US Military in Somalia for First Time Since 'Black Hawk Down'

It may not qualify as "boots on the ground," but the Washington Post sees it as a milestone nonetheless. It reports that the US military has sent about two dozen "trainers and advisers" to Somalia to help the fight against the al-Shabab militia, marking the first return of American military personnel to the nation since the 1993 "Black Hawk Down" debacle in which 18 US troops were killed. The American team has reportedly been in Mogadishu since last fall, providing assistance to a coalition of African troops fighting the militia. Click for the full story, which recounts how the US has gradually increased its involvement with Somalia in recent years. (More US military stories.)