Publication

This paper uses the case of Somalia to examine why some weak governments facing Islamist insurgents are able to obtain political legitimacy, and others not. The author first examines why and how Al Shabaab and other insurgent groups have or have not acquired political legitimacy in Somalia and then explores how divisions among insurgents can be exploited by engaging and empowering alternative centers of legitimacy. What emerges from his analysis is a nuanced picture of the counterinsurgency strategy in Somalia, as well as several provocative suggestions.