Somalias Struggle for Power Essay example - 1524 Words

Somalia’s struggle for power to establish a sovereign Somali state has raised international concerns of terrorism, piracy, human trafficking and famine causing instability locally and throughout the Horn of Africa. Although U.S. backed Somali Federal Government (SFG) has had some recent success against the al Qaeda (AQ) linked al-Shabaab, Somalia continue to face local and regional border disputes. Somalia has historically relied on outside actors who later abandoned Somalia due to a shift in foreign policy and interest. This paper will prove that the power for struggle in Somalia is the root cause of instability in Somalia and throughout the Horn of Africa. This will be explored by examining Somali’s regional relations, U.S and†¦show more content†¦Ethiopia’s armed responses only strengthen Mohammed’s cause in the Ogaden region. The Mad Mohammed’s Dervish campaigns lasted from 1899 – 1904, until the British, and Ethiopian troops, an d Somali’s who were against Mohammed’s Dervish tactics, mounted various successful campaigns against Mohammed (Gorman, 1981). With Mohammed’s strength nearly eliminated, he agreed to a peace deal in 1904. Mohammed and his followers were allowed to settle in the northern part of Italian Somalia where he was recognized as the ruler by the Europeans. Regardless of the peace deal, Mohammed’s cause began to draw support from other Somali tribes and the fighting continued until his natural death in 1920. Like Gran, Mohammed had failed to unite Somali clans; however the two Somali nationalists have laid a physiological impact on Somali’s against Ethiopians and foreigners involved with the Somali power struggle (Gorman, 1981) (Ottaway, 1982). Later British Somalia and Italian Somalia joined to form the Republic of Somalia in June 1960. Somali’s now could claim statehood. During the early years of independence, tensions continued over contested area s in the Northern Front District with Kenya and in the Ogaden with Ethiopia. (Gorman, 1981) (Ottaway, 1982) As Somalia looked to establish itself as a country they allied with Russia to help build Somalia’s Military, which led to a military coup in 1969. Following the military coup, Somalia wasShow MoreRelatedSomali The Somali Banking System1456 Words   |  6 Pagesreconstruct itself 2. Because of this, counterfeit currency makes up a sizable proportion of the money in circulation, and most Somalis rely on remittances transferred from family members abroad to survive. In fact, it is estimated that around 45% of Somalia’s economy is made up of these remittances that come from places like Kenya, Ethiopia, and the United States, where large populations of Somali refugees and immigrants currently live3. Not surprisingly, the lack of a banking system has led to currencyRead More The Collapse of Somalia and Economic Considerations Essay4780 Words   |  20 Pages By African standards, Somalia is a homogenous state made up of a single ethnicity, religion and culture. This led to a relatively peaceful history until Somalia was colonized by the British, French, and Italians in the 19th century. However, Somalia’s single ethnicity is broken into different clans, and sub-clans and this region’s lack of natural resources led to a fracturing of society, violence, and eventually civil war at the end of the 20th century. Despite the deterioration of society andRead MoreIrregular Warfare Strategy for Somalia696 Words   |  3 PagesIntroduction The use of Irregular Warfare has been ongoing for years around the world. Irregular warfare is described as a violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant populations. I will discuss where the U.S. may apply military force in conjunction with other means of national power to stabilize the nation of Somalia. I will also discuss why it would be considered as an Irregular Warfare environment. Body Somalia gained its independence fromRead More20th Century Somalia1656 Words   |  7 Pagesthe longest coastline on the continent, its terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains, and highlands. It is made up of the former British Protectorate of Somaliland and Italy’s former Trust Territory of Somalia. Somalia’s modern history began in the late 1800’s, when European powers began to trade and settle in the Somalia area. These events and the events that occurred during the 20th century helped shape the modern Somalia government and culture today. In 1886, the British gained control overRead MoreState Instability in Somalia4149 Words   |  17 Pagesdeath of hundreds of thousands of civilians due to the clan based Somali Civil War as well as violent conflict between the countries two Islamic sects. A bitter US invasion which resulted in the famed Black Hawk occurrence only served to aggravate Somalia’s ties with international community. With over 1 million displaced citizens, peacekeepers from the United Nations, the United States and Europe, the African Union, among others, have intervened in the conflict, at times with slight success, but haveRead MoreEssay on Al-Shabaab: African Terrorist Organization1834 Words   |  8 Pagesas they have the motive to gain power over a territory by overthrowing the government. The Al-Shabaab is suspected to have taken part in many terrorist attacks, including the 1998 United States embassies bombings. The motive behind their violence is their goal of creating an Islamic state in Somalia, which they believe is morally justified by the ideological beliefs. An important psychological factor behind their violence is the struggle to gain power over Somalia’s regions and the death of theirRead MoreFailed States and Civil Wars: Somalia Essay2379 Words   |  10 Pagesanarchy and civil war. Early Somalia established itself as a merchant state. Its key geographical location by the natural strait between the Horn of Africa and Yemen made it a focal point for trade.This essay will explore the history of internal struggles of the Somalilands and its many wars. It will investigate the colonial influences and conflicts between Somalia and its imperial occupiers and how these influences set the stage for future conflicts between the clans. Also, it will attempt to defineRead MoreDeveloping Countries Research Paper2963 Words   |  12 Pagesof Africa. It is bordered by Kenya in the south, Ethiopia in the west and Gulf of Aden to the north. It covers a land mass similar to the size of Texas and it is mostly flat. In order to acutely understand this land, it is necessary to trace Somalia’s turbulent history. There are few written accounts of Ancient Somalia as this knowledge was mainly passed on verbally. However, inhabitant’s existence can be linked as far back as 2200 B.C. when nomads roamed the region. Early on this area wasRead MoreThe Oppression of Women1323 Words   |  5 Pagestheir ancestries until they find a common forefather. Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s father, Hirsi Magan Isse, was an important member of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front. Soon after being born, her father was imprisoned after voicing his opposing views on Somalia’s Siad Barre government. Her grandmother raught her the importance of her background but also, the life Ayaan would be forced to live. Women in Islam are guided under the personal law by the Quaran. These laws and customs in their culture impactRead MoreThe Influence of Ethiopia on Regional Stability in the Horn of Africa1800 Words   |  8 Pagesdiversity of sub-cultures due to the vast amount of beliefs, customs, and norms associated with each ethnic, religious, and tribal group. This diverse culture directly affects Ethiopia’s actions internally and toward surrounding HOA countries due to struggles with government stability and threat of revolutions. The displacement of hundreds of thousands of refugees along the Ethiopian borders further spread Ethiopian culture and people into other countries. Eritrea’s independence caused Ethiopia