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CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12.Transporation
13. Weapons of Mass Destruction
14. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Failed States: The Case of Somalia

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

It has been one year since the North Korea nuclear crisis erupted and as yet there is no solution in sight. North Korea claimed this week that it is making atomic bombs after reprocessing 8,000 spent nuclear fuel rods. The announcement was consistent with North Korea's rhetoric, but the reality of the claim was met with skepticism.

In Iraq, the US commander of ground forces, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, has warned of major terrorist attacks and an enemy that has evolved into being more lethal, complex, sophisticated and tenacious. Ahead of next week's donor conference, the World Bank and the UN have estimated reconstruction costs at $56 billion. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Russia, France and Germany as well as a large majority of the other member countries have rejected a US proposal for UN involvement without the US offering a plan to relinquish political control to the Iraqis. Meanwhile, justification for the war faces growing challenges. The interim report of the Iraq Survey Group has found nothing to suggest any imminent danger. See the public statement at http://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/speeches/2003/david_kay_10022003.html

The UN's report "The Challenge of Slums: Global Report on Human Settlements" finds that slums now constitute 40 percent of urban housing and if present trends continue, their numbers will double in the next 30 years, to two billion.

The Wall Street Journal published an important article: "Mission: Improbable: U.N. Peacekeeping Is a Troubled Art, Congo Mess Shows: Rich Countries Send Money, The Poor Send Troops -- Operations Often Suffer" written by Robert Block and Alix M. Freedman. This is accompanies by "Wealthy Countries in Effect Pay Poor Ones to Handle U.N. missions" also by Freedman, published on October 1.

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2. Africa

African Heads of State met in Japan for a development summit that focused on the need for new trade policies, particularly the removal of agricultural subsidies. Trade policies undercut aid and make it difficult for Africa to work its way out of dependence and poverty.

Algerian militants, likely with the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) attacked a convoy of soldiers, remotely detonating explosives then attacking with gunfire, and killing eight soldiers. Suspected militants of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) are believed responsible for cutting the throats of four people, apparently because they wanted to surrender to soldiers.

Angolans participated in the first authorized anti-government demonstration since the end of the civil war in April 2003. They demanded a date for elections.

In Burundi, sporadic fighting and human rights abuses continue to threaten peace, but talks between the rebel Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) and the government are scheduled for today.

Central African Republic's government has set up a team to identify former rebel fighters and integrate them into the national army.
Democratic Republic of Congo's transitional government has offered a reward for the capture of a group of assassins operating in Kinshasa and other urban centers. Former rebel groups in DRC have been authorized as political parties. The Mayi-Mayi militia and RCD-Goma forces have signed a ceasefire agreement.

The Eritrea-Ethiopia boundary remains a flashpoint as Ethiopia continues to insist jurisdiction of the town of Badme and warns of the possibility of renewed violence. The UN has rejected Ethiopian calls for a new boundary commission.
Ethiopian rebels of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) deny government reports they are responsible for a bomb on a passenger train last week that killed two.

Guinea-Bissau's interim government has been sworn in, two weeks after a bloodless coup, and the country has agreed to a transition process leading to early return of civilian rule.

In Ivory Coast, continued rebel control of the north remains problematic. Thousands of government supporters have called for rebel disarmament and the UN has called for all parties to adhere to the terms of the peace accord.

Corruption in Kenya dominated the headlines this week following an independent investigation of the judiciary whose report found more than half of judges are corrupt and that corruption permeates the judicial system. The Daily Nation published a full report at http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Today/News/News0410200388.html that even lays out a "price list" for bribes:
For minor criminal offenses, Ksh.2000/= to Kshs.50,000/=
Capital offenses, Ksh.40,000/= to Kshs.1,000,000/=
Inducing wrongful conviction: Up to Kshs.80,000/=
And by seniority,
Appeals Judge up to Ksh.15 million
High Court Judge Ksh.50,000/= to Kshs.1.6 million/=
Magistrate Ksh.4000/= to Kshs.150,000/=
Clerks Ksh.50/= to Kshs.5,000/=

In Liberia, the small US peacekeeping force withdrew before UN forces arrived, followed by sporadic fighting that is expected to escalate until the full UN forces are in place. Right now, only 3,500 of a planned 15,000 strong UN force are in place, while there are around 30,000 rebels. Despite this challenge, humanitarian workers have been able to better provide assistance.

Nigerians plan a general strike to protest recent increases in fuel prices as the government has reduced its subsidy.

