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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 6 OctOber 2018
As Somalia marks horrific attack, a book explores al-Shabab

By CARA ANNA Siad Barre. The "Black Hawk "My soldiers have to offer
Associated Press Down" attack in 1993 that to share their lunch," one
"Inside al-Shabaab: The Se- saw U.S. soldiers dragged commander of the Afri-
cret History of al-Qaeda's through the streets led the can Union peacekeeping
Most Powerful Ally" (Indiana U.S. military to leave Soma- force said of Somali partner
University Press), by Harun lia alone for two decades. forces, long unpaid, who
Maruf and Dan Joseph Inspired, a new generation looked on hungrily.
The deadliest terror attack of hard-line Islamic fighters Widespread corruption,
in Africa's history began — al-Shabab is Arabic for deeply held clan rivalries,
with a loaded truck bar- "the youth" — took shape. exasperation from both
reling down a busy street The book describes the Western and African allies,
in Somalia's capital, seem- surprising internal debates all have affected the fight
ingly bound for the interna- over the years as some against al-Shabab. Now
tional airport and the em- members of a group known the country, with a Somali-
bassies sheltering there. for harsh dictates and bra- American president who
The truck instead detonat- zen bombings argued that spent years as a bureau-
ed in Mogadishu traffic, kill- only a more accepting crat in Buffalo, New York,
ing well over 500 people. approach would win over faces the nervous prospect
Somalis who had witnessed Somalia's people as it pur- of taking over its own secu-
decades of chaos were sued an Islamic state. rity from the A.U. force in
horrified. In a rare protest, In one of the book's more the few years ahead.
they marched by the thou- extraordinary sentences, Officials with the U.S. mili-
sands to defy the Islamic Maruf and Joseph write tary, which under Presi-
extremist group that is now that "al-Qaeda encour- dent Donald Trump has
the deadliest in sub-Saha- aged al-Shabaab to be increased drone strikes in
ran Africa, the al-Qaida- flexible." The world's first ex- Somalia and put about 500
linked al-Shabab. tremist group to use Twitter personnel on the ground,
On Oct. 14, Somalia marks to claim a major attack, al- have warned that So-
the anniversary of the Shabab has been relatively mali forces are not ready.
bombing. Many around organized, with financ- And now a new threat
the world barely took note ing from taxes on captive has emerged: "Inside al-
of the attack, though it communities, piracy off the Shabaab" devotes a chap-
was easily one of the worst long Indian Ocean coast ter to the rise of fighters
since 9/11. This cover image released by Indiana University Press shows and, in at least one town, who have pledged alle-
Anyone with interest in the "Inside Al-Shabaab: The Secret History of Al-Qaeda's Most the yanking out of civilians' giance to the Islamic State
spread of extremism, how- Powerful Ally," by Harun Maruf and Dan Joseph. gold teeth. organization.
ever, should read the new Associated Press For military enthusiasts, "In- ISIS these days might be
book "Inside al-Shabaab: side al-Shabaab" has vivid fading or fleeing. But "by
The Secret History of al-Qa- as the extremists, some of slid into the hands of young descriptions of street-by- almost any tangible mea-
eda's Most Powerful Ally." them raised in the United men trained in Osama bin street fighting in Mogadishu sure ... al-Shabaab grew
Imagine, it says, a Wash- States, surge and retreat. Laden's camps abroad. as the extremists pushed stronger throughout 2017,"
ington where the U.S. gov- The authors, Voice of "This was the start of the the fragile Somali govern- the new book says. The
ernment controls the White America journalists Harun battle between al-Qaeda ment to the edge of the U.S. has made gestures of
House, a few adjacent Maruf and Dan Joseph, and America," one al- sea. For those wondering confidence in Somalia, ap-
buildings and the highway interviewed al-Shabab Shabab leader later said how Somalia has never pointing its first ambassador
to the airport while insur- members, defectors and of the battle for Mogadi- been able to shake off the in a quarter-century and
gents hold the rest. "Every others to tell a fluid tale shu in the early 1990s as bin threat, the book has pierc- even presenting President
so often, the insurgents fire of how an Islamic nation Laden-backed local fight- ing details of what still goes Mohamed Abdullahi Mo-
mortar shells toward the once known for its mod- ers attacked U.S. troops wrong both among Soma- hamed with a trucker cap
White House." This has been eration, not unlike the Af- who tried to restore order lis and in the international bearing the phrase "Make
Mogadishu over the years ghanistan of a certain age, after the fall of dictator community. Somalia great again."q

Eric Church is a 'Desperate Man' on latest album

By RON HARRIS ville) began with 25 songs and armor here it's that the title
Associated Press Eric Church turned in coun- got whittled down to the track "Desperate Man"
Eric Church, "Desperate try music's album of the best that offered "an elec- sounds a little too much
Man" (EMI Records Nash- year in 2016 and promptly tric, raw, old soul sound." like Creedence Clearwa-
took some time off from That approach is clearly ter Revival's "Fortunate Son"
releasing new music. Now evident on the albums in both the pace and the
he's back with his sixth al- gems, such as "Heart Like hook's refrain. But all is for-
bum "Desperate Man," dis- a Wheel" which would best given when the album's
playing the approachable be described as a "stroll" in sweetest song arrives with
storytelling that his fans ex- a bygone bobby sox era. "Hippie Radio," a heart-
pect and Nashville banks "Higher Wire" delivers that warming, coming-of-age
on. aforementioned electricity, track with the common This cover image image re-
Church himself says he ini- heavy with the snarl of re- thread of a fading Pontiac. leased by EMI Records Nash-
tially struggled with the verb guitar work giving way It's the kind of thing few do ville shows "Desperate Man,"
a release by Eric Church.
direction of "Desperate to Church's familiar voice. better than Church.q Associated Press
Man." The 11-track offering If there is a chink in Church's