In Somalia, the US has begun to convert a feudal army into a modern one. The Danab Brigade provides a model for not only changing armies but also transforming societies.
Historically, the Somali military has been wracked by problems: commanders pocket their soldiers’ paychecks; soldiers sell weapons and ammunition on the black market; US supplies are stolen; and interclan rivalries undermine order and discipline within units. Nevertheless, the US needed a stable partner in the region, so in 2013, it set-up the Danab (“lightning”) special forces unit. Starting modestly with about 100 Somali soldiers, it has since grown to over 1,500. Soldiers are paid each month; training is consistent and regimented; recruitment was opened to the general population; and most importantly, quotas ensure that membership is drawn from across all clans. All of this has changed the mindset of these soldiers—in 2021, a local population was stunned when the Brigade rented their houses and paid for food instead of commandeering it.
The transition from a feudal army to a nation-state is one that often takes generations. However, it can be accelerated with the right policies, procedures, and training; effective change management; and a deep understanding of the local culture. This happened in Tunisia before the Arab Spring and even in England before the English Civil War, the first transition.
Despite its success, President Trump ordered all US troops home from the region in his final weeks in office. Al-Shabab, the Somali Al-Qaeda affiliate, seized to opportunity to expand its territory and grow its funding base. Yet, the Danab Brigade continued to operate. Soldiers shared rifles and even pooled their own money to buy medical supplies. Some US troops covertly rotated in and out of the country to support them. When Al-Shabab emerged next to a Danab base, the Brigade repelled them even without US air support. Now with US support restored, Danab has cleared Al-Shabab from large swarths of the country. The unit’s reputation has even grown so much that there has been uptick in recruitment—and nineteen university graduates were in the most recent class. A model for the future.
Source:
Katherine, Houreld, “US Troops Back in Somalia, Washington Post, 11 December 2022, A1; see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/10/somalia-war-shabab-danab-military/
Photo: Staff Sgt. Zoe Russell, DVIDS