More of your tax dollars at work: Amid doubts, offensive to retake Somalia capital looms

[unhappycamper]

Amid doubts, offensive to retake Somalia capital looms
By Lutfi Sheriff Mohammed and Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times
Stars and Stripes online edition, Friday, May 14, 2010

MOGADISHU, Somalia — On streets and alleys whittled by gunfire, Col. Abdi Bashir Dhagol is arming for a new battle amid the fleeing families, bloodied markets and boy soldiers of Mogadishu.

Somali troops, supported by U.S.-funded weapons and training, are preparing to retake the capital from al-Qaida-backed militants in a coming offensive to shift the balance of power in the Horn of Africa. But like many plans in a country ravaged by years of conflict, success lives half a breath away from failure.

Even soldiers have doubts. Some Somali troops have sold their weapons and disappeared. Others, who were trained in neighboring countries, left their ranks after not receiving salaries.

Dhagol said the number of deserters was small and that a joint Somali and African Union force of about 15,000 soldiers was ready to rout an estimated 5,000 fighters from the radical group al-Shabab and its allies.

"Most of the soldiers have concluded their training and are equipped with guns. What we are waiting for is the go-ahead from top officials," said Dhagol, as dozens of soldiers, most earning about $100 a month, milled around. "It could be any time, maybe this afternoon."

[Hannah Bell]

1. more war, more war spending, more bush II