Nomads Another visit of yesteryears eNuri write-ups, may Allah SWT accept our sincere intentions and forgive us for our non-sincere ones, Amin. Nur

From The Daily Record Opinions. December 28, 2008 Obama inherits Somalia problem Add Somalia to the list of Bush administration blunders that Barack Obama's people need to straighten out. Good luck on this one. In 2007, the Bush administration sponsored and covertly financed an invasion of Somalia by Ethiopia. It wanted to dislodge from power an organization called the Islamic Courts. This mixed Muslim group had finally brought a semblance of order to Somalia after decades of warlord chaos. However, it frightened the neocons surrounding Bush. They didn't want another Islamic government in the Persian Gulf area. As a result of the invasion, the Islamist regime collapsed and went into hiding. Chaos returned to Somalia. The puppet government set up by the U.S.-backed Ethiopian forces couldn't even control Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, forget the rest of the country. Moreover, it can't, or won't, control pirates operating from Somalia's shores that are terrorizing shipping in the Gulf of Aden. The Ethiopians have given up. They're withdrawing their forces by the end of 2008. The Islamic forces are returning. Only this time they're much tougher and they are led by stridently anti-American fundamentalists. Those leaders who were deemed moderate are dead or totally silenced. According to those in the know, formerly moderate leaders were amenable to discussions with the United States. Now, no way. I guess that our continued military presence in Afghanistan is justified by the hope (perhaps a slim one) that the country will not devolve into a failed state available to accommodate the likes of al Qaeda. With one swoop, the "Bushies" have virtually ensured that Somalia will remain a failed state with even better possibilities for al Qaeda than Afghanistan. MICHAEL G. BUSCHE Sparta

From The Daily Record December 28, 2008 Obama inherits Somalia problem Add Somalia to the list of Bush administration blunders that Barack Obama's people need to straighten out. Good luck on this one. In 2007, the Bush administration sponsored and covertly financed an invasion of Somalia by Ethiopia. It wanted to dislodge from power an organization called the Islamic Courts. This mixed Muslim group had finally brought a semblance of order to Somalia after decades of warlord chaos. However, it frightened the neocons surrounding Bush. They didn't want another Islamic government in the Persian Gulf area. As a result of the invasion, the Islamist regime collapsed and went into hiding. Chaos returned to Somalia. The puppet government set up by the U.S.-backed Ethiopian forces couldn't even control Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, forget the rest of the country. Moreover, it can't, or won't, control pirates operating from Somalia's shores that are terrorizing shipping in the Gulf of Aden. The Ethiopians have given up. They're withdrawing their forces by the end of 2008. The Islamic forces are returning. Only this time they're much tougher and they are led by stridently anti-American fundamentalists. Those leaders who were deemed moderate are dead or totally silenced. According to those in the know, formerly moderate leaders were amenable to discussions with the United States. Now, no way. I guess that our continued military presence in Afghanistan is justified by the hope (perhaps a slim one) that the country will not devolve into a failed state available to accommodate the likes of al Qaeda. With one swoop, the "Bushies" have virtually ensured that Somalia will remain a failed state with even better possibilities for al Qaeda than Afghanistan. MICHAEL G. BUSCHE Sparta

SOS writes: "Other wise, brother Nur, you may wish to be in Qurac Dheer, but you'll find yourself in Qansax Wareer! Other wise, brother Nur, you may wish to be in Qurac Dheer, but you'll find yourself in Qansax Wareer! " Lol @ Qansax Wareer! Actually I spent two weeks at Qansax Wareer, it was unforgettable. Alhamdulillah, no Camel Raids took place for those two weeks although I suspect that a grudge existed and an armed settlement could have been the case. Like Cigaal Shidaad once sang: Ilaahey i Jecelaa, Muxuu Jirey Arwaaxeyga Waligeyba Meel Laguu Jabaan Jaqallo Kuusnaaye! Nur

Abu Diaby bro. Regardless of the Professors remarks, I think that its an unfortunate side kick against the Islamic movement in Somalia, the dirty games seem to have gained momentum after the Ethiopians failed the military option. I pray that Allah exposes the hands behind this untimely events and nullifies the effects of the deception shrouding the Sufi Shrines. Nur

Ajooz bro. ( assuming that "ajooz" means an old chap!) Here is my pick " Knowledge is understanding that a tomato is a fruit ." " Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad ." In the Arabic language, Xikmah ( Wisdom) means " Wadc al shey fii mawdicihi al munaasib " placing things where they belong. May I also add from our Somali perspective that: Knowledge is that a Banana is a vegetable Wisdom is eating your Banana with Linguini al dente! Nur

Geel Jire brother. I have been to a similar situation like yours, not once but several times, each time that I faced a questionable situation, I consoled myself that I will handle it with wisdom, however each time, a different tilt of the Haraam things popped up from nowhere to my dismay. I finally gave up trying to find ways to reconcile between adhering to the tenets of my faith and my efforts for earning a living as I realized the limitation of the sphere of my influence. My advice is that you look for a job description that does not expose you to questionable situations. Nur

Nomads eNuri frecasting Service predicted the the USA will have a Jewish-Muslim American President by the fictitious name of Abdullah Tannenaum by the year 2103. Well that prediction is now more believable as we have Barak Hussein Obama, as the President Elect ( which eNuri Predicted during his campaign that he will be elected ). Barak Obama was a Muslim by birth, raised as Christian, and now serves the Jewsih State of Isreal. What a great peacemaker? also he comes with two flavors, Chocolate and Vanilla, with a little topping of Banana ( Indonisian)! this man can make everyone hear what they want, his smile is the new weapon of mass disorientation, it should be listed with the International Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Nur

Jazaakallahu Kheiran brother So true today as it was during the advent of Islam some 1400 years. I particularly find # 1. 2, 3, 5, 9 and Ten to be self manifesting in light of current events in Somalia. When one reads verses of the Holy Quraan about the punishment in Hell, its skin shivering, " How can anyone deserve such an eternal punishment ? " we may ask, well, number 10 above perfectly explains why. A very good post, baarakallahu Feek Nur

Jazaakellahu Kheiran, May Allah Bless you for this great reminder. The winter nights are quite long ( specially for Nomads who live near the North Pole. Any eNuri readers in Helsinki?) Allah made these long nights for Tahajjud, for those who want to be grateful to Allah or those who love Allah SWT. May Allah SWT help us to get up from our beds at night to be grateful ( Liman araada an yadhakkara aw araada shukuuraa) amin.r Nur

