Gauging US Military Involvement in Somalia

The crisis in Somalia continues, with drought and famine plaguing the country and millions of refugees fighting for survival. The U.S. has approved $565 million in humanitarian aid so far this year. But our involvement in Somalia is does not stop there.  According to an article in The New York Times yesterday, the U.S. has quietly been stepping up clandestine operations inside Somalia, training Somali intelligence operatives, interrogating suspects, and sending $45 million in arms to African soldiers and private security companies, to fight against the Shabaab, an al-Qaida aligned militant group. We’re speaking with Somalia expert Peter Pham, director of the Michael S. Ansari Africa Center at the Atlantic Council, and Jeffrey Gettleman, East Africa Bureau Chief for our partner The New York Times.