U.S. 'Disgusted' With MOD/Kacaan Army (LA Times Archives, 1985)

[oday1kenobi]

U.S. Losing Interest in Military Bases in Somalia : Port, Airstrip No Longer Are Key Part of Plans for Gulf of Aden Emergency
March 17, 1985|CHARLES MITCHELL | United Press International

BERBERA, Somalia — There is not quite a "For Sale" sign on the port and concrete airstrip at Berbera. But there are signs that Washington has lost interest in Somalia and the military facility that guards the chokepoint between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Somali government still boasts of the strategic importance of Berbera as a great naval and air facility, inherited by the United States after the Soviet Union left in 1980. Moscow is now allied with neighboring Marxist-led Ethiopia.

At one time, U.S. diplomats talked of great plans for turning the 15th-Century town into anything from a major fleet refueling stop to the headquarters of the Central Command, or, as it used to be known, the Rapid Deployment Force.

The force was set up under the Jimmy Carter Administration to act as an American deterrent in the event of a threat to the Persian Gulf oil fields.

"The decision is that it is not really a viable or reliable part of Middle East strategy. The U.S. is more established in more reliable places."

There are various reasons behind this apparent loss of interest--the inefficiency of the Somali army, its poor record of maintainence and discipline, a festering guerrilla war in the north that threatens to topple the regime of President Siad Barre, Barre's poor human rights record and the welcoming of the United States in more built-up and easily defended areas.

Diplomats believe the tide changed after joint Somali-U.S. military exercises in 1983. The exercises, Eastern Wind 83, failed dismally.

"The Somali army did not perform up to any standard," one diplomat said.

The inefficiency of the Somali armed forces is legendary among foreign military men.

Last month, Somalia shot down one of its own nine functioning aircraft and last year accidently fired on two U.S. F-15 fighters during a mapping exercise near Mogadishu.

U.S. military officials in Somalia have grown disgusted with the performance of the Somali army and its inability to keep anything working.

Read the rest here:

http://articles.latimes.com/1985-03-17/news/mn-35349_1_somalia

 

[TSP]

Did they lose all their competent pilots in the ogaden war?

I know the inefficiency can be explained by the defections and it was hard to resupply their units because some were fitted with Russian and others Americans weapons.

 

[Nightline Kid]

Diplomats believe the tide changed after joint Somali-U.S. military exercises in 1983. The exercises, Eastern Wind 83, failed dismally.

"The Somali army did not perform up to any standard," one diplomat said.

The inefficiency of the Somali armed forces is legendary among foreign military men.

Last month, Somalia shot down one of its own nine functioning aircraft and last year accidently fired on two U.S. F-15 fighters during a mapping exercise near Mogadishu.

U.S. military officials in Somalia have grown disgusted with the performance of the Somali army and its inability to keep anything working.

That's embarrassing

 

[Xooshdheere]

Last month, Somalia shot down one of its own nine functioning aircraft and last year accidently fired on two U.S. F-15 fighters during a mapping exercise near Mogadishu.

you had one job

 

[Prince Abubu]

Nevermind western propaganda. Things were all rosey under Barre. He was a great leader.

Somalia was the richest, most powerful nation...kkk...I can't even finish the sentence.

 

[Canuck]

The article is talking 1985 after army came back from Ogaden and have to deal with multiple military coups inside army. The regime was fighting inside the country and outside of country.

 

[Xooshdheere]

Nevermind western propaganda. Things were all rosey under Barre. He was a great leader.

Somalia was the richest, most powerful nation...kkk...I can't even finish the sentence.

at least we didn't have daily suicide bombings under his watch

 

[merka]

This is what happens when you arrest all the capable military commanders and replace them with your cousins

 

[Shanshiyo1234]

That is crazy? The toppling of the government prediction was eerily accurate!

 

[embarassing]

Wasn't this also after two wars with Ethiopia?

 

[Xooshdheere]

that's very @embarassing