[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S8190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         INSTABILITY IN SOMALIA

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I am deeply troubled by reports in the 
press that the Islamic courts in Somalia are advancing on the 
internationally recognized Transitional Federal Government, TFG, and 
are apparently ignoring recently signed cease-fire agreements. It is 
imperative that the Islamic courts recognize the TFG as the official 
governing body of Somalia and that it abide by the cease fire agreed to 
on June 22, 2006, in Khartoum. The Islamic courts must work in good 
faith to strengthen the TFG and actively commit to the development of a 
more inclusive and representative government of Somalia.
  For this to happen, the international community, including the United 
States, needs to be fully engaged. The United States, in particular, 
must develop a comprehensive strategy for Somalia that utilizes all 
facets of its power and capabilities and must ramp up its diplomatic 
efforts throughout the region and the international community to bring 
this crisis to an end. Unfortunately, it can't do that if it doesn't 
have the resources or the people in place to deal effectively with the 
complexity of this problem. The U.S. Government needs to appoint a 
senior envoy for Somalia to pull together a strategy and to engage full 
time with international and regional partners in addressing this 
crisis. It also needs more staff and more resources to work with to 
help execute this strategy and to contribute to international efforts 
to bring about lasting peace throughout the region. The administration 
should work closely with Congress to identify what additional resources 
are needed for Somalia, given the recent escalation of tension there.
  That said, it is important to realize that efforts to both establish 
long-term peace and to eradicate terrorist networks and safe havens in 
Somalia are complimentary. The U.S. Government must recognize that 
long-term stability in Somalia is our best weapon against terrorist 
networks, extremist organizations, and the conditions that allow them 
to seek safe haven there. We must look at poverty reduction programs, 
economic development efforts, support for democratic institutions, 
anticorruption efforts, and education as the core elements of a new 
Somalia strategy.
  As we learned in Afghanistan, we cannot ignore the conditions that 
breed extremist and terrorist organizations. Accordingly, it is 
essential to recognize that any attempt to address instability in 
Somalia must address a range of root causes or facilitating conditions: 
a weak and dysfunctional central government, extreme poverty, 
corruption, conflict, disease, and drought.
  It is imperative that the U.S. Government begin playing a leadership 
role in helping stabilize Somalia and the region and that it do so 
immediately. We need a comprehensive approach to engaging with regional 
actors, the international community, and the U.N. to find a permanent 
solution to this crisis. Such an approach will contribute to stability 
throughout the Horn of Africa and to our national security.

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