Last month the problem of piracy off Somalia's coast hit home for a lot of Americans with the attack on the Maersk Alabama and the capture of Capt. Richard Phillips after his courageous actions to ensure the safety of his crew.

I'm glad you're here to give the humanitarian perspective and to highlight the great constraints which agencies like Oxfam are facing.

Oxfam is extremely grateful for the work this committee has done, in particular you, Senator Feingold, in drawing attention to the humanitarian situation affecting almost half of the country.

I'm also very concerned by these reports that al-Shabaab and its allied militias are gaining momentum and territory, including strategic towns in central Somalia.

Would reject it out of hand.

We are very fortunate to have the experienced leadership of Ambassador Johnnie Carson.

This hearing will come to order. On behalf of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, I welcome all of you to this hearing entitled 'Developing a Coordinated and Sustainable U.S. Strategy for Somalia.'

the importance of providing operational support to Somali security forces loyal to the transitional government, and I agree that building the security sector is important and the United States should have a role in this

I want to thank the panel very much. I particularly want to thank my colleagues for their diligence on this and other issues relating to Africa.

Thank you, doctor.

Thank you, Senator Risch.

the pirates do not live in the water; they live on the land.

In terms of the piracy off Somalia's coast, you said previously that naval operations might help, but they cannot possibly stop this piracy when the risks are so low, the rewards so high, and alternatives, in your words, so bleak in…

We cannot wait until the war ends in Darfur. We cannot wait until the war ends in the eastern Congo. We have to act now to stop this torture.

the bill did impose restrictions on assistance to the Government of Zimbabwe until there was a peaceful democratic change.

That is why I have introduced legislation to overturn what I believe is this misguided Supreme Court ruling.

I am the sponsor of it.

achieving resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential to the security of not just the two parties, but the region as a whole.