think these UN forces will enforce peace? And how will they succeed when the Xabash who did all he could failed? There will be no peace in Somalia unless there is a genuine dialogue. The question is is AY man enough to understnad thand and will he step down to safe the country he helped destroy.

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

we get, you don't like the old man, call it a day, you not going to defeat him on SOL.

[me]

Old man this old man that, I don't care about any old man saxib, I only care about my country and Somalia is more important then warlords. So think bigger then adeer this adeer that.

[General Duke]

One understands your point adeer, as one does all the defeated groups and the ever emotional individuals who make up such entities and their ever laughable causes.

[me]

Hmmmm, so everyone that doesn't agree with you is a defeated folk or emotional individual, are sure you want to take me on yaa Duke?

[General Duke]

^^Adeer your reasoning does not make sense. As for taking you or anybody else on, it would be a waste of time. You just proved a point, why make it personal? Too emotive if you ask me.

 

Also its Ramadan, lets just concentrate on the news.. Thank you