While Americans are focused on surviving the problems Joe created, on Monday morning, he secretly signed an order that would deploy U.S. troops to the country of Somalia. Reversing an order from President Trump who withdrew the 750 troops that had been stationed there.
U.S. troops have been serving their duties in the war-torn country on a rotational basis since Biden took office, a dynamic the administration now considers insufficient in addressing terrorist threats posed to Americans in the region.
The official was speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.
Biden’s decision will send several hundred U.S. special operators back into Somalia to help the fragile Somali federal government fight off the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab terrorist group.
Biden is sending troops into Somalia to “fight al shabaab,” after Trump withdrew from it at the end of his presidency.
Of course, there is no declaration of war.
Biden signed an EO & now we’re back to war in Somalia, w/ boots on the ground & bombing runs all over the country.
— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.substack.com (@JordanSchachtel) May 16, 2022
President Joe Biden signed an order to deploy U.S. troops to Somalia amid heightened concerns about the country’s Islamic extremist rebels, known as al-Shabab. The move is a reversal of President Donald Trump’s decision to remove most troops.https://t.co/jGKGfGKzdT
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 16, 2022
More details of this story from The Associated Press report:
President Joe Biden on Monday signed an order to deploy U.S. troops to Somalia amid heightened concerns about the country’s Islamic extremist rebels, known as al-Shabab. The move is a reversal of President Donald Trump’s decision last year to remove nearly all 700 special operations forces that had been operating there.
Biden’s decision, confirmed by a senior administration official, comes after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requested the deployment “to reestablish a persistent U.S. military presence in Somalia to enable a more effective fight against al-Shabaab, which has increased in strength and poses a heightened threat.”
The official, who requested anonymity to discuss a decision that has not been formally announced, said American forces already in the region would be repositioned.
U.S. military commanders have been deploying U.S. forces into Somalia for short rotations since Trump ordered American troops out during his final days in office in 2021. But Pentagon officials did not see that as “effective long-term strategy” and had been considering recommending the redeployment for some time, according to a U.S. military official who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoken on the condition of anonymity.
BREAKING: Pres. Biden signs an order authorizing the military to deploy hundreds of Special Operations forces inside Somalia—reversing the decision by Pres. Trump to withdraw nearly all 700 ground troops stationed there.
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) May 16, 2022
Yesterday Somalia elected a new President and now today hundreds of Special Forces are set to be sent to Somalia.
BREAKING: Pres. Biden signs an order authorizing the military to deploy hundreds of Special Operations forces inside Somalia—reversing the decision by Pres. Trump to withdraw nearly all 700 ground troops stationed there.
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) May 16, 2022
More scoop from The Hill report:
Biden will redeploy troops to Somalia to counter al Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab, reversing former President Trump’s decision to withdraw forces from the country near the end of his administration.
“President Biden has approved a request from the Secretary of Defense to reestablish a persistent U.S. military presence in Somalia to enable a more effective fight against al-Shabaab, which has increased in strength and poses a heightened threat,” a senior administration official told The Hill in a statement.
“This is a repositioning of forces already in theater who have travelled in and out of Somalia on an episodic basis since the previous administration made the decision to withdraw in January 2021,” the official continued.
Sources: WLT, The Hill, The Associated Press
Thomas Cooper