UN Chief Says Somalia "Not Ready" for UN Peacekeepers

Could this be the least surprising story of the week? - "UN Chief Says Time Not Ripe for Somalia Peacekeeping Operation":

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that he disagrees with the United States that it is time to send U.N. peacekeepers to Somalia.

He said he has been trying over the past four months to respond to a Security Council request to establish a multi-national stabilization force for Somalia.

Mr. Ban said he has spoken to 50 countries, but the responses have "either been lukewarm or negative." He said no country has volunteered to lead such a mission and only one or two have expressed a willingness to contribute troops. Among Security Council members, he said just one country has stepped forward to offer funding and equipment - but not peacekeepers.

"Therefore, my efforts to establish international stabilization forces may not be materialized at this time. But I know that there are some member states of the Security Council, including the United States, who favor to establish United Nations peacekeeping operations there," he said. "I believe, and all my senior advisors and staff in DPKO [the Department of Peacekeeping Operations] and concerned departments, their assessment is the situation is not ripe, the conditions are not favorable to consider a U.N. peacekeeping operation."

No one wants to get stuck in Somalia.