The case of the missing Somali-American boys

Its not surprising that a handful of Somali-American boys went missing, and have since turned up fighting in Somalia. Unfortunately these boys, in their search for identity and a cause, were pulled into a distant conflict. An event as huge as the Ethiopian occupation was necessary to mobilize a handful of them to leave the relative comfort of the US to defend, as they saw it, their country and culture.

Many non-Somalis do not realize the anger and sense of tragedy that haunted Somalis, in the country and in the diaspora, when Ethiopian troops entered the country in late 2006, and didn't leave until early 2009. The subsequent widespread destruction and chaos politicized many Somalis, but only these few boys felt compelled enough to go to the war torn country and fight. Shabaab, as radical and undesirable as they were and are, was the only force fighting the Ethiopian troops, and so the young boys saw it as a natural militia to join.

The boys were not fighting for Shabbab, they were fighting against Ethiopian occupation. Hence no boys have gone missing since the Ethiopian troop withdrawal from Somalia. It shouldn't surprise anyone that occupation can created the anger and emotions necessary for an insurgency. And because of the interconnectedness of the Somali diaspora to the mainland, it doesn't surprise me that this emotion and movement reached people in distant places. These Somali's were not the first or last Americans to go fight in their country of origin. At this point I'm just praying these boys get a fair trail.

Ken Menkhaus of Davidson College described the situation well:

"First, recruitment of Somali-Americans into the Shabaab is very recent, correlated with politics in Somalia since 2006, not with Al Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks and the subsequent war on terror. The agenda which appears to have initially inspired Somali recruits into joining Shabaab was primarily about Somalia, not global jihadism.

For many Somalis, Al Shabaab was an entirely justifiable liberation movement against Ethiopian occupation, not a terrorist group.
Second, it is important to recall that the Shabaab was not designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government until March 2008, by which time many of the Somali-Americans in question had already been recruited into the movement. For many Somalis, Shabaab was an entirely justifiable liberation movement against Ethiopian occupation, not a terrorist group.

In addition, the recruitment of Somali-Americans into Shabaab is a reflection of the “diasporization” of Somalia. Roughly one million Somalis, about 15 percent of the total population, now live abroad. The diaspora plays a leading role in every aspect of Somali life. Most leaders of the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia hold citizenship abroad, as do many of the top Islamist opposition figures, business people and civic leaders."

Menkhaus is a legitimate scholar of Somali issues, almost as insightful as ethnic Somali scholars like Abdi Ismail Samatar of the University of Minnesota. Others who have chimed in on the issue, such as Thomas Sanderson of CSIS and Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University, have proven completely ignorant of the reasons for the boys' disappearances.

See NYT article: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/ways-to-detect-jihadist-threats/

Pundits like them simply don't get Somali people or politics. Their narrow-minded jihad-talk is dangerous and anti-intellectual, reminiscent of Bush-era rhetoric. After years of failed Somalia policies- no one suffering more than the Somali people themselves- its time to move towards a more nuanced and complex understandings of the issues.

Somalia faces a highly complex conflict which requires mastery of the culture, traditions, history and contemporary condition of the country to even begin to grasp whats happening. Its depressing to see how few real scholars of Somali affairs are out there, especially when they are so desperately needed.

Best policy option for Somali peace

As much as I want to start writing about ideas and potential for economic development in Somalia, I can't. Not when the country is engulfed in war and a humanitarian crisis. All I can think about is the need for basic necessities- like food, water and shelter- regardless of how the provision of these goods harms long term development goals.

The political situation is simply frustrating, and as an American i'm further frustrated by our governments inability to comprehend that funding one side of the conflict simply fuels the conflict. Guns cannot end this battle. Rather what is needed is mediation and compromise on all sides.

The best policy option for the US and other nations to do at this time, if they truly seek a stable and safe Somalia, is to help improve the livelihood of the population. By improving the standard of living, young boys wont turn to piracy and insurgency. By showing people tangible ways in which the internationally backed government improved their lives, the government will gradually gain legitimacy and support.

But beyond the government, the international community can work with any local legitimate entities to help them provide for the population. The world should not approach Somalia as a project in state-building or they will fail. They must focus on peace-building. An important way to foster peace is to create opportunities and livelihoods for the population so that people are not driven to criminal or insurgent activity. Whether or not a central government exists, there can be investment in education, economic development and improving livelihoods.

The country may not be a democracy, but the Somali people have a strong voice in determining who they allow to govern them. (Hence the fourteen failed warlord-led attempts at establishing a government) Somalis are tired of conflict and are desperate for peace. The next leadership to provide them with peace and positively impact their lives will be rewarded with supporters. The US and international community must play a role to help foster that peace so as to salvage their image, an image greatly harmed by support for the brutal Ethiopian occupation.

Now is the time to foster peace not fuel war.