The Russians on Africa's Horn

Outside of Eastern Europe, perhaps the Soviet Union's most notable satellite in the world today is the African republic of Somalia. A drought-stricken country of 3 million people, which achieved independence in 1960, Somalia has a 1,700-mile coastline on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, hard by the shipping lanes over which oil from the Persian Gulf is carried to Western Europe and the U.S.

Testifying before Congress recently, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger disclosed that the Soviets were building an important missile facility at the Somali port of Berbera. Although Schlesinger backed up his charge by releasing U.S. reconnaissance photos of the Berbera buildup, the Somali government denied the accusation and invited U.S. Congressmen to see for themselves. Last week, after a trip to Berbera, Oklahoma Republican Senator Dewey Bartlett concluded that Schlesinger's facts were essentially correct. Among those who accompanied Bartlett to Somalia was TIME'S Nairobi bureau chief Lee Griggs. His report:

The missile installations at Berbera are only the tip of the Soviet iceberg on the hot horn of Africa. Over the past several years, the Russians have transformed Somalia's 17,000-man armed forces into some of the strongest on the continent. Of the 3,000 or so Russians in Somalia today, fully 1,400 are assigned to the army and air force. The Somali army, less than half the size of neighboring Ethiopia's, now has far superior firepower--and the largest tank force south of the Sahara. The air force boasts a squadron of Ilyushin-28 bombers and at least 50 MIGS, including seven MIG-21s that were presented to Somalia by Soviet President Nikolai Podgorny when he visited the country last year. All top officers of Somalia's highly efficient National Security Service have been trained by the KGB.

The most important aspect of the Soviet presence, however, is the missile facility now under construction at Berbera --a project that the Somalis as well as the Soviets have steadfastly denied. To be sure, Berbera has no silos or concrete launching pads for ballistic missiles. But it will definitely have major installations designed to maintain, arm and fuel ship-to-ship missiles with a range of 30 miles. It will also be capable of handling mobile ground-to-air missiles. Among the facilities under construction: three 1,000-ft.-long bunkers for storing missiles, a center for arming Soviet ship-to-ship missiles (something that cannot be done at sea), huge fuel storage facilities, a 13,000-ft.-long runway and two Soviet-manned radio installations. Most of the work has taken place since Podgorny's visit a year ago.

Both the Somalis and the Russians at Berbera appeared surprised last week by the zeal of Senator Bartlett and the Pentagon specialists who accompanied him. .After landing in 110DEG heat on a bumpy dirt runway, they set off immediately to inspect the area. A U.S. technician scrambled atop one of nine newly built fuel-storage tanks and whipped out binoculars for a better view. Another sifted through refuse in a men's room at the port, looking for Soviet cigarette butts. The Russians at Berbera, of whom there may be as many as 1,000, were obviously under instructions to keep out of sight during the Americans' visit. One Russian at what was apparently a radio tower hid his head in a towel when he spotted an American staring at him. One of the Senator's aides opened the door of a housing trailer and found six startled Russians inside. More to the point, a gray crate that bore Cyrillic letters was identified by a Russian-speaking U.S. technician as "having to do with a missile operation."

No Americans. The Bartlett party, which made occasional rest stops to gulp Gatorade, quickly learned that the Russians were not enthusiastic about the visit. When the Senator approached a barracks ship housing at least 200 Russians, a Soviet sailor refused to let him aboard. Later the party was barred from visiting the two radio stations. Explained Colonel Ahmed Suleiman, head of the security service: "Please understand that if it were up to me, I would let you in. But the Russians say, 'No Americans,' and the facility was built with their money." In the meantime, a U.S. technician was surveying the clusters of rhombic antennas and generators. "Long-range, multidirectional stuff," he noted. "Real fancy, very efficient by its appearance."

Bartlett was allowed to enter the main building with four American technicians, but newsmen were not admitted. "No doubt about it," the Senator said when he came out 20 minutes later. "It's a missile-handling facility, complete with derricks and tracks for easy movement. We were told that we wouldn't be allowed to ask questions, and they refused to show us one bunker. But we know what's inside. There's nothing there right now, but the complex has the capability of being expanded into a major missile facility. We knew what it was the minute we went inside."

What is the significance of the Soviet foothold in Somalia? From their headquarters at Berbera, the Russians would have the capability of dominating the southern approach to the Suez Canal. With missile-equipped naval vessels they could harass the sea lanes around the Persian Gulf, easily attaining naval dominance over large stretches of the Indian Ocean. On the other hand, the

Bartlett trip will undoubtedly increase the chances that Congress will appropriate funds for expanding U.S. military facilities on Diego Garcia, the tiny British-owned island that lies some 2,000 miles off the coast of East Africa and 1,000 miles south of India.

Perhaps the most puzzling question raised by the Bartlett trip is why President Mohamed Siad Barre invited U.S. officials to Berbera in the first place. Siad, a taciturn career soldier who came to power after a leftist military coup in 1969, ingenuously told the Senator, "You won't find anything there." One theory is that Siad genuinely did not know the full significance of the Soviet construction at Berbera, and may have been prevented by some of his own aides from finding out. Another, perhaps more plausible explanation is that Siad may have been attempting, however obliquely, to demonstrate that he would welcome more U.S. aid--not just more help for dealing with the severe drought that has taken at least 10,000 Somali lives in the past six months but also some American arms to counterbalance the current Soviet domination.

Strategic Sacrifices. Bartlett left Berbera convinced that Somalia should indeed receive more U.S. aid for the drought. But he and his party were troubled that the Somalis had already made so many strategic sacrifices to the Soviet Union. "The Somalis may have sovereignty here," said a Pentagon specialist as he left Berbera, "but it is the Soviets who will be using it and calling the shots."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.