As the Somalia conflict spirals into a new proxy war between al-Qaeda and the United States, there is mounting evidence that U.S. weapons and Somali soldiers are ending up under the control of Islamic terrorists, Somali politicians say.The warning comes after a week of heavy violence in Somalia, including a U.S. commando raid that killed a suspected terrorist leader, followed swiftly by a double suicide bombing that killed 17 African peacekeepers in revenge for the U.S. raid.
The United States has pumped at least 40 tonnes of weapons into Somalia in recent months to help the government fight the Islamic warriors who are linked to al-Qaeda. But the Somali army is so weak and ill-trained that its soldiers have begun defecting to the Islamists and their U.S.-supplied weapons are being traded to the insurgents, known as al-Shabab, the politicians say.
“The weapons have ended up mainly in the hands of al-Shabab,” said Awad Ahmed Ashareh, a member of Somalia's official parliament and a Canadian citizen.
Washington's attempt to prop up the Somali government with a flow of arms is a futile gesture because there is not enough training and support for its soldiers, the politicians said in interviews in Nairobi, where many have sought shelter because Mogadishu is considered too dangerous.
“Providing weapons without training and preparation is completely useless,” said former prime minister Ali Mohamed Gedi, who stepped down in 2007 but remains an MP. “All those weapons will end up in the hands of the terrorists.”..more..
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/in-somalia-us-weapons-end-up-in-al-qaeda-hands/article1293764/Somali official: 6 more UN vehicles missing
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/sep/18/af-somalia-091809/
Black smoke rises from inside AMISOM base in Mogadishu after two powerful explosions rip through AU peacekeepers force commander building in Somalia on Sept. 17
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