Somalia Dismalia

Vanity Fair on the worsening condition in Somalia (no, it is not about piracy). The article talks about the potential fallout arising from a metastasizing al-Qaeda movement that stealthily seems to be poised on retaking all of the country over the next six months.

Al Shabaab militants who have seized much of southern Somalia are now on the brink of overwhelming Mogadishu. Ethiopian forces are edging toward withdrawal, together with a beleaguered force of African peacekeepers. If the jihadi militants succeed in Mogadishu, it will be the first time an al-Qaeda ally has controlled a country since the Taliban in Afghanistan before 2001. This time, their foreign agenda could be both more organized and more aggressive against the outside world.

The ramifications of an al-Qaeda controlled Horn of Africa is a potentially destabilizing force for all of the countries along the Indian Ocean. Obama has a lot on his hands.