NYT/Reuters: U.S. Moves Diplomat Critical of Somali Warlord Aid

U.S. Moves Diplomat Critical of Somali Warlord Aid
By REUTERS
Published: May 30, 2006

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A top U.S. official handling Somalia has been transferred from his job after criticising payments to warlords that are said to be fuelling some of Mogadishu's worst-ever fighting, diplomats said on Tuesday.

Fellow analysts in the close-knit community of Somalia- watchers in Nairobi said the State Department transferred Michael Zorick, formerly Somali political affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kenya, to the Chad embassy after he spoke out.

The move exposes a rift inside the U.S. government on how to handle Somalia -- whether efforts to build peace should come before counter-terrorism -- and the effect Washington's perceived role has had in inflaming fighting there....

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Various other diplomats involved with Somalia, including those from Washington's allies, have expressed frustration at U.S. aid to warlords which they say has undermined Somalia's weak interim government, seen as the best hope for peace there....

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Analysts say Washington's widely believed links with the warlords have had the contrary effect of rallying Islamist groups and increasing support for them among Somalis, who are not usually strong supporters of radical Islam....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-security-somalia.html

I mean, truth be told, I personally am a lot more comfortable with paying warlords to fight than sending US troops to fight instead. It's more honest. It may be unprincipled, but really, it's just prioritizing rather than spiting the warlords to avoid shooting ourselves in the face. Granted, this indeed rallies Islamist group support, but that's not really the point in and of itself. Backing the warlords looks smart if they win. It looks really stupid if they kick up a fight that they will lose.

But these Islamists are not pacifists, and simply choosing not to engage them is not going to stop them by itself. This isn't Care Bears. You can't stop jihadists with a hug.