MOGADISHU, Somalia — Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., made a surprise five-hour stopover Monday in this dangerous seaside capital — against the advice of his family and the State Department.
The trip was meant to highlight the progress of Somalia’s new transitional government and prove the nation was back on track. But a trip that began as a way to encourage U.S. engagement in Somalia ended with a sour reminder of why this country has been left to toil as a failed state for 18 years. Insurgents lobbed mortar shells at his outgoing plane, injuring 19 civilians on the ground.
Payne, 74, who was unaware of the attack until he landed in Nairobi, Kenya, was undeterred. He received a similar welcome from a warlord militia in a 1993 visit.
“We shouldn’t focus on the few negative elements when the overwhelming majority of people want to make it work,” Payne said. Los Angeles Times
