Somalia is important. It is one of the best test cases we have of the consequences of untimely withdrawal in face of harder than expected resistance. For there is little doubt but that much of our current problems go back to the irresponsible way the Clinton administration (with Republican support) cut and ran from Somalia and handed OBL an easy victory after"Black Hawk Down." These are all news from the past 24 hours. They speak for themselves:

U.S. Nabs suspected Pirates

1.75 million in need of assistance in Somalia

SOMALIA : Islamic militancy, Sharia law fill up judicial void

Gunmen kill three senior Somali security forces

Boat capsizes off the coast of Yemen, 22 Somalis dead and 28 missing

Finally, Somalia says needs foreign peacekeepers