Uganda and Eritrea's interest in the conflict has more to do with regional adventurism and the desire to achieve goals extraneous to the conflict. Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya – have some justification for getting involved because of its borders and having Somali populations of their own! The US role is driven by the entrenchment of fundamentalism and its possible spread of Islam to all regions in the Horn

Up to 12 countries are playing direct and indirect roles in the conflict and bankrolling either the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) or the ramnants of Islamic Courts or Beelaha Somalia. The other countries involved are Sudan, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran and the US. The participants' individual interest in the conflict differ. Egypt's role has more to do with maintaining its overwhelming use of the Nile waters than anything else.