In Somalia, peace talks are continuing with the transitional government roughly divided between supporters of transitional President Abdiqassim Salad Hassan and rival leaders. The transitional government's charter ran out in August, and its status is confusing since it has been endorsed but not re-authorized. Mediators are trying to persuade delegates to rejoin the talks and resolve the issues.

Sudan's peace talks have restarted and agreement may occur as early as the end of this year. Insecurity, including incursions into Chad continues.

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3. Americas

The World Bank has published a major study of "Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean: Breaking With History?" that studies institutional and policy reforms necessary to end inequality. The report highlights the ways in which inequality interferes with development and suggests ways to improve equity in distribution of income, access and opportunity, including specific policies for indigenous people and Afro-descendants. http://www.worldbank.org/lac

Unrest in Bolivia has continued during the week with a national strike and further protests against economic policies including the plan to export natural gas to the US.

Colombian rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN) have confirmed their responsibility for kidnapping eight foreign backpackers last month as part of "Operation Allende Lives" to mark the 30th anniversary of the Chilean coup. The ELN have said they are open to negotiations, possibly with the Catholic Church as a mediator. ELN rebels have also confirmed responsibility for shooting down an anti-drug plane last month. Rebels of the Revolutionary Army of Colombia (FARC) have shot dead a mayoral candidate, bringing the number of murdered candidates to 16. Elections are scheduled later this month.

The US Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim World, a panel of experts commissioned by the Bush administration, has published "Changing Minds, Winning Peace". This report finds that the image of the US has plummeted around the world. In Indonesia, the largest Muslim country, favorable opinions of the US plummeted from 61 percent last year to only 15 percent this year. Turkey fell from 52 percent to 15 percent. Only three percent of Spaniards have a favorable view of the US. More than two thirds of Muslims in Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia found the US presented a greater threat than Iraq. The panel calls for increased investment, recruitment of Arabic speakers, new scholarships, and resolution of existing conflicts.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/24882.pdf

US administration officials are under investigation for leaking the name of a CIA operative, a criminal offense that has endangered her and her associates, including a CIA cover company. It is believed that the leak was an attempt to discredit diplomat Joseph Wilson who disproved claims that Iraq had obtained uranium from Niger.

In California, an anonymous email sent by a new group called "Revolutionary Cells" claims responsibility for two bombings against biotech companies.

Massachusetts investigators tracking Guantanamo Bay translator Ahmed Fathy Mehalba's actions after his arrest last week have analyzed a computer disk reportedly containing the names of suspected terrorists and other classified data obtained from the camp.

Venezuela's independent electoral commission has now approved regulations for a possible referendum on the presidency of Hugo Chavez that could be held early next year. Telecom officials have seized equipment from the Globovision news channel critical of Chavez. The seizure prevents live links to street reporters but does not completely shut down the station. It is believed to be a retaliatory move although officials said it was done because the station had broadcast on illegal frequencies.

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4. Asia Pacific

Australian immigration officials have been accused of encouraging asylum seekers to use false passports to leave the country rather than wait for official travel documents. A refugee advocate group made the claims and opposition parties in Australia are asking fort a thorough investigation.

China is preparing their SARS surveillance system ahead of the winter cold and flu seasons. An expert committee in Hong Kong has found systemic shortcomings that hampered their response to the epidemic last spring.
http://www.sars-expertcom.gov.hk/english/reports/reports_fullrpt.html

Indonesian investigators studying the Bali bombing and links to Islamic terrorist groups have gone to Pakistan to question Rusman Gunawan, the younger brother of Hambali, and other suspected Jemaah Islamiah associates arrested in Pakistan in September. Australian forensic investigations into the Bali bombing indicate the main bomb did not fully explode but instead burned out and that if it had detonated properly the death toll could have been far higher.

In the southern Philippine island Mindanao two hand grenades were thrown into a Mosque, killing three and injuring 20. Responsibility is unconfirmed but is thought to be the result of political rivalry rather than religious militants.

Thailand has denied reports that surface-to-air missiles were smuggled into the country. They are already strengthening security in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting later this month.

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5. Europe

The European Union has warned Iran of economic and political retaliation if Iran does not cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

A Belgian court sentenced 18 Islamic militants on various terrorism charges. Sentences ranged from two to ten years. Five other men also charged in the 4-month long trial were acquitted. The trial highlighted the diversity and range of al Qaeda operations in Europe.

