Published August 10th, 2009 by Future Atlas
Leave Somalia to the Islamists?
In last week’s Newsweek, Andrew Bast argued that outsiders might be well-served by standing aside as the Islamist Al-Shabab group attempts to seize control of more of the country.
Bast writes that:
- “The Islamist group is far from monolithic, and could well splinter without a foreign enemy to rally against.” Foreign military intervention provides that rallying point.
- “Many of Somalia’s factions—like the Abgal businessmen who run Mogadishu’s port—are well armed and unlikely to be steamrolled by religious fanatics.”
- “Should they somehow manage to actually seize power, Al-Shabab would then face the immense challenge of governing,” as Somalis would likely resist fundamentalist rule.
(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)