An insignifican footnote:
Let me show you the opinions of somali writers about cuban troops.
http://somaalitalk.tripod.com/letter/hof2.html
The airlift was valued U.S. dollars two billion plus 17.000.00 Cuban troops and thousands of Russian and East European advisers. The then Soviet Union and Warsaw pact army troops came to the aid of the defeated army of Ethiopia and re-occupied Somali Ogadenia for Ethiopia
The opinion of ONLF:
Cuban troops and Warsaw Pact pilots and aeroplanes defeated the Somali army and reinstated Ethiopian occupation in the Ogaden
http://www.onlf.org/press_foreignRelati ... 282007.htm
Abdi Samantar a somali writer says something very interesting:
http://www.sirclund.se/conference%20report%202004.pdf
Please read pag 226
Somali successes
were momentary once the Soviets, Cubans, and Yemani contingents intervened and helped
Ethiopian troops beat the Somali army. This defeat has been catastrophic for Somalia and the
liberation movement. In Somalia an armed political power struggle among the elite ensued,
culminating in the state's collapse and in the country's disintegration in 1991.
If you wish I can send to you more sources.
Is obvious even for somalis that cuban army was important in 1978.
Hussein Adam a somali writer:
http://www.usip.org/pubs/peaceworks/pwks24.pdf
With the help
of thousands of Cuban troops opera ting soph i s ti c a ted Russian we a pon s , the Et h i op i a n s
ej ected the Somali army from the disputed terri tori e s