Congressman Matt Gaetz calls for withdrawal of US troops from Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A Congressman has called for immediate withdrawal of US troops from Somalia, just over six months after they were redeployed, noting that their continued presence in the Horn of Africa nation does not add any "value" to the US or its national security.

Matt Gaetz, the R-Fla Representative, took again to his Twitter account to complain about the presence of American troops in Somalia, who insists that they are "wasting taxpayers' money" in his latest swipe at President Joe Biden, who ordered the redeployment barely six months ago.

"The US has had a military presence in Somalia since 1992, but it's been a costly and mostly fruitless endeavor," Gaetz wrote. "Somalia is entrenched in violence and political instability that has persisted for decades, and there seems to be no end in sight."

The firebrand Republican from Florida added: "The United States has a responsibility to protect its citizens and defend its interests, but Somalia is not a vital national security concern."

"Instead of pouring more resources into a never-ending conflict, the US should prioritize its own needs and focus on issues that directly impact our neighbors," he concluded. "It is time to bring our troops home and let Somalia find its own path to stability."

Last year, upon advice from the Senate and Pentagon, Biden redeployed close to 500 US soldiers to Somalia, a year after they were repositioned by former President Donald Trump who decried the cost of maintaining troops outside the US. Most of these soldiers had been repositioned to Kenya and Djibouti.

Gaetz introduced a war powers resolution last month that called for the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from Somalia, excluding members protecting the U.S. Embassy. It mandated the removal of these forces from Somalia no later than 365 days after the resolution's adoption, Fox News reports.

The Resolution was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs which is set to clear it before being tabled in the House. Such resolutions take political sides in the House which is currently controlled by Republicans but could face tough reception in the Democrat-controlled Senate which has the final say.

When Gaetz first introduced the resolution to remove U.S. forces from Somalia, he argued that Americans have "extremely low confidence" in the U.S. pouring countless dollars into foreign struggles only for them to resort back to violence and coups once the U.S. ultimately leaves.

"The American people have extremely low confidence in our military leaders and their ability to assess their own efficacy. How do they expect Americans to believe their justification of occupying Somalia when they can’t even determine who in their own training programs will lead a violent coup afterward?" Gaetz said in a statement.

According to him, the US was increasingly spending on troops in Somalia without tangible results but officials in the federal government of Somalia attribute the effective war against Al-Shabaab to contributions by foreign troops key among them the US which trains and equips Danab Special Forces.

"While the Congressional War Machine has decided to rage on in Syria, they must explain how continuing the occupation of Somalia best serves the interests of the American people at home. If they cannot, it is incumbent upon Congress to bring our troops home from Somalia," the congressman said.

"When the House debated my resolution to withdraw troops from Syria, both Republicans and Democrats argued the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force against Afghanistan serves as a global permission slip for every neocon fantasy. They will argue the same for Somalia," Gaetz said.

The US has been a reliable partner in the fight against Al-Shabaab through the provision of precision airstrikes which help the combat troops in pursuing the militants in interior parts. The suggestion by the Congressman comes at the time Somalia is preparing for the second phase of operations against Al-Shabaab.

GAROWE ONLINE