Ah, Somalia, a veritable utopia for the advocates of laissez-faire economics and aggressive entrepreneurship. I was there in 1993.

At one point, our unit was approached by a Somali hoping to cash in on some recent unpleasantness. He told us he knew where the severed head of a UN soldier was being displayed by an enterprising individual who was charging people the equivalent of 31 cents to view it. He said he could take us to it but demanded a reward. We were somewhat accustomed to Somali habits of acquisition by this time and there was a standing reward of 100 dollars for the return of human remains. The would-be broker would not accept this. He demanded five thousand dollars, American, for the information. (Our fiat currency is still held in high regard even in free economic zones like Mogadishu.)

An officer more senior than I pulled his pistol, pointed it directly between the would-be guide’s eyes and said, “I have a better plan, asshole. Take us to it and you get to keep your own head.” The negotiating phase thus completed, we proceeded with considerable caution to the indicated place of business, a small stand in a local market. The proprietor did not want to surrender his most important capital asset and greeted us with AK fire. We dispatched him to the next world along with several of his hired helpers, retrieved the head, and returned to our own business address.