Blessed sis Great Contribution: May I add in the above regard that there are four things: 1. Something we know about ourselves that people dont know about us ( Hunger ) 2. Something we know about ourselves and people know about us ( Anger ) 3. Something that people know about us, but we dont know about ourselves (Wrong Judgement) 4. And something that we MAY NOT know about ourselves ( Nifaaqul Asghar), nor others know about us. ( Minor Hypocracy) That is why Hypcoracy is dangerous trait in any person. The Nifaaq as its cousin, Kufr, have two categories; the Minor Hypocracy, which is a sickness, and the Major Nifaaq which is a terminal illness. A person who displays part of the above symptoms may be suffering from the Minor Hypocracy, while a person who displays all of the above is spiritually dead. Acaadanaa Allahu minhaa, amin. Nur

The fear of Islam is forcing western liberals and NeoCons alike to jump in bed with Anti-Muslim "Muslims" But there is a problem with their choice. You see Nomad, Islam and the Western values are mutually exclussive, belief in one of them means a disbelief in the other, but to each is (his/her) choice, right? wrong! They see Islam as a faith that has to be gradually diluted, compromised, or if I may " Westernized " like Christianity and Judaism, our eastern cousin religions. You may ask, why can't they accept diversity of outlooks in life? dont be silly, because if they accept Islam as an equal value system, they will lose followers to Islam, Islam is the fastest growing faith on earth, most notable segment are the youth who are attracted to the No Alcohol, No Drugs, No Premarital Sex, clean lifestyle regimen of Islam, and Women! yes western women represent the majority of converts to Islam! isn't that weird? either the numebrs are lying or the media is, you decide which one. This dangerous trend is forcing Priests of the Western liberal ideals to rush to stop Islam's fire in its own natural habitat, its homelands, in Somalia and Afganistan with a genious dual pretexts of Terror and now, Piracy! before it spreads uncontrollably to the West. To stop Islam at its homelands, Zionist owned western media needs to create its own version of "Islamic Leaders", their choice is always to make a hero out of any Self hating " Muslim " who considers western values to be superior to Islamic values. In Somalia, our society has radically changed from a non-observant Muslim society to a staunchly pro-Islmic society in the last 17 years in the absence of a "government". Many western educated Somali secularists found themselves as foreigners in their own country, the dreaded Hijab is now replacing the 1970ies mini-skirts and sexy transparent Dirac worn by Somali women while bearded young men are increasingly visibly roaming the country. The nation has transformed quite the opposite to the wishes of the architects of westernization in Somalia and the old breed are fast disappearing. Today, a transformation of idealogy is taking deep roots in Somalia dating back to the fall of Siad Barre government, no longer are the "Wadaads" a bunch of ignorant zealot religious students ( Xer) reading Holy Quraan at funerals or blessing houses on Wednesdays, the new breed of wadaads are converts from western secularism, many have lived in the west for years and failed to find happiness in that system. These intellectuals who are armed with a sound knowledge of western system and the Islamic faith, are outnumbering the Somali secularists who failed to earn the respect of elders in their respective clans, and Somali people at large. The Somali people's resistance against foreign domination and slavery is becoming a tough call to suppress, their demands for a just national government based on the people's choice of Islam is impossible to stop. The harder the Zionist Media tries to muffle their voices, the more naked the western system will appear to the people of Somalia who will determine who wins the streets. If a fair and free election is held in Somalia today, Islamists will win in a landslide like Gaza and Algeria. So, the creation of chaos by military intervention to prolong the agony of this free spirited nation is the only strategy the west hopes will brake their will to accept the Anti- Islam "Muslims" as leaders for Somalis, hence the Western Media's showering of our traitors with Honor Medals. Dont be surprised if the 2009 Nobel for Peace is shared between Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, Gendai Frazer of USA, a Somali Moderate Islamist of the Djibouti ICU Faction, The entire TFG Somali Parliament of Baidoa and one of the peaceful Nomads on SOL forums. You know something is wrong when Democracy means the appointment of a Somali Government by the US and Ethiopia, when America's allies in Somalia are the most hated criminlas who have maintained anarchy in Somalia for 17 years and who have committed war crimes of biblical proportions. Imagine asking a Jew to accept a Nazi for a leader? That is exactly how the Somali people feel about the CIA supported Client Warlord Government known as the TFG ( Transitional Federal Government) dubed ( Transplanted Foreign Government ) So, these days the west is fueling another divison in the ranks of Islamists who are opposing the US-Ethiopian supported TFG allies, by accepting one of the factions as " Moderates " while demonising the other as " Extremists ". Naturally, when an enemy occupier approves a resistance faction against another, the objective is not to make peace, its an enemy tactic to cause a division to weaken both of them. The so called "Moderates" come in two flavors: 1. Genuinely honest Muslims who are not aware of the end game in the " Negotiations" 2. Anti-Islam " Muslims" While, the "Exremists" come in three falovors: 1. Genuine Honest Muslims who understand the endgame of the occupiers and their masters. 2. Genuine honest Muslims who do not understand the endgame. 3. Embedded Anti Islam "Muslims" who lead the pack to a cliff in coordination with the occupiers, buffalo style. This group is dangerous, they play the role of devout Muslims, they coerce the ignorant followers to fall in a well prepared trap, they usually mislead the genuine honest members to divert their attention to act irresponsibly, like enforcing Sharia law on their grass root supporters who are not ready yet to give up their mild narcotic Qat weed they enjoy chewing. For the west, and specially for the American Zionists, the most unpleasant outcome of the events in Somalia is a Just Peaceful Model of Islamic Governance, applying the moral of true Islamic Law of peace with the world, Security for our neighbors, Tolerance with other faiths, Respect of others beliefs and the Rule of law, which collectively pave the way to a TRUE FREEDOM! Nur 2008 eNuri Political Analyses Trimming Pinocchio's Nose

