Airstrikes in East Africa: Catherine Besteman and Amanda Sperber on US Militarism in Somalia

This episode marks the end of the first season of the Institute for Global Affairs podcast, None Of The Above. We conclude our season with a topic that gets far too little attention in the mainstream media: the history of the US military’s involvement in Somalia, a country deeply mired in terrorism, poverty, and war. Mark sits down with Nairobi-based journalist Amanda Sperber and anthropologist Catherine Besteman to unpack why the United States is waging an unofficial drone war in Somalia and explores the history and human costs of this conflict. They discuss the evolution of Al-Shabaab (an affiliate of Al-Qaeda), civilian casualties from US airstrikes, and how Somalia exemplifies what many consider to be the strategic and moral failings of America’s global war on terror. Have a listen, let us know what you think, and we’ll see you in August when we return for Season 2.

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This podcast episode includes references to the Eurasia Group Foundation, now known as the Institute for Global Affairs.