And you thought Iraq and Afganistan were the only problems

If we could have concentrated on Al-Qaeda, and not have gotten bogged down in a country that was a mortal enemy of Al-Qaeda (that would be Iraq under Saddam), we would be better prepared to respond to things like this. As it is, we have to figure out how to respond to this with an over-extended military and a public that has lost it's nerve.

From My DD:

While Bush Refuses to Make Changes in Iraq, Elsewhere Conflict Simmers
by Jonathan Singer, Mon Dec 18, 2006 at 06:48:44 PM EST
Back in June I noted the warnings that Somalia was getting closer and closer to domination by an Al Qaeda ally, the Islamic Courts Union, a propect that could threaten world stability at least as much as Taliban control over Afghanistan did. Now, as Karen DeYoung reports for The Washington Post, just that situation appears to be emerging and the potential consequences are no less dire.
Six months ago, the Bush administration launched a new policy in war-torn Somalia, putting the State Department in charge after secret CIA efforts failed to prevent Islamic fundamentalists from seizing power in Mogadishu. It hoped that diplomacy would draw the Islamists into partnership with more palatable, U.S.-backed Somali leaders.
Today, that goal seems more distant than ever. Since coming to power in June, the Islamists have expanded their hold on the south. A largely powerless, U.S.-backed rump government remains divided and isolated in the southern town of Baidoa. U.S.-sponsored talks, and a separate Arab League effort, seem to be going nowhere.
Al-Qaeda, long hovering in the shadows, has established itself as a presence in the Somali capital, say U.S. officials, who see a growing risk that Somalia will become a new haven for terrorists to launch attacks beyond its borders.
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