With the explosion of Somali piracy, America is reaping what it has sown. In many ways, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for the emergence of high-seas crime threatening to disrupt important lanes of trade.
America’s support for a violent strongman during Somalia’s formative post-colonial years hindered the development of stable political institutions and severely complicated its capacity for effective self-rule and sustainable growth.
The country’s markets are also victims of foreign meddling, fatalities of the backhanded ‘charity’ which has made Western actors—and especially the U.S.—distrusted throughout the Third World. Rendered economically impotent through the misapplication of aid and assistance by the U.S. government and various NGOs, it is no surprise that Somalis have turned to brigandry for sustenance.
These actions we are now witnessing are not crimes of maliciousness or greed, but of desperation. They are sins of last resort . . .
We are happy to note that this article, which demonstrates clearly American complicity in the emergence of Somali piracy, has been picked up by CounterPunch. To continue reading, proceed here.
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Interesting theory.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Somali pirates have been preying on that region for at least a thousand years. Has it ALWAYS been a crime of last resort?
Great article. I would only disagree about your last statement: "good intentions." Not. Sewing chaos is the essence and the m.o. of the American Imperial Project.
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