Somalia's Islamists Isolated, Face Two Front War

There's a good lesson in this bit of news:

As fighting began to flare up today around Kismayo, the final redoubt for Somalia’s diminished Islamic movement, elders within the city demanded that the Islamists leave.

The Islamists didn't leave and Somali and Ethiopian forces have begun to engage.

Around 5 p.m., the fighting started, with the Ethiopian-backed forces unleashing an artillery barrage against Islamist troops dug in near Jilib, a town about 30 miles north of Kismayo. As the shells began to rain down, residents said, clan militias within Kismayo turned on the Islamists. That set off running gunbattles across the city, with several people reportedly killed. It also accelerated the exodus out of Kismayo, with thousands of residents hastily tossing a few things over their shoulders and joining the stream of people fleeing the fighting in southern Somalia.

Just as would happen with various unaffiliated groups in Iraq, when decisive force is being used and the ultimate winner is clear, such groups don't have a lot of trouble picking sides.

We can't allow Iraq to become a rationale for America to not act militarily in the future. We need to examine it's lessons, learn from them, and incorporate that knowledge into any future plans.

Comments

[Purple Avenger]

"It is hard to know what is going to happen next."

Heh. I can imagine what happens next. Islamists get wiped out.

[Phoenix]

Where's Darth? He would be saying, "Bush, are you taking notes?"

[daveinboca]

The defeatists quivering before the Islamic terror mob should note that standing up to these murderous cowards can blow them away like autumn leaves in a strong wind.

Remember the quivering Carter before the Soviet menace. A hard-headed realist like Reagan blew the Evil Empire away without firing a shot.

[Darth Malice]

YES Phoenix he should be taking notes......He needs to be schooled on how to deal with enemies.