Return of American Forces to Somalia: A Necessary Continuation of the War on Terrorism

The United States is sending hundreds of troops to Somalia on a longer-term mission in support of the Somali government and African Union troops battling the Islamist terrorist organization al-Qaeda’s affiliate, al-Shabab. The longer American presence replaces the system put in place after Donald Trump’s precipitous withdrawal late in his administration of inefficient, ineffective and dangerous continuous eight-week training missions with only occasional drone strikes to defend against direct threats to allies. Al-Qaeda was responsible for the September 11 Terrorist Attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. They were harbored by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, but were overthrown in the War on Terrorism following the attacks by a U.S.-led international coalition and Afghan allies. The coalition kept the Taliban out of power to prevent it from again becoming a safe haven for terrorists, until President Joe Biden carried out a deal Trump struck with the Taliban for the coalition to withdraw, in exchange for a Taliban promise not to harbor terrorists, thereby abandoning our Afghan allies, for the sake of ending the longest campaign of the War on Terrorism. By contrast, the return of a regular presence of American forces to Somalia signifies a necessary continuation of the war because of the threat from al-Shabab to American allies, interests and security. Al-Shabab, which is al-Qaeda’s wealthiest and most powerful affiliate and which controls large swaths of the southern interior of Somalia, has launched attacks in neighboring Kenya, including on a U.S. air base in 2000, and harbors the intent to strike the American homeland. After some lengthy delays, a new government was elected last week in Somalia, which will be led by a former President who worked previously with the U.S. and its allies and is welcoming the American troops.