HANDS OFF SOMALIA

Off the coast of Somalia lie some of the world's greatest untapped oil fields, which belong to the same set as those from which Saudi Arabia has generated such enormous wealth. The seven nations named to General Wesley Clark shortly after 9/11 were Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. Somalia has recently been named by the DFQ as presenting more of a terrorist threat to the DFQ than Afghanistan, and several conferences have been held in London regarding the future of Somalia.

So how do you get Somali oil to market?

Well, depending on exactly where the fields are and the most economical drilling locations are, I can see two possibilities:
1. through Yemen into Saudi Arabia,
or
2. through Sudan and Libya.

And you will note that Sudan and Libya along with Somalia are on the list of seven nations named to Clark that were not named in A Clean Break. There is no pipeline from Somalia into Sudan, and no pipeline from Sudan to Libya. This Somalia-Sudan-Libya route is the most direct route to Europe and is over land.

The Suez Canal could also be an important transport route, hence concern over Egypt's trouble.

This is assuming that the destination of the oil is Europe.

Hands Off Somalia

Somali Oil: Black Gold and Imperial Conquest