Irish and British leaders as well as the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein are meeting to discuss the political deadlock holding back the revival of the Northern Ireland Assembly that has been suspended since last October.

In Italy, a package bomb exploded at a labor ministry and similar packages were found at other government offices. Red Brigades radicals are thought to be behind the attacks. There were no injuries.

Voting is underway in the Russian republic of Chechnya. Security is high and to ensure the minimum requirement of a 30 percent turnout is met, thousands of Russian troops have been bussed in to vote. The current administrator, Akhmad Kadyrov, is expected to win after his rivals withdrew or were disqualified. Human rights groups have denounced the election and no independent monitors were willing to be associated with the election. Rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov won the last recognized election in 1997. Rebels may be planning a new military campaign to follow the election. In Russia, Defense minister Sergei Ivanov has said that pre-emptive strikes would be considered anywhere in the world if it is in the national interest.

Turkey's highest court has upheld sentences against four pro-Kurdish leaders convicted of electoral fraud. The four were members of the Dehap party that did not reach the 10 percent threshold for seats in parliament but did win two million votes. The ruling meant that these votes could have been cancelled and a new vote held but the election board has thrown out a request to disqualify the current election results. Dehap has been associated with the Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK), a paramilitary separatist group thought to be operating in northern Iraq. The US and Turkey have agreed on a plan to crack down on the banned group that both countries designate as a terrorist organization.

British police arrested 11 Algerian men in coordinated raids in London and Manchester. They were detained under the Terrorism Act 2000.

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6. Middle East

The UN Security Council will meet in emergency session to discuss an Israeli air raid inside Syria. (One person was injured in the raid.) Israeli jets targeted the Ein Saheb camp near Damascus in retaliation for a suicide bomb in Haifa on Saturday that killed the bomber and 19 people, including at least three children, and injured 50. Israel claimed the camp was for Palestinian terrorists while Syria says it is a refugee camp. This is the first attack on Syrian soil for more than 20 years, and Syrian sources warn of the possibility of expanding regional conflict.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing but denied having any training camps or bases in Syria or other countries. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFPC) said it was one of their disused bases. In addition, Israel launched missile attacks against locations in Gaza City and destroyed the house of the suicide bomber. The suicide bomber was seeking revenge for the death of her family members. The bombing occurred despite Israel's total closure of the Gaza Strip and West Bank during the Yom Kippur holy day. It was also a day after Israel announced plans to build 565 new homes for settlers as well as further protective fences in the West Bank.

The Israeli decision to proceed with a controversial security barrier that cuts through major Palestinian areas in the West Bank has been condemned as annexation and illegal conquest. This was the determination of a UN human rights report that also found Israel used excessive force. (For a copy of this report, email )

Iran has announced that, subject to certain unspecified guarantees, it would sign up to the additional protocols of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Arab states have complained that the IAEA is ignoring Israel's nuclear program, while putting pressure on other countries.

Oman has held its first consultative assembly that opens the vote to all adults over age 21. Previously a quarter of the population was selected by the government to vote. Despite encouraging the election of more women, only the two already in the assembly were voted in.

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7. South Asia

In Afghanistan, work towards disarmament and a new constitution continues despite resurgent Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. Landmines and gun battles continue to claim the lives of international soldiers, including US, Canadian and Afghan troops last week. Serious attacks against humanitarian aid workers in the south have led to reassessment of their presence in the country and the need for greater security.

Bangladesh has asked the Indian government to cancel plans to divert water from several Bangladeshi rivers to dry regions in India's southwest. Bangladesh and India share 54 rivers and a long history of disputes over water.

In Andhra Pradesh state, India, a mine exploded near the chief minister. He was injured, as were two other politicians and the driver . The attack is thought to be the work of Maoist rebel People's War Group (PWG).

In the northeast state of Tripura, India, gunmen, possibly associated with anti-government separatists, attacked a village with automatic weapons, killing six and injuring seven.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, Muslim rebels attempted to enter from Pakistan but were stopped by Indian forces. In the subsequent gunfight 15 rebels were killed.

Nepal's Maoist rebels attacked a police post, killing four and wounding 13 policemen but began a 9-day truce coinciding with the Hindu festival Dashain.

Pakistan has launched a major operation against al Qaeda and Taliban forces in the border regions with Afghanistan. Twelve fighters were killed and 18 captured.

