Biden reverses Trump withdrawal, sends U.S. troops back to Somalia thumbnail

Biden reverses Trump withdrawal, sends U.S. troops back to Somalia

By Jihad Watch

Is it really America’s job to solve all the world’s problems? What difference can fewer than 500 troops make, anyway? With America suffering from so very many problems at home, is this really the best use of the nation’s resources? Or is it all just to make sure that the military-industrial complex continues to show a profit for all concerned?

Biden approves plan to redeploy US troops to Somalia

by Natasha Bertrand CNN, May 16, 2022:

(CNN)President Joe Biden has approved a request by the Pentagon to redeploy US troops to Somalia in an effort to counter the terrorist group al-Shabaab, a senior administration official said on Monday.

The move reverses a decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw all US troops from the country in 2020.

The US will reposition US forces in east Africa and move to restore a US military presence in Somalia in consultation with the Somali government, the official told reporters on Monday. The official said “under 500” troops will be sent back into the country but declined to provide a precise number. He emphasized, however, that the Pentagon “will not be restoring the full contingent of operators present in Somalia before” the previous administration’s withdrawal, which was about 750 military personnel.

The official described the Trump administration’s withdrawal as “abrupt and sudden,” and said that al-Shabaab “has unfortunately only grown stronger” since then.

“We have seen, regrettably, clear evidence that al Shabaab has the intent and capability to target Americans,” the official said, noting that the group had killed over a dozen Americans in east Africa in recent years, including three at a US military base in Kenya in early 2020….

AUTHOR

ROBERT SPENCER

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