Ghanaian Troops For Somalia?

The United States, European Union, African and Arab diplomats have called for an African peacekeeping force of about 8,000 soldiers in Somalia, where government forces backed by Ethiopian troops drove an Islamic movement out of the Somali capital earlier this month.

Ghana was among the nations believed likely to be asked to contribute, given its past involvement in peacekeeping operations.

Meanwhile, No one on the continent has responded so far to the call, perhaps because it looks like it will be some time before there's enough peace to keep.

A Ghana military spokesman said any request for troop contributions would need to come from the African Union.

Col. Emmanuel Nibo also said that it would be difficult for Ghana to contribute troops in Somalia because the country is still organizing a promised force to Sudan.

"However, we may consider a request for a handful of personnel about a dozen officers to serve as observers or to form a technical support team in Somalia, but not in hundreds or a battalion," Nibo said.

After Somali government forces backed by Ethiopian troops drove an Islamic movement out of the Somali capital earlier this month, US, EU, African and Arab diplomats called for an African peacekeeping force envisioned at 8,000 soldiers.

Many African countries are already occupied with peacekeeping missions in other parts of the continent, so may be reluctant to take on the considerable challenge Somalia poses.

A UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia in the 1990s saw clashes between foreign troops and Somali warlords' fighters, including the notorious downings of two of the US military's Blackhawk helicopters in 1993. The Blackhawk debacle led to the US withdrawal from Somalia in 1994, and that was followed a year later by the departure of UN peacekeepers.