The recent rash of violence in Somalia between Al Shabab Islamist militants and a coalition of Somali, African Union and Kenyan forces has raised questions about American intervention, particularly in light of Kenya's surprising military incursion into Somalia two weeks ago and the Kenyan government's close ties to the United States. The circumstances represent another opportunity for the United States to execute foreign policy according to the Obama doctrine, which emphasizes negotiation, collaboration and covert operations over unilateralism, confrontation and full-scale military engagement. The United States should tailor its response to send a clear message and to avoid more foreign entanglements.
Kenya and Somalia are neighbors with a long and troubled past. Intermittent ethnic and territorial violence has defined their relationship since Kenya became an independent state in 1963. Meanwhile, Somalia has become the global poster child for failed states it is one of the last truly lawless places on Earth. In contrast, Kenya has evolved into a fairly reputable post-colonial African state with a budding tourism industry and a strong friendship with the United States.
The current crisis stems largely from Al Shabab's presence in Somalia. Al Shabab is one of the most formidable militant Islamist organizations in Africa and its mission to convert Somalia into a seventh-century-style Islamic state has dominated the country's political scene for much of recent history. It virtually rules the southern part of the country, where the drought of the past two years has produced a massive and devastating famine. To this point, its policies have prevented Western aid from reaching those ravaged areas, and as many as 750,000 people may starve if the circumstances do not improve. This , coupled with recurring instances of piracy and cross-border raids, led Kenya to declare that it can no longer coexist with a failed state next door. It has labeled Al Shabab as a "clear and present danger" and began an invasion of Somalia two weeks ago that was followed by an airstrike on Sunday.
Given the circumstances, the United States must continue to tread cautiously. With our commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan finally winding down, we can hardly afford to sink more American lives and dollars into large-scale military operations in a failed state. Neither budgetary realities nor domestic and international public opinion will permit a real military intervention in a country from which American forces hastily retreated two decades ago (read: Black Hawk Down). The United States must show that the success of the Obama doctrine in Libya was not an anomaly rather, it was a victory for America's international image and ultimately, for a less aggressive foreign policy.
The importance of sending the right message by not directly intervening in Somalia cannot be understated limited action will confirm the death of American imperialism and show the world that we are serious about changing the norms of our security relations. The United States is already involved in the situation to the extent that it has trained Kenyan forces and supplied them with arms. We must hope that America's recognition of Kenya's right to defend itself was not just political showmanship and that the United States will truly respect Kenyan sovereignty.
One significant caveat is Al Shabab's link with Al Qaeda. The organization has demonstrated an Al Qaeda-like ability to strike abroad, having carried out a suicide attack in Uganda last year. There is a fierce debate raging at the Pentagon about how best to prevent Somalia from becoming the next incubator of terrorism. American officials have accordingly branded Al Shabab as a serious threat, but there is controversy over whether American airstrikes or covert raids will weaken Al Shabab or instead bolster the militants' position by painting them as the underdogs.
If the options are to passively send aid or to engage Al Shabab with our most elite forces, we would be wise to choose the latter. We must consider the supremacy of the American military and its capacity for the sort of clandestine operations that killed Osama bin Laden. American efforts in Somalia should focus on less conventional methods that have already proven effective in fighting terror without putting so many boots on the ground. There should not be a debate in the interest of security, the United States must not back down from the tenets of the Obama doctrine.
