Into The Breach

THE DISCOURAGINGLY REPETITIOUS REPORTS OF armed Somali warlords siphoning as much as 80% of the humanitarian relief supplies finally got to George Bush. The outgoing U.S. President proposed to U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali that American military forces be dispatched to ensure that the food and medicine reach the starving population. Two thousand U.S. Marines aboard amphibious ships in the Indian Ocean are available for the job, and % Pentagon sources say an additional 15,000 or more would be ready, provided that the U.N. Security Council approves the initiative this week. Somali strongman General Mohammed Farrah Aidid, who has hamstrung the oversight of an existing 500-man Pakistani unit, says somewhat ambiguously that he welcomes the U.S. initiative. But even if he doesn't, U.S. officials said, the decision should be made regardless of Aidid's views. The critical factor is concern for the 2 million Somalis who risk starvation in the coming months.