Evaluation of United States Foreign Policy on Counterterrorism: The Case of Somalia

Abstract

This study explored the United States foreign policy on counterterrorism with a special reference to Somalia and how the interest has affected the Somalia situations. The main objective of this Research Paper was to examine the US counter-terrorism strategy in Somalia. Specifically, the study set out to identify the general actions the US has taken in Somalia and the Greater Horn region in terms of the war on terror; to determine effectiveness of the US counterterrorism policy in the fight against terrorism in Somalia and to investigate alternative approaches of fighting terrorism in Somalia. The study employed qualitative approach and sought to cover the exploratory and descriptive elements of the research process. The first part of the study gives a background of the counterterrorism policy. The second part highlights a brief overview of the history of Somalia together with US involvement in Somalia. In the third part, the paper delves in the analysis of the rise of the War on Terror discourse, the effectiveness and available alternatives to the counterterrorism policy. Lastly, the fourth part of the paper presents a critical analysis of the US counterterrorism policy in Somalia. The findings of the study reveal that the US counterterrorism policy has two distinct approaches, one that is short term and the other long term. The study reveals that in Somalia the US adopted a short term approach that targeted neutralizing terrorist and their sympathizers. It was also revealed that the approach adopted in Somalia is counterproductive and not effective because it enhances the idea that the US is an enemy of Somalia and Islam because of the high number of civilian casualties. The study recommends that alternative approaches of dealing with terrorists in the horn of Africa should be adopted for any sustainable results to be achieved.