1 Somalia War and Geopolitics Farid Omar Group for Research & Initiative for the Liberation of Africa (GRILA) www.grila.org Email: [email protected]

2 Somalia in Geopolitical Context  Strategic location (Located at the confluence of Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden/ Passage of Oil Tankers)  Proximity to Sudan and Oil-Rich Middle East  Resource Rich (Oil, Natural Gas, Uranium etc)  A pawn in the New Scramble for Africa (US vs. China)  Target for Militarization (AFRICOM)

3 Map: Horn of Africa Resource-rich Horn of Africa is a strategic region located near oil-rich Middle East

4 Map: Somalia

5 Map: Middle East & North Africa Somalia’s proximity to oil-rich Sudan and equally oil-rich Middle East and North Africa makes it a strategic nation targeted by US geopolitical interests

6 Oil in Somalia

7 Oil in Ethiopia (Ogaden/Western Somalia) The Ogaden is a Somali Territory annexed to Ethiopia by the British in 1948

8 New Scramble for Africa  In April 2007, Rebel forces from the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) operating in Ethiopia’s Ogaden Somali region attacked a Chinese oil installation killing 74 oil workers including 9 Chinese expatriates. Both China and the US are eying the oil reserves in the Ogaden region.

9 New Scramble for Africa China’s state-owned Sinopec Oil Corporation is spreading its wings in Africa

10 New Scramble for Africa Oil-rich Sudan is the focal point of the New Scramble for Africa (US vs. China)

11 US Africa Command (AFRICOM)

12  One of US Defence Department’s Six Regional Commands  Established in 2007 as a Sub-Unified Command  Became a Unified Command in October 2008  Headquartered at the Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany GOALS:  Militarization of the African Continent  Secure Access to Vital Resources (Oil, Gas, Mineral Deposits)  Enhanced “Counterterrorism”  Counter China’s Strategy in Africa

13 AFRICOM

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15 Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa Based in Camp Lemonier in Djibouti Established on October 19, 2002 Counter Terrorism Mission (“War on Terror”) Part of U.S. African Command (AFRICOM) to protect U.S. and Coalition interests Comprised of service members from each military branch of the U.S. Armed Forces (Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen) The Combined Joint Operating Area (CJOA) consists of Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya and Seychelles

16 Camp Lemonier in Djibouti US Military Base

17 Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa Camp Lemonier, Djibouti

18 Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa

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20 Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa Continued Presence of US Navy in Somali Territorial Waters in the Indian Ocean constitutes a direct aggression against Somalia and a flagrant violation of its national sovereignty and territorial integrity

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22 Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa US Air Squadrons in the Horn of Africa

23 CJTFHOA – “Patrols in the Indian Ocean” (Act of Aggression Against Somalia)

24 US “War on Terror” East African Front (Somalia) US-led Ethiopian Invasion of Somalia, December 2006 that Overthrew the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) 2007 – 2009 Proxy War/US-backed Ethiopian occupation 30,000 Civilians killed. Millions displaced Emergence of Al-Shabab – Product of US “War on Terror” 2009 – Present African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), US-backed, proxy war Direct US aggression: Air Strikes, Cruise missile attacks, drone attacks, special forces on the ground

25 US “War on Terror” East African Front (Somalia) US-Led Ethiopian Invasion/Occupation of Somalia

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27 US “War on Terror” East Africa Front (Somalia) US-Led Ethiopian Invasion/Occupation of Somalia

28 Emergence of Al-Shabab – Product of US “War on Terror ”

29 2009 – Present (AMISOM) US-Led, Proxy War

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31 US “War on Terror” East African Front (Somalia) US Air Strikes Over Somalia

32 US “War on Terror” East African Front (Somalia) Cruise Missile Attacks from the Indian Ocean targeting Somalia

33 US “War on Terror” East African Front (Somalia) Drone Attacks in Southern Somalia (New escalation by the Obama Administration)

34 US war in Somalia: Escalation by Obama

35 Former US Undersecretary of State for Africa, Jendayi Fraser (Bush era)

36 Impact on Somalia Genocide Escalation of Conflict Mass Displacement Refugee Crisis Famine

37 Way Forward End to Proxy Wars Political Settlement: (There can be NO Military solution in Somalia) Inter-Somali Dialogue: (Somali-Controlled Peace Process free from external meddling)

38 GRILA Group for Research and Initiative for the Liberation of Africa (GRILA) www.grila.org

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41 US “War on Terror” East Africa Front (Somalia) Cruise Missile Attacks

42 US “War on Terror” East Africa Front (Somalia) Drone Attacks

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