Somalia Deteriorates (Again)

By Douglas Farah

The news out of Somalia is again grim. The Islamist groups, capitalizing on the incompetence and inability of the government to do anything and its unwillingness to try to give a broad swath of the population a true stake in the government, are on the rise. The government's already-weak support is evaporating.

Al Qaeda-linked groups are now working to seize the moment, reportedly naming Afghan-trained Aden Hashi Ayro as its new leader.

The fighting in Mogadishu is escalating, as the Washington Post reports. The trickle of African Union troops and the lingering presence of the Ethiopian military is unlikely to change the equation much.

The reason is simple, and has been shown in Afghanistan, northern Nigeria, Iraq, Colombia and elsewhere. The Islamists prosper by offering what others cannot or will not deliver: security and a chance to live normal lives. My full blog is here.

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