July 18, 2006: In a clever "info ops" move, the Somali Council of Islamic Courts has made a public appeal for international aid in providing humanitarian assistance, reconstruction, and "retraining" for demobilized warlord militias. The appeal comes with a promise of "complete freedom of movement" and protection for anyone who is helping provide assistance to Somalia.
In reality, not all of the warlord militias have surrendered to the Islamic Courts, and the UN is still having trouble obtaining security for its aid convoys. The UN is quietly trying to get a peacekeeping force into Somalia, something the Transitional Government would like. But the Islamic Courts, and Islamic nations, are opposed to peacekeepers, unless they are from Moslem countries. But no Moslem country, or any other country for that matter, wants to send peacekeepers to Somalia. That's because, despite the recent string of victories by the Islamic Courts militias, there is still no law & order throughout the country. There are still many clan based militias that oppose the Islamic Courts, and have the clout and firepower to make that opposition work.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Courts are trying to pitch themselves as a worthy recipient of foreign aid. That won't last long, even if the current information war campaigns attracts some donors. Many of the Islamic Courts leaders are simply warlords that got religion, and not much religion according to the way some of them are acting. Any foreign aid going through the Islamic Courts will get pilfered before it gets to the "suffering Somalis" it was intended for. |