Obama v. Washington Mythmaking By Robert Parry December 22, 2008 "Consortium News " -- Over the years, Washington has evolved into a city of deceptions where semantics cloud reality and where a hazy mix of lies, half-truths and mythology can combine to unleash the devastating military might of the United States for no good reason. Indeed, if there were to be a serious effort to "change the mindset" that got the United States into the Iraq War - as Barack Obama has promised - one place to start would be to force Official Washington to take a long hard look in the mirror. During George W. Bush's presidency alone, language has been routinely twisted to justify everything from aggressive war to torture. Those two international crimes were turned into "preventive war" and "alternative interrogation techniques." But "preventive war" is nothing but a grotesque Orwellian euphemism, since it makes no sense to claim that you're preventing a war by starting a war. The accurate phrase, especially in the context of the Iraq invasion, would be "aggressive war." That phrase, however, would force an uncomfortable judgment that President Bush and many well-dressed neocons at Georgetown dinner parties were "war criminals" deserving of hanging. Under the legal standards applied to the Nazi leaders at the Nuremberg Tribunals, "aggressive war" was deemed the "supreme international crime" because it sets loose all the atrocities of warfare. However, rather than liken Bush and the neocons to the Nazis, Official Washington replaced "aggressive war" with the ever-so-much-nicer choices of "preventive" or "preemptive" war. Official Washington also disdains the word "torture" when it describes actions approved at the highest levels of the Bush administration. It's so much more comforting to talk about "alternative interrogation techniques." [For more, see Consortiumnews.com's Torture Trail Seen Starting with Bush.] There's also that pleasant denial of reality when one hears reassurances from Vice President Dick Cheney and other senior officials that "the United States doesn't torture." So what if simulated drowning from waterboarding, forced nudity, stress positions, sleep deprivation, use of extreme temperatures and similar techniques have long been regarded as torture, especially when used by U.S. enemies or against American troops? If U.S. officials now say those methods aren't torture, then it's time to go with different phrasing . False narratives play an important role, too, in Washington's self-delusions, by casting U.S. government actions in the most favorable light and those of its enemies in the most negative. At one level, you have Bush answering the American public's post-9/11 question "why do they hate us?" with the fairy-tale explanation that Islamic extremists "hate our freedoms." Other times, you get outright lying. For instance, President Bush began insisting in July 2003 that he had no choice but to invade Iraq because Saddam Hussein refused to let the United Nations arms inspectors in - even though any cursory reading of recent history would show that Hussein did let the inspectors in, in fall 2002. It was Bush who forced the inspectors to leave in March 2003 so he could proceed with his shock-and-awe invasion. Yet Bush has continued to invoke this made-up history about Hussein barring the inspectors as recently as Dec. 1 when he spun the tale to ABC News' Charles Gibson. Like many big-name journalists before him, Gibson didn't contradict Bush's historical revisionism. [see Consortiumnews.com's Bush Still Lies About Iraq War. For more on the history of Washington deceptions, see Robert Parry's Lost History.] Change with Obama? The big question now is whether President Obama will bring any meaningful change to the deceptive mindset of the Washington Establishment. Or will Obama bend to Washington's potent conventional wisdom which incorporates these pleasing narratives? So far, it appears the Washington Establishment is winning out. Obama's transition has been so much to the liking of the power elite that everyone from Dick Cheney and Henry Kissinger to the many neoconservative writers on the Washington Post and New York Times editorial pages have been pinching themselves to make sure they're not dreaming. They have cheered lustily over Obama's national security picks, particularly the decision to retain Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who oversaw President Bush's "surge" of about 30,000 troops in Iraq in 2007-2008 after Donald Rumsfeld balked at doing so. The Gates choice is especially heartwarming to the neocons because it reinforces an important argument as they rehabilitate themselves in the wake of the Iraq fiasco. By keeping Gates, Obama is acquiescing to the myth of the "successful surge," which the neocons see as crucial in validating their war judgment and discrediting their critics. The "successful surge" myth is built around the widely accepted conventional wisdom that the increase in U.S. troop levels in 2007 brought Iraqi violence under control and carried the United States to the verge of "victory" in Iraq. This analysis is now considered a nearly indisputable fact by Bush's defenders and most of Washington's elite news media, although it is shared by very few military experts who credit the drop in violence to a variety of other developments, many of which - like the switching of sides among Sunni tribes in Anbar province and the killing of al-Qaeda's murderous leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi - predated the "surge." Other non-surge security factors included: --The surprise decision of radical Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr to order a unilateral cease-fire by his militia; --The vicious ethnic cleansing that separated Sunnis and Shiites while forcing several million Iraqis to become refugees either in neighboring countries or within their own; --Concrete walls built between Sunni and Shiite areas, "cantonizing" Baghdad. --The detention of thousands of "military age males" who were rounded up often indiscriminately; --The cumulative effect of five years of concentrated U.S. firepower on Iraqi insurgents and civilian bystanders, leaving countless thousands dead. --With the total Iraqi death toll estimated in the hundreds of thousands and many more Iraqis horribly maimed, the extraordinary trauma affecting Iraqi society has caused many Iraqis to simply look toward their own survival. Besides being only one of many factors in the reduced violence, the "surge" also failed to bring about the political-economic reconciliation in Iraq that Bush had promised when he announced the build-up in January 2007. Nor has it led to the expected drawdown of troops to below pre-surge levels, with almost 150,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq, about 16,000 more than before the "surge." Yet, the myth of the "successful surge" has proved extraordinarily powerful. During the campaign, Obama faced hectoring from media interviewers, such as CBS News' Katie Couric and ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, demanding that he admit he was wrong to oppose the "surge." For weeks, Obama held firm, insisting that the issue was more complicated than his interviewers wanted to admit. He argued that there were many factors behind Iraq's changed security environment. But ultimately he caved in while being interrogated on Sept. 4 by Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. "I think that the surge has succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated," Obama confessed to O'Reilly. "It's succeeded beyond our wildest dreams." Obama may have judged that continued resistance was futile. But his surrender on the "successful surge" myth may have other long-term consequences. Sizing Up Obama Having watched him succumb to media pressure - and then seeing him accept Establishment favorite Robert Gates as a Republican holdover in the new Cabinet - the U.S. high command in the Middle East appears to be getting ready to roll over the incoming President on his central campaign promise of a 16-month withdrawal from Iraq. Generals David Petraeus and Ray Odierno have outlined to Obama a scheme for a modest withdrawal of about 7,000 to 8,000 troops in the first six months of 2009 - bringing the total down to levels that still might be higher than those before the surge two years ago - and then keeping the numbers there until at least June 2009 when additional judgments would be made, the New York Times reported Thursday. Rather than "change you can believe in," the generals seem to have in mind something closer to Bush's old "stay the course." Gen. Odierno, who is commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, also said on Dec. 13 that American combat troops will remain in Iraqi cities after June 30, 2009, the date of their scheduled relocation away from the cities under a new "status-of-forces agreement" with the Iraqi government. Odierno said these troops would be "transition teams" advising Iraqi forces. Col. James Hutton, a spokesman for Odierno, later amplified on the general's comments, characterizing U.S. troops staying behind in the cities as "enablers to Iraqi security forces." Iraqi critics of the status-of-forces agreement were quick to criticize these American word games of redefining U.S. troops as "transition teams" and "enablers." "This confirmed our view that U.S. forces will never withdraw from the cities next summer, and they will never leave Iraq by the end of 2011," said Ahmed al-Masoudi, a spokesman for a Shiite parliamentary bloc close to al-Sadr. The status-of-forces agreement, which is intended to govern the actions of U.S. military forces in Iraq after Dec. 31, 2008, also calls for a complete American military withdrawal by the end of 2011. However, many Iraqis are dubious that the United States intends to live up to its word - and Odierno has noted that the deadline can be renegotiated. "Three years is a very long time," Odierno told reporters. In other words, the top U.S. commanders for Iraq have taken the measure of the President-elect and decided that they can openly flout his central campaign promise - that he would give them new orders on his first day in office to begin a monthly withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq, culminating after 16 months with only a modest residual force left behind. Now on Day One, Obama can expect to face clear opposition to his withdrawal plan from the lead generals in the region and from Defense Secretary Gates, who also has spoken out against Obama's timetable. If he presses ahead on a pullout, Obama can expect strong institutional resistance and leaks critical of his leadership. However, if he reneges on his campaign promise and succumbs to the power play by these Bush holdovers, Obama will be sending another troubling signal - that he can be "handled" - a message that will resonate across Washington and around the world. Rehabilitating Bush Besides undercutting Obama, the myth of the "successful surge" has fueled a new narrative favorable to George W. Bush, that his decision to liberate Iraq may have suffered from many problems of execution but he bravely stuck with it until he came upon a winning strategy. To celebrate this story line, Bush secretly flew to Iraq on Dec. 14 to sign the status-of-forces agreement and boast about an impending U.S. victory. However, reality reasserted itself when Bush was forced to dodge two shoes thrown by an angry Iraqi journalist, Muntader al-Zaidi, who upstaged Bush's self-congratulatory rhetoric with shouts about the death and destruction that the near-six-year-old war has inflicted on Iraq. "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq!" al-Zaidi shouted as he threw his second shoe (before being wrestled to the ground and beaten by Iraqi security personnel). Now, Barack Obama must decide if he wants to buy into Bush's war in Iraq, even while vowing to increase U.S. forces in Bush's other war in Afghanistan. If he does, Obama may find himself equally in need of euphemisms to explain his reversal of a key campaign promise - and to justify the additional widows and orphans who will surely be created over the next several years in Iraq. The question now is whether Obama will change Washington or whether Washington already has begun to change Obama? Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories in the 1980s for the Associated Press and Newsweek. His latest book, Neck Deep: The Disastrous Presidency of George W. Bush, was written with two of his sons, Sam and Nat. His two previous books are Secrecy & Privilege: The Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq and Lost History: Contras, Cocaine, the Press & 'Project Truth'.

