[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 179 (Friday, December 4, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12410-S12411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SOMALIA

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, just over 6 months ago, this Congress 
was abuzz with concern about piracy off Somalia's coast. Following the 
attack on a U.S.-flagged ship, the MV Maersk Alabama, and capture of 
CPT Richard Phillips, no less than five congressional committees held 
hearings on this topic. There was intense discussion about the steps 
that should be taken by our ships and our Navy to help prevent these 
attacks. And the State Department subsequently announced several steps 
it would take to combat piracy, including working with the 
International Contact Group on Piracy to expand the multinational naval 
operation to patrol the waters off Somalia's coast. The United States, 
China, India, Russia, the European Union and many other countries have 
deployed naval forces to the region that are working together to combat 
piracy--a remarkable show of international cooperation.
  Those naval efforts have had some success. But while piracy attacks 
declined considerably over the summer months with the monsoon season, 
attacks appear to be on the rise again. The International Maritime 
Bureau reports that 38 ships have been attacked and 10 hijacked in the 
past 2 months. This includes the Maersk Alabama, which was attacked 
again on November 18. It also includes a supertanker carrying $20 
million in crude oil that was seized this week en route from Saudi 
Arabia to New Orleans. The UN Secretary General warned in July that 
``as a result of the military presence in the region, pirates have 
employed more daring operational tactics, operating further seawards, 
toward the Seychelles, and using more sophisticated weaponry.'' The 
recent attacks bear out the Secretary General's concern. Even more 
disconcerting, Jeffrey Gettleman of the New York Times reported this 
week that more Somalis and new Somali subclans are being drawn into the 
piracy business, attracted by the vast ransom payments.
  I said back in the spring that while naval action was needed to 
confront these pirates, we would likely see more episodes of piracy if 
we did not also address the conditions on land that contribute to this 
problem. The recent events have proven this to be true. Both Director 
of National Intelligence Blair and Defense Intelligence Agency Director 
Army LTG Michael Maples, in their testimony before Congress earlier 
this year, cited lawlessness and economic problems on land in Somalia 
as the cause of rising piracy at sea. In the absence of local law 
enforcement capacity and amidst a dire economic situation, piracy is an 
attractive choice for many young people in northwest Somalia. The 
renewed piracy attacks show that this remains the case, regardless of 
the increased pressure from naval forces and maritime vessels adopting 
new defensive precautions.
  Now, let me be clear: when I say we should address the conditions on 
land, I do not mean that we should carry out some kind of military 
action against those villages where the pirates are known to live, as 
some have suggested. In fact, such operations would do little to change 
those conditions and they would likely make matters worse by inciting 
local resentment. Nor am I in any way excusing the behavior of the 
criminals behind these attacks--nothing can justify their actions. What 
I am saying is that what is needed is a serious international 
commitment to help establish stability, functional governance, capable 
law enforcement, and economic opportunity in Somalia. As leading 
Somalia expert Dr. Ken Menkhaus has said, it will be impossible to end 
the piracy when ``the risks are so low, rewards so high and 
alternatives so bleak in desolate Somalia.'' Changing that equation 
requires real change on land.
  In particular, we know that most of the pirates come from communities 
in northern Somalia. Yet, despite this, we have done little to directly 
engage the regions of Puntland and Somaliland, and their regional 
governments. I am not arguing that we should recognize their 
independence, but I believe it is in our national interest to engage 
these regions--diplomatically and economically--and to promote 
governance and stability there. It is in our interest from the 
standpoint of not just counterpiracy, but also counterterrorism. The 
terrorist threat in northern Somalia is, or should be, more apparent 
now than ever. Last October, terrorists attacked in Somaliland and 
Puntland. And last month, a well-known judge and legislator in Puntland 
were assassinated. We need to help both of these regions to maintain 
and shore up their relative stability. And in the case of Somaliland, 
there is a unique tradition of democratic rule that we ought to 
encourage, although I am disappointed that Somaliland's elections have 
been repeatedly postponed.
  At the same time, more engagement with northern Somalia does not mean 
we should neglect the rest of the country. The raging conflict and 
resulting humanitarian crisis in central and southern Somalia is worse 
than ever. Just yesterday, a suicide bomber attacked a graduation 
ceremony in Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people, including 3 
Ministers of the Transitional Federal Government. This demonstrates the 
fragility of the TFG, which continues to face a strengthened al Shebaab 
and allied militias. Over the weekend, al Shebaab, a group with links 
to al-Qaida, seized another major town in southern Somalia. In addition 
to these security challenges, the TFG has struggled to broaden its 
grassroots appeal or demonstrate its ability to make a difference in 
people's lives. The result is that the TFG is reportedly

[[Page S12411]]

being seen by some Somalis as a proxy of the West and little different 
than its predecessors. This is extremely worrisome, especially if we 
believe that this government offers the best chance for establishing 
stability and inclusive governance in Somalia.
  Even more than the threat of piracy, the terrorist threat shows why 
we need to be paying more attention to Somalia. Al-Qaida and its 
affiliates continue to exploit Somalia's instability, which has real 
ramifications for our national security. Last month, the Justice 
Department announced that terrorism charges were being brought in the 
District of Minnesota against eight defendants for recruiting and 
raising funds for Somali-Americans to fight on behalf of al Shebaab. 
Fourteen people have now been charged in this investigation, reportedly 
the largest group of American citizens suspected of joining an 
extremist movement with links to al-Qaida. We should not equate these 
individuals with al-Qaida suspects, but we should be mindful of what 
Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Michael Leiter 
testified to in September--that ``the potential for al-Qaida operatives 
in Somalia to commission Americans to return to the United States and 
launch attacks against the Homeland remains of significant concern.'' 
Our close partners in the region--Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda--are also 
justifiably concerned about al Shebaab's threat to attack them.
  Recent history has shown that there are no easy answers to Somalia's 
troubles. Moreover, it has shown that we can complicate and even 
aggravate dynamics in Somalia, and many Somalis continue to view the 
United States with a high level of suspicion and resentment. We need to 
be conscious of this. But that does not mean we should just disengage 
and let matters in Somalia play out, as some commentators suggest. 
Rather, what I believe the recent history of the United States 
involvement in Somalia should teach us is that we cannot afford a half-
hearted or fragmented policy toward Somalia where we are not clearly 
communicating to Somalis our intentions and our commitment. We need a 
comprehensive strategy toward Somalia that includes serious, high-level 
diplomatic support for a sustainable and inclusive peace. I have been 
calling for such a strategy for nearly a decade now and I still do not 
believe we have one. With piracy resurging and the terrorist threat 
more real than ever, I hope that will finally change.

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