April 13, 2009
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
I am very pleased by the safe rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama, and applaud your excellent handling of this crisis. I am also pleased by your administration’s expressed commitment to bolster the international naval presence and capabilities in the waters off the Horn of Africa to deter attacks, as well to strengthen the international legal framework to bring these pirates to justice. I look forward to working with you, Secretary Clinton and Secretary Gates in this regard.
As you know, piracy off the coast of Somalia is a symptom of the state collapse and instability on land; thus, any military actions we take will only be stopgap measures. In recent Congressional testimony, Director of National Intelligence Blair and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Army Lt. General Michael Maples cited lawlessness and economic problems on land for the rise in piracy at sea. The ultimate solution to the problem of piracy, then, is the establishment of a functional government that can enforce the rule of law. During the rule of the Council of Islamic Courts in 2006, there was a notable decline in piracy that can be attributed, in large part, to the rise of a central authority in southern Somalia. Without replicating the repressive rule of the Courts, we must keep in mind that establishing a central governing structure in Somalia is critical to resolving, not just stopping, the problem of piracy.
In February 2009, I sent you a letter, which I have attached, that outlines the essential need to develop a comprehensive interagency strategy to stabilize Somalia and support effective governance. With the strategic review now underway, I reiterate my belief that expanded U.S. support for the new unity government must be a central component of that strategy. Furthermore, we must seize the opening that lies before us by publicly declaring our commitment to high-level, sustained engagement that could help Somalia overcome the many challenges to peace and stability.
I met with President Sheik Sharif during a trip to the region this past December, just before his election, and met last month with the new government’s Foreign Minister here in Washington D.C. In both meetings we discussed the importance of an inclusive process to unite Somalia and the importance of U.S. support to achieve that goal.
Just as you have personally become engaged in the problem of piracy off Somalia’s coast, it is essential that you personally engage in U.S. efforts to address its origins on land. As a first step, I urge you to call President Sheik Sharif and indicate a clear commitment to work with his government not only on maritime insecurity issues, but also to help establish security and functional, inclusive governance within the country. This should be coordinated with other levels of engagement and complemented by ongoing discussions with our regional and international partners on a comprehensive plan to support this transitional government and stabilize Somalia.
We have a unique opportunity with the current level of attention to Somalia’s waters to focus on developing a strategic approach that incorporates the broader problems facing Somalia. I urge you to seize this opportunity, and stand ready to support and work with you on a comprehensive strategy that can help bring stability to this region. If we do not take this critical step, 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.
Sincerely,
Russell D. Feingold
United States Senator
CC: The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State
The Honorable Robert Gates
Secretary of Defense
The Honorable Dennis Blair
Director of National Intelligence
