the 12th hour when Somalia seemingly had no other allies left. America originally was aligned with Ethiopia but stopped supplying and equipping the country with support and aid. The United States originally thought that in the long term Ethiopia would be a more valuable ally due to its geographical position, its size and influence. Yet both Somalia and Ethiopia were in close proximity to western oil routes, which peaked both of the United States and the Soviet Union's stake in Africa. Both the United States and the Soviet Union had military accord with the separate alliances to their respective countries. America had access to ports and airstrips, while the Soviet Union had military posts scattered throughout Ethiopia by the Red Sea. The extensive and continued involvement of the United States and the Soviet Union in the Horn of Africa was a tribute to the game of chess called the Cold War. Due to Siad Barre's human rights abuses, the United States was only comfortable with sending light weapons for defense rather than for attack. John E. Pike writes “although the United States was prepared to help the Siad Barre regime economically through direct grants, World Bank-sponsored loans, and relaxed International Monetary Fund regulations, the United States hesitated to offer Somalia more military aid than was essential to maintain internal security. The amount of United States military and economic aid to the regime was US$34 million.” Border war After President Siad Barre visited the United States in early February 1982, only months later did the assault on Somalia's border began. In the middle of July the SSDF (Somalia Salvation Democratic Front also known as Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia), a paramilitary umbrella organization created after Siad Barre's reign as dictator began, and Ethiopia armed with Soviet military weapons and machines crossed over the disputed Ogaden region into the Mudug region of Somalia. The Mudug region, located in central Somalia, was the point of attack as any conflict there would threaten to split the country into two halves. The Ethiopians came armed with Soviet-supplied MIG fighters and T-55 tanks. The estimated the size of the Ethiopian force was at 10,000 men, while the Somali army was estimated to be around fifty thousand by Western diplomatic sources at the beginning of the campaign. Despite the difference in army size, the Somalis were extremely unprepared as they were not very well equipped. Upon