In Karachi, Pakistan, gunmen attacked a bus full of Shia Muslims, killing five and wounding seven. And in Quetta, a bomb exploded on a railway bridge. There were no injuries but a large section of track was destroyed. Responsibility is unknown.

In Sri Lanka, the UN has opened a rehabilitation center for child soldiers released by the rebel Tamil Tigers.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

Security company Symantec (http://www.symantec.com) has published the Internet Security Threat Report, covering the first six months of this year. They find that attacks are being released more quickly, giving less time to patch systems, and that blended threats are increasing in speed as well as frequency. Microsoft servers and browsers continue to represent the most severe vulnerabilities and the greatest targets, and there is an increase in attacks designed to capture confidential data. In addition, there is a greater use of remote command execution.

A study released by mi2g (www.mi2g.com) finds that "The terrorist actions in 2001 cost the global insurance and reinsurance industry between $55 billion and $70 billion. The damage from malware targeting Microsoft systems in 2003 is reaching similar proportions in terms of productivity losses; cost of hardware and software upgrades; clogging corporate, government and domestic bandwidth to download patches; as well as systems reconfiguration and recovery costs."

The UK Association of Chief Police Officers has issued new guidelines for handling electronic evidence. http://www.nhtcu.org/

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9. Finance

The UN Convention Against Corruption has been completed and will be formally adopted by the UN General Assembly in November. Thirty countries must ratify it for it to come into force. The treaty enhances cooperation between governments and provides for the return of assets obtained through corruption to their country of origin. This is particularly important for poor countries such as the Philippines and Nigeria where huge sums were stolen by former dictators.
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/crime_cicp_committee_corruption_session_7.html

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10. Human Rights

Proposed new European Union asylum procedures have raised concern among refugee organizations. The UN High Commissioner says "If 'safe country' concepts were introduced without sufficient safeguards, they could seriously compromise the protection of refugees and deviate from international standards" and that safeguards must be in place to ensure that asylum claims are dealt with appropriately.

In an interim report, the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human rights on freedom of religion or belief finds that the "war on terrorism" has been used by many countries to crackdown on religion and incite hatred of certain religious groups, particularly Muslims. Central Asia is a region of particular concern.

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Abdurahman Almoudi, founder of the American Muslim Council, has been arrested in the US and charged with breaking sanctions against Libya by receiving and transferring funds.

Miroslav Deronjic, former ranking member of the Serbian Democratic party of Bosnia Herzegovina and local military commander, has pleaded guilty to six counts of crimes against humanity in the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Ofer Gamliel, Yarden Morag and Shlomo Dvir-Zeliger were sentenced to 12-15 years in prison by Israeli court for planning to blow up an Arab girls school and membership in an anti-Palestinian terror network

Ali Gufron, "Mukhlas", has been sentenced to death by firing squad for his role in coordinating the Bali bombings.

Hernianto was sentenced in Indonesian court to 12 years in prison for hosting a meeting to plan the Bali bombings.

Maskur Abdul Kadir was sentenced in Indonesian court to 15 years in prison for helping Bali bombing suspects to rent a house.

Iman and Sanaa Laghrisse, twin sisters, were sentenced by Moroccan court to five years in a correctional center for planning to assassinate the King and his family as well as planning a joint suicide attack and other incidents. Their friend was acquitted.

Milan Lukic, Oliver Krsmanovic, Dragutin Dragicevic and Djordje Sevic were convicted in Serbian court for war crimes connected with the torture and murder of 16 Muslim civilians in 1992.

Tarek Maaroufi was sentenced to six years in prison by a Belgian court for his role in the assassination of Afghan commander Ahmed Shah Massoud. This case was part of a 4-month trial of 22 suspected Islamic militants.

Ahmed Fathy Mehalba as arrested in the US and has been charged with making fraudulent statements in connection with possible espionage connected with the Guantanamo Bay detention center where he worked as a translator.

Mijailo Mijalovic has been arrested in Sweden on charges of killing foreign minister Anna Lindh.

Slobodan Milosevic's war crimes trial has been reduced to three days a week. The former Yugoslav leader suffers ill health but insists on conducting his own defense.

In the case of Zacarias Moussaoui, the "20th hijacker", US federal judge has ruled that prosecutors could not seek the death penalty or argue that he had been involved in the attack. This ruling was in response to the government's refusal to allow Moussaoui access to detainees who could testify in his defense.

Zahid Patni has been remanded in custody by a court in Bombay, India, in connection with the August bombings.

