Washington — Fearful that Islamist forces are transforming Somalia into a safe haven for al Qaeda, the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush is pushing a new U.N. Security Council resolution that experts here believe could well spark a wider war in the Horn of Africa.
The resolution, which would exempt a proposed African "peace support" force from a longstanding arms embargo on Somalia, is due to be taken up by the Council this week despite warnings by the powerful Islamic Courts Union (ICU) that it will oppose any deployment of foreign forces on behalf of the Ethiopia-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG).
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