Ethiopia I.

This is coolbert:

Cheap Oil??!!

I had forgotten about this one.

The Ogaden Desert War. 1977.

Between Ethiopia and Somalia. A war provoked by the "incursions" of Somali military forces into the territory [the Ogaden] of Ethiopia.

Two of the most destitute nations in the world going at one another's throats for control of a desert wasteland [the Ogaden Desert]. A desert wasteland that once again, was said to potentially contain, under the surface, a vast abundance of oil. A desert wasteland that was within the internationally recognized borders of Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian government had become Marxist, thanks to a coup d'etat by the ex-tank driver and Colonel in the Ethiopian Army, Mengistu. Mengistu had designs for exploitation of Ogaden oil reserves, hoping that they would enrich Ethiopia.




Somalia, already Marxist, saw an opportunity to create a "Greater Somali". Also coveting the Ogaden as a source of valuable oil. Restoring "stolen" territory to the "rightful" owners [the Somalis].

[again, a war being fought to gain control of territory THOUGHT to have potential for oil production.]

The Somalians, who had been, prior to the war, proxies of the Soviets, then became expendable in the eyes of Moscow for some reason.

The Ethiopian Army, bolstered by Cuban armored troops, brigade or so size [??], launched a successful offensive against the undermanned, under-equipped, and totally inept Somali forces. I think at this time, this could have been categorized as a communist fight communist war. Siad Barre', the Somali dictator, was a nominal communist?]



[T-55 tanks [Cuban] vs. men-a-foot with RPG [Somali troops" with rocket-propelled grenade.]]

The Somali Army was quickly routed and Ethiopian victory was complete. For almost thirty years now, the Ogaden has remained without dispute Ethiopian territory.

[at the time, it seemed that there was no apparent reason for the Soviet dropping the Somali in favor of the Ethiopian. But they did. And then to aid and abet a war between the two was even stranger yet!]

AND YET, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NOT ONE DROP OF OIL FLOWED OUT OF THE OGADEN!!??

THIS WAR WAS ALL FOR NAUGHT??!! LIKE THE GRAN CHACO WAR!!??

[It should be noted that borders between many, if not most all of the so-called "Third World" nations around the world were put in place by colonial powers, Britain and France for the most part. These borders were arbitrarily set NOT taking into account historical and sometimes ancient tribal delineations. These arbitrarily set boundaries have been a constant source of tension within recent decades. The common practice among the leaders of "Third World" nations is to usually let the established borders remain where they are, and not contest "boundary lines". Border disputes can turn into wars detrimental to everyone. Amelioration can cause a WORSE problem that what already exists!!]

coolbert.