The War Nobody Cares About

Few Americans can point to Somalia on a map, despite its proximity to the Persian Gulf, nor do they care about a brutal civil war that was fought in part with weapons supplied by the United States.

Too bad. For the country’s new president, Ali Mahdi Mohamed, promises “justice, democracy and equality,” an unusual commitment in many small nations. He also rejects the winner-take-all philosophy that is common when change comes through bullets. Although he pledges his loyalty to the victorious United Somali Congress, he insists all opposition groups will have a say in the new government.

Unlike most African heads of state, Somalia’s new leader insists his tenure is temporary and the interim government will hold free elections soon.

His predecessor, Mohamed Siad Barre, also promised to hold free elections, but did not during 21 years of oppressive rule. The aging and corrupt dictator pitted one clan against another, plundered the economy and did not tolerate dissent. Sound familiar?

Exploiting his country’s strategic location on the Horn of Africa, he shamelessly drummed up Soviet, and then U.S., military aid until his human-rights violations persuaded Washington to end the assistance. The legacy of support provided sophisticated arms that were used indiscriminately in the civil war that ended this week.

To restore order, President Mahdi must remove from the streets rotting corpses, hulks of tanks and other reminders of the recent month-long round of intense fighting. He must disarm looters and rebels who shoot off pistols in victory. To return a sense of normalcy to Mogadishu, the shattered capital, the new president must restore electricity, telephone service and water. He must also provide food and medical attention.

In the long run, Somalia must rebuild the infrastructure, shore up an economy ravaged by war, corruption and inflation and convince international heavyweights to provide substantial humanitarian and economic aid. With the Cold War out of fashion now, that won’t be easy.