Runner's High by Sarah Willett Many runners have had the opportunity to experience a state of euphoria while running. While the actual state that they feel varies immensely for each individual there is a common feeling associated with the term "runner's high". When a person is asked about runner's high they typically will say that it a pleasant state that a runner might experience after a certain distance. This in fact may not be true for only runners though. Skiers, surfers, football players and wrestlers all have "highs" or moments when they feel they are working to their maximum potential and feeling on top of the world. Runner's are not the only types of athletes that experience intense emotional feelings. One must question exactly what is included in this feeling. Defining a "high" may not be all that easy, if there even is such a thing. Many people have related runner's high to the feeling of an orgasm. At this time, the body and mind are both highly stimulated and seem to elevate a person's senses. Other people have responded to the question of "What is runner's high?" by saying that when the environmental stimuli around you is near perfect and you are feeling good you are actually feeling a type of "high". We must not overlook the facts though, which include physical and physiological details to back up feelings of runner's high. Throughout time, runner's high has been debated and there is still no general definition as to what it is, or even if it exists. Looking at different personal experiences and physical evidence one can generally conclude that runner's high is a state of euphoria caused by the environmental stimuli around the runner and the biological aspects of stress associated with running. The most obvious aspects to address with runner's high are the biological and psychological aspects that can be associated with it. When the body is put under stress the mind reacts accordingly. This is why endorphins are commonly associated with runner's high. Endorphins are any of a group of opiate proteins with pain-relieving properties that are found naturally in the brain. The word "endorphine" comes from endogenous, meaning "produced within the body" and morphine, a chemical substance derived from opium that elevates mood and reduces pain. Endorphines in turn are neurotransmitters that are chemically similar to morphine.1 It has been realized that the brain responds to morphine and that morphine receptors are in the brain. Knowing that human cells have receptors for this drug suggests that the body produces its own morphine like substances. Endorphines and enkephalins are names given to these neurotransmitters. Through studies with athletes it has been found that endorphine levels increase with exercise. Special interest arose in the possibility that elevated endorphin levels might explain the mood changes that occur during running, in particular the euphoria of the runner's high, and the increased resistance to pain that occurs during exercise.2 Pain can be described as a complex experience that involves a bodily response to a noxious stimulus followed by an emotional response to the event. In a sense, pain is a warning mechanism that helps the body protect itself from harmful stimuli. When a person is running they are putting their body under stress. When this happens, stress and pain occur, causing endorphin levels to rise in the brain. People's pain thresholds tend to increase directly following exercise such as a long-distance run and their moods are often elevated.3 An elevated endorphine level will then produce a mood change. Mood changes are not always positive though, and when some runners have an increase in endophines they experience negative mood changes. Overall, an increase in the brain's production of endorphines occurs when the body is put under stress such as long distance running, and the endorphines then cause a positive or negative mood change. Endorphines appear to be involved in runner's high, the state of euphoria some runners report after a prolonged period of exercise, but what exactly is the state that these runners are feeling? There is a close connection between the mind and the body when a person is running. In fact it has been said that the mind takes over for the body because it can no longer function properly after certain time periods. When this happens and the endorphine levels increase, a unique experience is felt. Unfortunately, there is no accurate way to record what a person is feeling at this time. Personal experiences are all we have to go by to try to explain what the body is feeling. By examining numerous personal experiences we can conclude that there is a typical emotional feeling but not one definite one. In fact, many people still question whether or not they feel anything at all even when their endorphine levels rise. Yiannis Kouros who could be classified as a legend in the world of Ultrarunning once explained what he was feeling when he was running. In an article he wrote published by Ultrarunning magazine in March of 1990 he stated, "Some may ask why I am running such long distances. There are reasons. During the ultras I come to a point where my body is almost dead. My mind has to take leadership. When it is very hard there is a war going on between the body and the mind. If my body wins, I will have to give up; if my mind wins, I will continue. At that time I feel that I stay outside of my body. It is as if I see my body in front of me; my mind commands and my body follows. This is a very special feeling, which I like very much. . . It is a very beautiful feeling and the only time I experience my personality separate from my body, as two different things."4 What Yiannis Kouros says, is that when he is running for a long enough time his body and mind separate. Other runners have experienced this same type of thing. One English teacher stated that during the last one and a half miles of the Ice Age Trail run in 1994 he ,"found myself running far faster than I had all day; I wasn't even conscious of my feet touching the ground as I crested the knoll ahead of the finish line. I wasn't running; it was as if something much larger than I was running me." Generally, most people claim that a runner's high is when the mind takes over the body and the unconscious leads the mind. Yet, there are many more aspects that people attribute to runner's high. Most people claim that runners high is a feeling of invincibility and superior performance that can be brought on by certain environmental surroundings. Environmental stimuli affects everybody in positive and negative ways. Divers swimming in clear, warm water seem to experience pleasant sensations, while those in dark, cold water seem to encounter panic, fear, anxiety, and depression.5 These feelings can also be associated with running. When running on a beautiful, sunny day in a place where the scenery pleases the runner, he or she is more likely to experience happiness or even a high, versus when running on a cold, rainy day, along dark, unknown scenery. When a runner is able to take in the scenery that is around them and almost become one with it, then the run will be enhanced. One runner, Jamie Hurley, wrote that "I feel wonderful and have no desire to hide it. I look around me and can breathe in the fullness of my natural surroundings - the trees, the dirt, the birds, the little critters, the sun, the terrain, the wind". When looking at the different aspects of runner's high, the environmental surroundings play an important role. While their are many different feelings that are supposedly associated with runners high, there is still much controversy surrounding whether or not there is such a thing. We have looked at the medical aspects of runner's high which states that there is definitely a change in a person's physical state caused by the stress of running. These are the endorphins working to alleviate the body of as much stress as possible. After looking at the biological aspects of runner's high we looked at the environmental stimulus that may bring on a heightened feeling of happiness. This feeling may just be when you are at the right spot under ideal conditions that make a person want to run further. Yet there is still the possibility that there is no such thing as runner's high. This question, about whether or not runner's high exists, is brought on mainly because there is not set definition for runner's high. Many people have never experienced it or say they have never had a "high" and yet do not know what one feels like. Some people have compared a "high" associated with running to a "high" from drugs. But again one must question even what a high from drugs feels like. Statistically, more people are doing drugs in which they can get a high than the number of people running 20 or 30 miles (the average at which people seem to get a high), therefore there are more cases of feelings associated with drug highs recorded. Knowing what a high feels like can vary for each individual, just as pain can for an individual. "The perception of pain may be exacerbated by nonphysical factors such as anxiety, and some pain has no physical cause whatsoever."6 This statement can also be applied to runner's high. In conclusion, in can be stated that while running there is a point when a person's body undergoes some type of change. The cause of this change may be because of environmental aspects and/or because of the biological aspects surrounding it. The feelings that are associated with this change is what is still questionable. With no actual definition of what the runner is supposed to feel it is impossible to generalize as to what that feeling is. Everyone records their personal feelings differently and what may be a high for one person may only be a feeling of happiness for another person. Looking at the different aspects that are associated with runner's high, I personally, have determined that there are periods of contentment that one will feel whether it is from running or other types of physical or even mental activity. I feel that this report can be summed up from a statement I received over e-mail and what was the most common response to my question "What is runner's high?" , "I've been running for 25 years or so, and don't know for sure what runner's high is. On almost every run, and certainly the long ones, there are periods of contentment or reflection when one is on automatic pilot and the terrain goes past unnoticed. Runner's High? I don't know."

