seventh largest oil-rich nation.”

In addition to Britain, where BP has expressed an interest, Canada, the U.S. and China are also seeking ways to get involved in the initial onslaught of production.

This is not the first time that imperialist-oriented efforts to shape developments in Somalia have taken place. Previous direct and indirect military interventions in Somalia have failed to stabilize the country in the interest of the West.

In 1992-93, Somalis rose up and resisted the U.S. Marines and the United Nations so-called peacekeepers, forcing them to leave the country. A 2006-2009 invasion and occupation by Ethiopia at the aegis of the U.S. failed to resolve the internal crises.

The current politico-military situation in Somalia is not caused by the conflict among Somali politicians but by the role of the imperialistto resolve their own internal conflicts, without imperialist interventions.

In Somalia, the imperialists have regional designs on the Horn of Africa and other areas of the continent. The war against Syria is also directed against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Hezbollah resistance party in Lebanon and the Palestinians.

Also, both destabilization campaigns are directed towards weakening the influence of China and Russia, which have opposed U.S. and British imperialism in Syria and Iran. Both Syria and Somalia will continue to be a focal point for Western intrigue in Africa and the Middle East in the months to come.

Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.