| | Top Dem blasts Bush admin for neglecting Somalia's 'instability'
 Time editor calls Seals rescue 'symbolic' win for Obama
As President Obama receives accolades for the Navy Seals rescue of a ship captain who was kidnapped by Somali pirates, a top Democratic senator blasted the Bush Administration for years of neglect regarding the African country's "instability."
"For years, Somalia's growing instability was neglected by the Bush administration and the international community," Sen. Russ Feingold (Wis-Dem) said in a statement received by RAW STORY. "The new administration must not make the same mistake."
The head of the Senate Foreign Relations' African affairs subcommittee wrote that he was "elated by the safe rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama and I thank and congratulate the Navy Seals and others whose remarkable efforts resulted in a successful end to this troubling situation. I am also relieved by this morning's reports that Congressman Donald Payne is unharmed after coming under fire from insurgents in Mogadishu."
(More on the mortar attack on Payne's plane at this link)
"While the episode involving the crew of the Maersk Alabama had a happy ending, piracy off the coast of Somalia will assuredly continue since it is a symptom of the state collapse in Somalia, which presents a much greater and more dangerous problem," Feingold continued.
Feingold added, "We must commit to a comprehensive strategy that helps stabilize the country while also establishing effective governance and the rule of law. If we don’t, we will continue to see Somalia's historic instability manifest itself in piracy and growing extremism, both of which pose serious security threats in the region and around the globe.”
On MSNBC Monday morning, Romesh Ratnesar, deputy managing editor of Time magazine, discussed the symbolism of national security challenges such as the Somalia hostage situation.
Ratnesar saw the rescue of the captain as a symbolic win for President Obama. "It is a victory politically for him because I think it gives him the opportunity to show his sort of toughness and mettle under fire. These kinds of things can go wrong so easily," he explained.
This video is from MSNBC's Morning Joe, broadcast Apr. 13, 2009.
Download video via RawReplay.com
Full statement by Feingold follows:
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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, made the following statement today on the safe rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama, whose vessel was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
“I am elated by the safe rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama and I thank and congratulate the Navy Seals and others whose remarkable efforts resulted in a successful end to this troubling situation. I am also relieved by this morning's reports that Congressman Donald Payne is unharmed after coming under fire from insurgents in Mogadishu . While the episode involving the crew of the Maersk Alabama had a happy ending, piracy off the coast of Somalia will assuredly continue since it is a symptom of the state collapse in Somalia , which presents a much greater and more dangerous problem. For years, Somalia 's growing instability was neglected by the Bush administration and the international community. The new administration must not make the same mistake. We must commit to a comprehensive strategy that helps stabilize the country while also establishing effective governance and the rule of law. If we don’t, we will continue to see Somalia 's historic instability manifest itself in piracy and growing extremism, both of which pose serious security threats in the region and around the globe.”
Feingold, who has been labeled “the Senate’s leading expert on Somalia ,” by the New York Times, has been calling for a comprehensive strategy for Somalia for years, including addressing the issue of piracy as far back as September 2005. Feingold discussed piracy and the broader issue of Somalia with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her confirmation hearing on January 13th and brought the Somalia issue up with Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on world-wide threats on February 15th. In a recent oped in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Feingold identified four key areas the U.S. can address in Somalia , which would strengthen our own security. Feingold has also traveled to the Horn of Africa twice in recent years to examine the situation in Somalia .
On July 31, 2008, Senator Feingold spoke from the Senate floor on the crisis in Somalia . Video of the speech is available here and the text is available here.
More information on Feingold’s extensive record on addressing Somalia can be found at http://feingold.senate.gov/issues_africa_somalia.html.
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