WOL sis A timely Reminder ! Nur

Nomads How are we all doing with our quest to master the Arabic language, the language of the Hily Quraan? Nur

I am not sure about SOS desire to join his cousin at Qudhac Dheer, but I am all for it sis, what about you? any plans anytime soon? there is a slight problem these days for Nomads who move back home for enjoying camel milk without consent of their families, they are not considered " health conscious tourists ", they are classified as combattants against the Ethiopian Occupation of Somalia, which enjoys the US blessing. Nur

Geel Jire bro. 7. Ayada waxaan ula jeedaa ( Nolosha Adduunka); Ma Qurxiyo Nolsha Dunida qof ayada Jecel. Qurxintaas ula ma jeedo, qurxinta muuqata ( architecture gardening, dhar qurxan iwm) ee waxaan ula jeedaa qurxinta lagu qurxiyo cadaaladda, naxariista iyo sifaadka wanaagsan oo dhan. Baarkallahu feek akhi Aby Diaby bro. I am guilty of all counts your honor, I kindly request liniency in the conviction. Cag Bakayle, is busy these days considering running for the soon-to-be-vacant position of President of the Warlord TFG Government after being encouraged by the Djibouti faction of the ICU. Note: I have changed topic no. 4; Open Letter To Obama Nur

As usual, my jotter is overflowig and I see no time in the horizon to write all of them, but your interest and short listing of these suggested topics can motivate me in investing time and effort in its composition, so vote for topics that may interest you, and pray for me. 1. A comparison and a contrast between Somali Lies and American Lies. 2. Centrist Politics and Extremist Islam 3. Terrorism for Dummies 4. An Open Letter To Barak Hussein Obama 5. Fadliga Culimada Diinta Somalida 6. Prophet Abraham's Bird. 7. Qof Jecel Nolosha Dunida, Ma Qurxiyo: Ma Qurxiyo Nolosha Dunida qof ayada Jecel. Qurxintaas ula ma jeedo, qurxinta muuqata ( dhismaha, beeraha cagaaran, dhar qurxan iwm) ee waxaan ula jeedaa qurxinta lagu qurxiyo cadaaladda, naxariista iyo sifaadka wanaagsan oo dhan . 8. Do You Feel Secure? 9. Shirk In Our Lives 10. The Prayer Business Nur

Ethiopia, America and Somalia: Staggering Stoopidity! Cheney-Zenawi Award for Gross Political Stoopidity Posted By Gwynne Dyer Statesmen ought to have a special prize just for themselves, like fools have the Darwin Awards. The Darwin Awards commemorate very stoopid people who did a service to human evolution by accidentally removing themselves from the gene pool. The statesman's equivalent could be called something like the Cheney-Zenawi Award. I mention this because the shining stoopidity of the US Vice-President and the Ethiopian Prime Minister are on special display this week, as the Ethiopian army prepares to withdraw from Somalia two years after its foredoomed invasion, leaving the country in the hands of precisely the people whom they wanted to eliminate. We need negative role models too, and you couldn't ask for worse than this pair. I can't actually prove that getting Ethiopia to invade Somalia was Dick Cheney's brainchild, but it smells exactly like a Dick Cheney idea: crude, violent, and barking up entirely the wrong tree. Just like invading Iraq, in fact. As for Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, he had already distinguished himself by becoming obsessed with the stupidest border war in modern African history. It wasn't his fault to start with: Ethiopia was attacked out of the blue in 1998 by the insanely aggressive regime in Eritrea, but Ethiopian troops drove the Eritreans back. By the ceasefire in mid-2000, Ethiopia had recovered all the ground it lost at the start. An international commission found Eritrea guilty of aggression, and another one arbitrated all the disputed stretches of border, granting Ethiopia most of its claims. Both sides said they would accept the rulings - and then Zenawi walked away from the deal. He has been getting ready for another war with Eritrea ever since. Going to war with Eritrea again would mean defying the United Nations ruling, so Zenawi needed the backing of some great power that could protect him from the UN's censure. Who better than the United States, which has assiduously ignored and belittled the UN under the Bush administration? Now what could Ethiopia do for the Bush administration in return? Well, it could invade Somalia. Washington didn't want to put American troops into Somalia again, having had its nose bloodied in 1993, but it did want to overthrow the civilian regime that was restoring peace in southern Somalia and put its favourite warlord in power instead. Ethiopian troops would do the job just as well. I think I can see the self-satisfied smirk on Cheney's face as he closed the deal: another triumph for the subtle master of geopolitics. I can't make out the look on Zenawi's face, but maybe he was smiling too. Too clever by half, as the saying goes. The job was to overthrow the Union of Islamic Courts, a mass movement funded by local merchants in Mogadishu who wanted to end the constant robberies and kidnaps that made life impossible in the Somali capital. The UIC mobilized the desire of ordinary Somalis for an end to the violence that had ravaged the country for fifteen years, and the peace they brought to Mogadishu soon spread over most of southern Somalia. Unfortunately the courts were "Islamic" and they wanted to enforce sharia law, which in Washington's book made them practically terrorists . They did have a few unsavoury allies, notably an extremist militia called al-Shebab, but they gave people in Mogadishu their first real hope of security and justice. They should not have been destroyed . The Ethiopian army invaded Somalia in December 2006, drove the Islamic Courts out of Mogadishu, and installed Abdullahi Yusuf, the president of the "Transitional Federal Government" (TFG) of Somalia, in power. Well, not exactly in power, since the citizens and militias of Mogadishu immediately began attacking the hated Ethiopians, who only controlled whatever was in their gunsights. As for Abdullahi Yusuf, he only controlled a suite of rooms and some telephones . He was originally chosen as president of the TFG, with ample US support, at a conclave of Somali warlords dignified with the name of "parliament" in Kenya in 2004. He would never have made it back to Mogadishu without the help of the Ethiopian army, and accepting that help made him deeply suspect in the eyes of most Somalis. The resistance has driven the Ethiopian army out of most of southern Somalia in the past two years, and now the Ethiopians are going home. Abdullahi Yusuf will have to leave too, since he has no supporters except the Ethiopians and the Americans. Which will leave Mogadishu in the hands not of the Union of Islamic Courts, alas, but rather of the extremist militias that have pushed the UIC aside during their struggle against the foreign troops. It's almost as perverse as the Bush administration's decision to eliminate Iran's two great enemies in the Gulf, Saddam Hussein's Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ethiopia and the United States have not only plunged Somalia needlessly back into war. They have made it possible for the nastiest, craziest extremists, people who think it is their duty to kill other Muslims with "un-Islamic" haircuts, to take power in Mogadishu. (???????????????????????????????, This part is far fetched, writer went Waco here, Moderator ) The world needs a Cheney-Zenawi Award for Gross Political Stoopidity, and I know who the first nominees should be. Gwynne Dyer's new book, "Climate Wars", has just been published in Canada by Random House

A short path, from Gaza to Somalia By Daniel Levy Israel news As the defined period for the Gaza cease-fire comes to an end today, preceded by a new cycle of violence, Israelis are being treated to a predictable dose of political posturing and chest-thumping. "We must do something, exact a price," we hear. Yes, the rocket fire needs to stop, but there is no military answer to this predicament. To recap: For most of the six months of the cease-fire, relative quiet prevailed, and life returned to near-normal for the residents of Sderot and environs (though not for Gazans, who remained under siege). Then on November 4, an Israeli operation sparked a new round of dangerous, if controlled, violence - characterized by occasional Israeli strikes and incursions, matched by Palestinian rockets and shooting across the border. The cease-fire, while far from ideal, was an improvement over what had preceded it. Of course, Hamas sought to upgrade its military and defensive capacities during this period, as Israel should have been doing on the other side of the border - it would have been absurd to expect otherwise. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail and the cease-fire will be extended - it is in the interests of both sides. The military alternative is not an attractive one - from Israel's side, escalation leading to partial or full reoccupation of Gaza, from Hamas, rockets and perhaps armed attacks from the West Bank in response. It also has no obvious exit strategy. Advertisement But the debate in Israel about continuing the cease-fire largely misses the point. Whether or not it's extended, Israel's overall approach toward Gaza is dangerously mistaken. A siege designed to depose Hamas rule (a problematic goal in itself, but that's another story) risks triggering a social collapse that would have devastating consequences for all concerned. Anyone in search of a cautionary tale, and a peek at a possible future scenario for Gaza, should look at Somalia - which has the dubious distinction of having reintroduced piracy to the daily news lexicon, and from which Ethiopian troops are now planning to withdraw following an ugly two-year occupation. Somalia has gone through 17 years of impoverishment, chaos, destruction and warlords, featuring 13 transitional governments - and is somehow still getting worse. In June 2006, having overrun most of the country, a coalition known as the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), together with businessmen and clan leaders, ousted the various warlords and the woefully ineffectual Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) from the capital Mogadishu. The following months of ICU rule, despite the often unpopular imposition of strict Islamic law, according to The New York Times, "turned out to be one of the most peaceful periods in modern Somali history." The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is beginning to approximate that of Somalia, where 77 percent of the population requires emergency humanitarian support, and the rate of malnutrition is the world's highest. Food insecurity in Gaza currently runs at 56 percent and is deteriorating rapidly, 42 percent of the Strip's population is unemployed and 76 percent is receiving humanitarian assistance (all UN figures). Harsh closures have effectively led to Gaza becoming deindustrialized, and Israeli reluctance even to replenish tattered banknotes is demonetizing the economy. There is a slippery slope from an entrenched humanitarian crisis into bloody anarchy and ungovernable chaos - especially when arms are ubiquitous and there is an open wound of unresolved national grievance. One thing that can prevent a descent into the abyss is the existence of recognized and accepted political leadership. At the very least, Hamas today is an address for possible deals and decision-making, but Israel's assassinations and imprisonment of its leaders take their toll. An Israeli military escalation would likely accelerate the splintering of Hamas' leadership and the emergence of more radical alternatives; that was the effect of Ethiopia's intervention in its backyard. Both Somalia and Palestine are in need of broad and inclusive power-sharing arrangements, brokered internationally and insulated from neighborhood vetoes. If Israel were again to find itself stuck in Gaza, don't expect international forces to come riding to the rescue. Ethiopia's military hoped to be replaced by an internationally sanctioned African Union force, but the troops couldn't be summoned. Handing over a Gaza that's been re-invaded by Israel to Arab and international forces is equally unrealistic. Finally, there is the destabilizing regional effect of failed states. In Somalia's case, it was Eritrea and Djibouti that bore the brunt of the impact, in addition to Ethiopia, and of course the infamous piracy in the oil-shipping lanes of the Gulf of Aden. Alongside Israel, Egypt is most immediately affected by turmoil in Gaza - with potentially severe consequences for regime stability and legitimacy, and for security in the Sinai and beyond. Gaza is not yet Somalia. But the warning signs are there. There was nothing inevitable about the disintegration of Somalia. It happened as a result of misguided policies - notably of the current Bush administration and Ethiopia - which should not be repeated by Israel in Gaza. Israel must do more than extend a cease-fire - Israel must allow Gaza to breathe, to reconnect to the world, to live on more than international handouts, and to reclaim its dignity. Could Hamas benefit in the short term? Perhaps. But worse things can happen - and not just to the Palestinians. For Israel, too, much is at stake. It's no fun to live in a Somalia, and no picnic either being its next-door neighbor. Daniel Levy, a senior fellow at the New America and Century Foundations, was previously an adviser in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, and the lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative

McClatchy Washington Bureau Forget Depp: Somali pirates risk all for riches, women Shashank Bengali | McClatchy Newspapers last updated: December 18, 2008 01:17:15 PM NAIROBI, Kenya — There's at least one job these days that's recession-proof, if you can handle shark-infested seas, outrun some of the world's most powerful navies and keep your cool when your hostages get antsy. A pirate's life in Somalia isn't for everyone. However, nothing comes easily in one of the poorest and most unstable countries on Earth, and when you consider the dearth of career options for Somalis on land, a pirate's life starts to look more than cushy by comparison. " Is there any Somali who can earn a million dollars for any business? We get millions of dollars easily for one attack ," bragged Salah Ali Samatar, a 32-year-old pirate who spoke by phone from Eyl, a pirate den on Somalia's desolate northern coast. Hundreds of pirates such as Samatar — zipping around in simple fiberglass speedboats and usually armed with nothing more sophisticated than automatic rifles — have turned the waters off East Africa into a terrifying gantlet for cargo vessels, oil tankers and even cruise ships sailing between Europe and Asia. The International Maritime Bureau says that at last count 42 ships have been hijacked off Somalia this year, and experts in neighboring Kenya estimate that Somali pirates have pocketed $30 million in ransoms. While their countrymen suffer through another political crisis and the looming threat of famine, pirates are splashing hundred-dollar bills like play money around the nowhere towns of northern Somalia. Residents say that the pirates are building houses, buying flashy cell phones and air-conditioned SUVs, gifting friends and relatives with hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars and winning the attention of beautiful women, who seem to be flocking to pirate towns from miles around. Shopkeepers charge the pirates a premium for food and khat — a narcotic leaf that Somali men chew religiously — but the buccaneers don't seem to mind. "It is true," said a 28-year-old pirate who identified himself as Jama. "We are getting very rich." Jama, who described himself as a high-ranking member of a group based in Eyl, has earned $375,000 as a pirate, enough to buy a Toyota Land Cruiser and to begin building a six-bedroom house in Garowe, the regional capital, for his family. His biggest payday came last month, when he earned a $92,000 share of a $1.3 million ransom for a Greek ship, the MV Centauri, which was released after 10 weeks with its crew unharmed. Almost overnight, Jama said, his standing with the fairer sex has improved dramatically. " Once there was a girl who lived in Garowe ," 100 miles from Eyl, Jama said. " I loved her. I tried to approach her many times, but she rejected me. But since I became a pirate, she has tried nine times to get with me. " But I refused, because I'm already married ." For years, piracy was a middling trade in Somalia, just one way that desperate young men with guns could make a living in a desperately poor land. In recent months, however, with food prices soaring, the interim government careening toward collapse and local authorities powerless to intervene, hardly a day has gone by without an attempt to commandeer a ship. "Socioeconomic status in Somalia is very bad right now, as we know, and this is one of the reasons pirates have turned to hijacking," said Cyrus Mody of the International Maritime Bureau, based in London. "There are a few people who are gaining a lot." In September, pirates captured the world's attention by seizing the MV Faina, a Ukrainian ship ferrying tanks, grenade launchers and other weapons, reportedly to southern Sudan. In November came an even more brazen haul: the Saudi-owned Sirius Star supertanker, the biggest ship ever hijacked, loaded with $100 million worth of oil. Both vessels are still being held for ransom. The U.S. military and NATO have deployed warships to patrol the region, and China said this week that it would send a fleet to join the effort. Also this week, the U.N. Security Council authorized nations to chase pirates onto land, although U.S. military officials are skeptical of that tactic, arguing that pirates can easily blend into the local population. Many of the pirates are former fishermen who claim that they're retaliating against rich countries for years of illegal fishing and dumping in Somali waters, and a small portion of the ransoms is thought to go to local fishermen. One pirate group in Eyl goes by the name "Saving the Somali Sea," although residents complain that the lion's share of the cash stays in the pirates' pockets. " This town benefits nothing from the pirates ," said Bishara Said Ahmed, a 38-year-old housewife in Eyl. "There's no business increase. It's like how it was before. The pirates use this town just to take ships, and when they have their money, they go to other towns to spend it." Ransom payments used to be made via hawala, a money-transfer system that functions as a low-fee Western Union in the Muslim world. As the sums have grown, however, ship owners increasingly rely on helicopter drops from Kenya. Wooden crates packed with cash sometimes fall from the sky in Eyl, like manna to the impoverished civilians barely eking out an existence on dry land. Money-counting machines like the ones at your local bank — " We have to make sure it's real money ," Jama explained — tally up amounts so huge that families who have survived on fishing for generations say that young children now want to grow up to be pirates. " Whenever we hear that a ransom was paid, children's dreams of becoming pirates just increase ," Ahmed said. It isn't just children who are starry-eyed. Mustaf Mohamed Abdi, a 48-year-old taxi driver in Garowe, marveled at the excitement in town when a band of pirates comes through on a spending spree. If he's lucky, Abdi said, a friendly pirate might tip him with a hundred-dollar bill. " The pirates are the hottest men in town ," Abdi said. " Girls from all over Somalia moved here to marry pirates. But if the girl isn't cute she's out of luck, because the pirates only go with beautiful girls ." ( McClatchy special correspondent Ahmed Ali Sheik contributed to this article .)

I Just read that the Nigerians are replacing the Ethiopians! and some of us think that Africa is free! Nur

SOS brother, Modern day Nomads, specially those who have never laid a foot in the Somali baadiye, have no clue of the richness of Somali culture, poetry, camels and our traditional lifestyle ( minus the inter-clan camel raids ). Our traditional life is threatened by warlords and "modern educated" Nomads, who can only think in terms of western culture, who have no appreciation for folk poetry and literature, on that issue a Poet sang: Cilmigan Sama dawdarka ah Caqligu ka dab-oolan yahay Cilmigan daldaloolka badan Intuu dumarkii is baday Raggii, dumar qaar ka dhigay! As for Dubai, its like the California gold rush, everyone is rushing to see this hype, the quick money, the sky scrapers in the desert etc. But, this borrowed lifestyle is not making many people any happier, traffic jams, air and noise pollution, and fewer hours to spend with family isnt the best of ideas. A Poet sang about the Somali vesrion of the California gold rush: Hal La qalay, raqdeedaa lagu soo qamaamay Laba waliba qaybteed qorraxdey ku dubatay Qudhunkii iyo lafahii baa lagu qalay qalleylkiiye Qosol wuxuu ka joogaa qubanaha buuraha qottada dheer ka arkaya qiiqa ee Qararka soo jafaaya! Nur

From Baltimore Chronicle & Sentinel A draft resolution that would permit states fighting piracy to " take all necessary measures ashore in Somalia, including in its airspace " has been circulated to members of the UN Security Council. Prior consent for raids would be required from Somalia's weak and fractured government.. COMMENTARY: Abandoned by the World: UN Declares Open Season on Somalia by Chris Floyd Wednesday, 17 December 2008 With this resolution, the entire world – the entire world – has turned its back on the people of Somalia. They have been abandoned as utterly, completely – and officially -- as any people in history. We reported here last week about American plans to turn Somalia into a global free-fire zone, with powerful militaries from around the world given carte blanche to launch armed incursions into Somali territory and fill the nation's skies with bombers, fighters and missiles. This nightmare scenario --- an unlimited escalation of bloodshed and destruction in one of the most ravaged, shattered lands on earth – has now become a reality, as the Washington Post reports: The UN Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize nations to conduct military raids, on land and by air, against pirates plying the waters off the Somalia coast... The U.S.-drafted resolution authorizes nations to "use all necessary measures that are appropriate in Somalia" in pursuit of pirates, as long as they are approved by the country's transitional federal government . The provision about the " approval " of the Somalia's "transitional federal government" is, of course, a cynical joke on the part of the Security Council. This so-called government – put in place by foreign invaders, riddled with warlords and paid CIA assets – has not only lost control of virtually the entire country; it is now in the process of completely disintegrating. In the past few days, the Somali president, Abdullahi Yusuf, dismissed Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and appointed someone else in his place, as Reuters reports. The Somali parliament rejected Yusuf's move and reinstated Hussein, who met this week with his cabinet. Now there are two " transitional governments ," neither of which have any genuine authority or power. In the unlikely event that one of these Western-installed paper entities raises an objection to an incursion on their soil by foreign forces in pursuit of alleged pirates (or anyone the foreigners arbitrarily designate as a "pirate"), then the other one can give the required "permission" instead. But as the Security Council well knows, it is inconceivable that any incarnation of the "Transitional Federal Government" will prevent any major power from doing whatever it wants in Somalia. The UN decision is being portrayed as a "diplomatic triumph" for Condoleeza Rice, who "personally pushed for the resolution's passage." So she has taken on personal responsibility for an act that will lead inexorably and inevitably to the slaughter of innocent Africans. This fact is recognized not only by humanitarian groups like Oxfam but even by one of U.S. military officers who will be tasked with putting the resolution into practice, as the Post reports: Aid groups, meanwhile, said the approval of military raids could worsen the situation on the ground. "Expanding anti-piracy operations inside Somalia risks further complicating the conflict and could exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis," said Nicole Widdersheim, who heads Oxfam International's New York office. She urged nations to focus on reducing violence within the country, rather than "the threat to commercial interests from piracy off the Somali coast." The commander of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet warned last week that ground attacks on suspected Somali pirates would put the lives of innocent civilians at risk. But for Rice – a major war criminal who has been deeply involved in, among many other things, the illegal invasion of Iraq and the construction of the Bush gulag's torture regimen – these considerations are nothing. She even claims to have no idea of how U.S. forces will engage in "hot pursuit" of pirates, or what the parameters of these incursions – such as the "acceptable" level of "collateral damage" – will be: Rice told reporters Tuesday, "What we do or do not do in cases of hot pursuit we'll have to see, and you'll have to take it case by case." " We'll have to see." Imagine some overwhelmingly powerful force claiming the right to launch armed raids into your town. You ask: What can we expect? What should we prepare for? What will trigger it? How bad will it be? Should we send the children away? Should we all flee? What should we do? And only one answer comes from the bristling camp of the marauders: "We'll have to see." This is a sickening display of moral depravity – on a par with Rice's fearmongering evocations of "mushroom clouds" to panic the American people into support for a war of aggression against Iraq. Yet good progressives tell us that we should be happy for Condi's moments of personal happiness, and hope that she puts "her experience and intelligence to work" for the good of the country in the years to come. (See "Happy Days: No Crime, No Foul for the Media-Political Club.") As I noted in the previous piece on the UN resolution: And now the Bush Regime -- going out in a Götterdämmerung of blood and fury aimed at the world (and at the American people) -- wants to intensify the chaos in Somalia, laying it bare to more invasions, "precision strikes," death squad operations, renditions and other atrocities, this time coming from not just from Washington and its Terror War proxies but from all directions. This is the answer of the American militarist state to any problem, such as piracy or terrorism: the blunderbuss assault of massive military force by land, sea and air; vast destruction, social collapse -- and immeasurable, unbounded human suffering. ." But let us not succumb to American exceptionalism in this case. The UN Security Council resolution is a virulent product of a global militarism, the universal warlordism that finds expression sometimes in ragged bands of fighters in desert, mountain or jungle enclaves – and sometimes in the clean and carpeted halls of vast nation-states and international institutions. With this resolution, the entire world – the entire world – has turned its back on the people of Somalia. They have been abandoned as utterly, completely – and officially -- as any people in history. At least there was some opposition in the Security Council to the American rape of Iraq; but this declaration of open season on Somalia – this univeral license to kill Somalis granted to every government on earth – passed unanimously. Without demur, without protest, with no objection. Are there pirates in Somalia? Yes. Have they hindered some commercial operations? Yes. Are there criminal organizations in the United States, in Europe, in Russia, in China, in the Middle East? Yes. Do they hinder some commercial operations? Yes. (And far more violently and extensively than the Somali pirates, we might add.) But only the Somali people are subjected to the murderous strictures of the UN's draconian edict. Only the Somali people are being condemned to die – by the United Nations – for the actions of criminals within their borders. There are many injustices in the world, of course; murder, destruction and cruelty almost beyond reckoning – and most of it slathered in pious hypocrisy and self-righteousness of one sort or another. But I've never seen anything quite like the relentless assault on the Somali people in the past two years – and the near-universal silence that has greeted this on-going abomination. It is a blot on all humanity. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Chris Floyd has been a writer and editor for more than 25 years, working in the United States, Great Britain and Russia for various newspapers, magazines, the U.S. government and Oxford University. Floyd co-founded the blog Empire Burlesque, and is also chief editor of Atlantic Free Press. He can be reached at cfloyd72@gmail.com.