It’s not about faith. It’s about power. The Family explores the history of a quietly powerful religious organization with strong ties to US politics.
Siad Barre was a member of this Christian Fundamentalist Group and "prayed to Jesus" in exchange for weapons to fight Somalis .
Very intriguing watch.
Siad Barre was a member of this Christian Fundamentalist Group and "prayed to Jesus" in exchange for weapons to fight Somalis .
Very intriguing watch.
JEFF SHARLET: Indeed. And Grassley has been involved with the organization for quite some time, since the ’80s, when he traveled to Somalia to join Barre, Siad Barre, in prayer to Jesus. And he brought with him a defense contractor named Bill Brehm.
And Barre was a kind of a cynical character, as you might expect for a dictator. He was very clear. He says, “I’m willing to pray to Jesus, and here’s what I want in return.” He says, “I want my defense budget doubled.” He says, “I want meetings for my officials with the Reagan White House. And I want a sort of a hands-off policy while I crack down on some rebels.” Doug Coe, the leader of the group, wrote back, in essence, “Done, done and done.”
And when we look at history, so it was. And Barre used those weapons, supplied to him in part by the US, to wage a war of almost biblical proportion on his own people, from which Somalia has not recovered to this day. The Family doesn’t consider that a failure; they consider that God’s will for Somalia.
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