Les Jones: Murtha Encouraged Clinton's 1993 Withdraw from Somalia

December 02, 2005

Middle East > Murtha Encouraged Clinton's 1993 Withdraw from Somalia

Murtha is portrayed in press releases as a Democratic hawk. For a hawk, he sure is in favor of retreating at the earliest possible date. It turns out he encouraged Clinton to withdraw from Somalia. That, in turn, emboldened Al Qaeda, as Osama bin Laden explained:

“But your most disgraceful case was in Somalia; where- after vigorous propaganda about the power of the USA and its post cold war leadership of the new world order- you moved tens of thousands of international force, including twenty eight thousands American solders into Somalia. However, when tens of your solders were killed in minor battles and one American Pilot was dragged in the streets of Mogadishu you left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat and your dead with you. Clinton appeared in front of the whole world threatening and promising revenge , but these threats were merely a preparation for withdrawal. You have been disgraced by Allah and you withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear. It was a pleasure for the ‘heart’ of every Muslim and a remedy to the ‘chests’ of believing nations to see you defeated in the three Islamic cities of Beirut , Aden and Mogadishu.”

If you've read Black Hawk Down the Somali warlords were battered and out of RPGs by the end of that fateful day. Withdrawing was not strategically necessary. It was just a political calculation. Clinton wasn't the only one. Reagan and Bush, Sr. (as the link makes clear) were quick to cut their losses in Beirut and elsewhere. The sum total of those decisions was to teach terrorists that if they attacked the U.S. that we'd run.

After 9/11 Bush the younger was willing to take the defeats with the victories to prove that the U.S. won't be run out of town by terrorists and warlords to appease the tyranny of short-term polls of U.S voters.

It's a long, hard slog militarily and politically, but this is a fight we have to win. The bin Laden quote above proves Donald Rumsfeld's dictum: weakness is a provocation. If they think you'll run if attacked, they're more likely to attack you. Via AlphaPatriot.

Posted by lesjones | TrackBack

Comments

The United States did not at the time have clearly stated political, economic or military objectives that could warrant a long US military commitment in Somalia. Hence, the failed military mission to capture Mohamed Farah Aided, the Somali warlords, was not sufficient enough to justify longer military engagement.

As a Somali, I believe it was very unfortunately to witness President withdrawing US Marines from Somalia. I am sure a longer US involvement could have saved many Somali lives. However, from an American political stand point, it was wise decision.

I short; I do not understand why few “conservative” bloggers crying foul about the US withdrawal from Somalia in their quest to smear Congressman Murtha. They should read the history of the issues at hand first!

Bill Ainashe
Washington, DC

www.ainashe.net

Posted by: Bill Ainashe at December 02, 2005

I think subsequent events and Osama bin Laden's words above prove that withdrawl immediately after the attack wasn't a wise decision. It showed once again that the U.S. didn't have the political will to tand up and fight after it was wounded. That in turn led to Al Qaeda believing that if they had one grand attack - 9/11 - we would retreat from world affairs on a grand scale.

What really happened, of course, was that Al Qaeda woke the sleeping giant, and we re-gained our political will.

You're correct that we didn't have a long-term commitment to Somalia, or strategic goals. Let's hope our current long-term commitment in Iraq will be successful and will serve as a model for future actions in places like Somalia.

Posted by: Les Jones at December 03, 2005