The social, political, and economic consequences of the US' secret war in Somalia

What is it about?

For over 20 years the US government has engaged in what it calls a global ‘war on terror’ (GWOT). This war spans continents and while US interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq receive modest attention, the secretive US war in Somalia remains under-discussed. This article offers an empirical and theoretical examination of what the US has done in Somalia since 2001, considering the political, economic and ideological elements of these acts. Data on the US’s war on the Somali people is placed in dialogue with ongoing theorising on the merits of reparations in the world system.

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Why is it important?

This article illustrates the consequences of a war hidden from public oversight and scrutiny, and asks what the responsibility the US might have towards the people of Somalia, as a result of the US' covert war in the region. Knowing what the US government has done for two decades in the name of 'fighting terrorism' is vital, to have an informed public that can demand new/changed policies on how the US engages with the world.