Nizar Trabelsi, a German soccer player from Tunisia, was sentenced to ten years in prison by a Belgium court for his role in a plot to bomb a NATO airbase in Belgium. Two accomplices, Amor Sliti and Abdelcrim el-Haddouti were sentenced to five years. These cases were part of a 4-month trial of 22 suspected Islamic militants.

Karem Zohdy, leader of al-Gamaa al-Islamiya, had been sentenced to life in prison in Egypt for approving the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981 and other activities. After serving more than 25 years and renouncing violence, he has been freed.

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12. Transportation

Singapore Airlines will deploy undercover, armed guards on flights considered at higher risk of terrorist attacks.

US fighter pilots are training in how to shoot down civilian airlines in case of another September 11 style attack.

US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection cargo rules have been delayed until the end of October.

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13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Initial results in a grid-based research project for smallpox vaccination have been presented, narrowing the potential drugs to be used for treatment.
http://www.grid.org

US officials have asked the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Executive Council to grant an extension on the deadline for destroying its intermediate 45 percent chemical weapons stockpile.

Proposed US energy legislation would allow export of medical isotope production without non-proliferation constraints currently in place. In addition, the Energy Department has asked to reclassify some forms of nuclear waste so that waste with low levels of radiation would not have to be buried deeply.

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14. Recently Published

John B. Alexander, "Winning the War: Advanced Weapons, Strategies and Concepts for the Post-911 World" St. martin's/Dunne

Susan Choi "American Woman" HarperCollins (fiction)

Financial Times Special Report FT Management. It offers broad coverage of key governance issues and international challenges. http://www.ft.com/manageoct2003

Joshua Hammer, "A Season in Bethlehem: Unholy War in a Sacred Place" Free Press

Baruch Kimmerling, "Politicide: Ariel Sharon's War Against the Palestinians" Verso

Mark Kukis, "My Heart Became Attached: The Strange Journey of John Walker Lindh" Brassey's

John Newhouse, "Imperial America: The Bush Assault on the World Order" Knopf

Frank Sanello, "The Knight's Templars: God's Warriors, the Devil's Bankers" Taylor

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Failed States: The Case of Somalia

Somalia borders Ethiopia, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, but the climate is primarily desert. It has rich untapped reserves of uranium and other minerals, as well as natural gas and oil. Most important, it occupies a strategic location in the Horn of Africa, at the southern route through the Red Sea and Suez Canal and therefore to the Middle Eastern oil fields and maritime routes.

Instead of leveraging this position, Somalia has suffered years of anarchy, with both humanitarian consequences and an impact on international security.

The great majority of Somalis share a common ethnicity and the Islamic religion. Only in the latter half of the 19th century, with colonial rule and regional efforts to unify disparate territories, did the development of new social groups, economic disparities, clan and cultural differences begin to have an impact on broader society. Britain, Italy, France and Ethiopia all claimed areas in which Somalis lived.

These colonial legacies linger: the British influence in northwest Somalia and northeast Kenya; the Italians in the south; the French in what is now Djibouti; and the Ethiopians in what is now the Ethiopian region of Ogaden. After years of border and administrative changes, Italian Somaliland and British parts of Somalia were merged and became the United Republic of Somalia. This did not satisfy those who preferred separation between Somaliland and Somalia while nationalists who wanted to unite all Somalis in a single state fought with Kenya and warred with Ethiopia in the 1970s.

War and famine in the 1970s led to political disruption. The elected president was assassinated and General Muhammad Siad Barre took power in a coup. He declared Somalia a socialist state and implemented radical economic and social changes. Initially allied with the Soviet Union, his invasion of Ethiopia turned the Soviets against him and he began to cultivate relations with the US that became its largest supplier of arms.

Barre sowed the seeds for the future dissolution of the country with widespread human rights abuses, based largely on clan relationships. He filled the government with people from his own clan and excluded others. The Bantu suffered particularly vicious persecution. There was widespread corruption.

Opposition to Barre grew. He was ousted and fled the country in 1991. The rival clans failed to agree on a new leader and no faction was able to assert authority. The government fell apart, and the country was plunged into internecine fighting. Somaliland in the northwest declared unilateral independence and other regions devolved to local control by warlords, including the northeast Puntland that later declared its autonomy.

The state of Somalia had completely collapsed and the humanitarian situation was commensurately grave. Of a population of less than seven million, some one million were internally displaced, another million became refugees, and more than 300,000 died.

