http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2005/247/04.shtmlU.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Theresa Whelan met Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Oct. 10 to discuss cooperation in combating terrorism in the Horn of Africa. Concerned with Somalia's Supreme Islamic Courts Council (SICC), Washington is signaling a shift from diplomatic engagement of the SICC alone to containing the SICC via regional and Somalian proxies. The move will contain SICC in southern, central, and northern corridors in Somalia. The Islamist group, however, will not accept this without a fight -- which will threaten U.S. interests in Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.
In characteristic ignorance of the situation, the US Defense Dept. now believes that, if the UIC cannot be defeated and the TFG imposed on Somalia, plan B is to write off most of the south and Mogadishu and instead "box in" The UIC.
I don't have to tell you what's wrong with this plan, but looks like this explains Meles' new marching orders for withdrawal.