In 1992 a ceasefire provided for humanitarian assistance supported by a United Nations monitoring operation. The UN, under the new leadership of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, authorized Operation Provide Relief and began to deliver humanitarian aid but the monitoring operation was too small to handle the security problems. The warring factions took over food distribution, hijacked convoys and attacked humanitarian workers.

US President Bush, in the final weeks of his administration, reached an agreement with the UN Security Council to approve the US-led Operation Restore Hope. This was the first time a military force provided security for humanitarian relief. The mission was fraught with problems. US forces operated by themselves, without collaborating with other UN troops. Peacekeepers, civilians and militiamen felt that the US troops used excessive force and didn't respect local cultural and social norms. Many also felt that their military actions were not appropriate for a humanitarian mission. The US had also made clear this was not a long-term commitment but only a brief engagement to provide security so food could be delivered.

In 1993 President Bush made way for President Clinton and the Somali factions met in a National Reconciliation conference that led to a resolution among faction leaders, including General Aidid, to end violence. A new UN operation was authorized to take over from the US troops and not only provide humanitarian aid but also begin to rebuild the country. As UN forces entered, US forces were reduced.

General Mohammad Farrah Aidid was a war hero largely responsible for overthrowing Barre. As such, he felt he was the natural leader of Somalia and declared himself the president. He garnered no support form other militias or clans, perhaps partly because of his reputation of cruelty and violence. Aidid was responsible for the deaths of 24 Pakistani peacekeepers and supported militant Islamic groups. Boutros-Ghali called him a "menace to public safety" and the UN Security Council issued an emergency resolution that called for those responsible to be apprehended. Aidid was widely blamed for the continued instability in the country and this resolution effectively authorized his removal.

President Clinton believed that terrorism was one of the most significant threats facing the world, and therefore wanted to prevent failed states and their contribution to terrorism. There was prior history to support the idea that Somalia was linked to terrorism, in particular to the increasing notorious Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network. It is alleged that bin Laden trained Somali militias including those associated with land mine attacks against US troops and those operating on October 3-4. Subsequently, a number of individuals linked with al Qaeda and similar groups have also been found in Somalia.

On October 3, a US Army Ranger unit was sent to capture or kill General Aidid. This mission became known as "Black Hawk Down", named after the two helicopters shot down in a fierce gun battle. Local militias continued the gunfight throughout the night, killing 18 US soldiers, injuring 84, and capturing one (who was later released). At the end of the battle, the bodies of the soldiers were mutilated and dragged through the streets, painting a disastrous portrait of military intervention. In their desperate attempt to get away, the US troops killed more than a thousand Somalis (but not Aidid). This incident led to the end of US involvement in March 1994 and the following spring the UN peacekeeping mission ended.

Curiously, General Farrah Aidid's son, Hussein Aidid, was educated in the US and became an American citizen, even serving as a US marine. When General Aidid died of battle-related injuries in 1996, his son took his place as the faction leader.

Other warlords and associates of Barre retain political influence as the country makes tentative steps towards peace and stability. For example, the first interim president is Abdulkassim Salat Hassan, who served as a minister in Barre's government.

The current peace process began in 2000 when the Government of Djibouti and the regional Inter-Government Authority for Development (IGAD) held a peace conference that led to a Transitional National Government, headed by Hassan. Although the fighting has been reduced, there is still no form of government in most parts of the country and factional fighting continues to break out. The transitional government had a 3-year mandate and was supposed to lead to a central government and elections, but the mandate expired in August and talks underway in Kenya have reached no agreement on what will succeed it.

Persistence with the peace efforts now are tied to the fear that Somalia as a failed state could become a safe haven for terrorism. To combat this, the entire internet and informal financial system (hawala) that operated in Somalia were shut down. Regional Islamic groups like al Itihaad al-Islami have been targeted and their operations disrupted. Piracy is a problem, but maritime surveillance has helped control it.

Perhaps the most effective intervention has been the persistent support of regional governments and support for humanitarian aid. Internal and regional rivalries continue to threaten the outcome, but efforts continue, primarily under the aegis of IGAD. Efforts underway range from development of the new constitution to demobilization, from obtaining international aid to undertaking economic recovery, and from conflict resolution to free elections.

These experiences offer valuable lessons regarding other interventions and the failure of states. It will be interesting to see how events in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq evolve over time and further inform these important international policy decisions and practices.

Note: News from Somalia, including the status of the peace talks, is covered in this Newsletter every week.

Additional Resources: