The involvement of the Saudi King in Somali politics is undeniably a good first step toward peace if he’s truly genuine in this and does the required follow up. Saudis were known for their commitment to peace in Muslim lands. They have played a pivotal role in ending the Lebanon civil war. They also tried their best to end the differences between Hamas and PLO. I hope they will take the next step and begin firstly mediating between the Asmara resistance group and the folks they hosted last night. And secondly, attempt to bridge the gap between the secessionist in the north and the rest of Somalis. Somalis are very poor people and Saudis have ample resources to coerce them into a lasting peace! May bet this is a veiled Ramadan gift … Allow sidii roon~~

^^Ramadan Kariim !

...and the discussion is on the right track too---more with tackling relevant issues, and less with talking about cyber characters…

^^I wish that was the case yaa Bilaal! But optimism is the mark of the believer and I can’t possibly blame you for your infectious hopefulness! I am catching it too… But if truth were to be told, what we have in Asmara is world away from an ideal deal in which we easily shed away decades old clannish animosities, as you suggested! The outcome is not the most elegant either---it failed to bring the fighting shabaabs into the fold for ideological reasons. It’s however, or at least its subtitle is, a compromised deal in which the most pressing issue of the current Somali politics was given the priority. It’s urgent in my estimation that Ethiopia’s unparallel influence needs be curtailed by any means necessary. And that is what the outcome of Asmara conference in a systematic way has begun to speak to. I can tolerate the Aydids of this world if they somehow could be used for the larger goal of diminishing Ethiopia’s influence in Somalia’s political arena...

Allow me to rephrase your noble sentiment yaa MM. It’s time for new leadership for Somalia. New leadership in Puntland alone would be incomplete, if not utterly ineffective, as long Somalia is in its current state---even if good, decent men take the helm of Puntland’s leadership. It’s about time we think outside of the box, and state the truth: no region in Somalia could operate agnostic to the politics that surround it. If it does, it would probably cause it for its political existence. As we slowly drift into our current train of uncertainty, the significance the so-called pockets of stability have in Somalia’s political settings (of which Puntland and Somaliland has been noticeably its lead) will gradually wane. The solution you are seeking lies not in gradual building blocks [with diverging political/tribal interests] as neocons prescribed, but rather it could be readily found in singleton strategy. Short of comprehensive strategy that addresses the country as a single political unit, no one entity, however well managed and well intended, could come out unscathed from the current Somali tragedy. Lest my words are construed as a support of Cadde’s current admin or any other entity, let me say this. Cadde, without a shred of doubt, has been a clausal failure. So has the old man. So has Riyaale. So have the Southern leaders---of course with a varying degree. But in my mind, it should not be a change of personnel in those crumpling presidential buildings/palaces that which we seek, rather we should seek a change in the prevailing political attitude. And in that verse, all the wolves shall go.

^^ Muufo with bowl of foaming camel milk, eh ? With all the perkiness in this thread, yours come out quite real! Perhaps i should go to Burco to such a delicacy...

^^I was only tickling…not that I meant to provoke some heated discussion as you wrongly deduced from my little posts. Of course I cant deny my enthusiasm about Ramadan; we are indeed in a festive mood! Thank Ramadan yaa Cara!You are generously pardoned for your hasty finger pointing …

^^Good grief.

Cara is on to something here: I can now swear that good Caano is quite serious about this ! L of Zu; Anthill, however lofty and mountain-like it may seem at the first impression, is genuinely mound of soil. In other words, wallee dudumo abtirsatoo ciid bay noqotay ! That it's recognizably so is not xiin's fault adeer.

lol@ lacag ku tuur, tuurtay. Alleylehe inay nasab yihiin haddayba mid xammaalanayya soo doonteen...

Lets hope for the best. It’s not their credibility that Somalis doubt--they always come across as genuine, and indisputably were right on their approach in kicking the warlords out of Xamar. What I fear is the possibility of their good name and reputation being used by opportunistic politicians/warlords who have no standing in the Somali public. But I also understand the position they find themselves in. They need to play the game well, and forge alliances.

^^ Actually I liked your sentiment. Problem is this team is so subservient to external entities that the chance of them taking a realist approach is very slim. And that was the thrust of my comment Nayruusow.

^^ Oodweynow, Baashi is a modern man, and even if the said Macawis were fated to slip, his Cali-Falaax would’ve been readily there to hide old man’s shame! But I believe Baashi’s Macawis is firmly fastened and intact. I still think Baashi’s four points, as criteria for a genuine conference, are spot on. The man has been consistently realist on the turbulent Somali politics.

Originally posted by -Serenity-: quote:Originally posted by xiinfaniin: I went through the same process where romantic demands tramp cyber networking. Who are you kidding? We all know you got hitched before the internet was invented! ^^Not sure if SOL was operational but internet was there Serenity. If you doubt me, ask NGONGE or Baashi!

^^Caano’s creativity has gone astray yaa Serenity. He flexed his mathematical muscles on us, the uninitiated . And that amounted to killing a mere fly with the proverbial massive hammer. But it was not the misplaced pound I mourned. Rather it was the spectacular miss of the target, however feeble it was to begin with. Now I believe I gave him a better problem to work with. That shall prove beneficial for all of us. How’s that as a humble critique ?

^^You are the sluggish one today ! The man got hitched. I went through the same process where romantic demands tramp cyber networking. It will be temporary though and good Che shall join us soon. Till then, Ramadan Kariim, and best wishes for your new adventures yaa Che, I say.

Sh. Xasan will go into history books as one of the true Somali leaders who resisted Ethiopia’s hegemony in the Horn. Whether he turns up in Asmara matters not---the man already made his marks. There will be criticism of the way he handled the conflict between tfg and courts. There will be criticism about his leadership in including questionable characters in the court’s top security command. But when all said and done, Aweys will eventually be judged as a genuine, not necessarily a diplomat, fighter for the noble cause of shedding Ethiopia’s influence from Somali affairs.

^^I am not that optimistic Faaraxow. Many will depend on the degree to which wadaads has control on this effort. There are many whose standing is not that much different from the top men of the tfg that seem to be in the driving seat of the Asmara alliance. Given that anomaly, the best route for this to come to fruition is to seek genuine peace with the folks in Xamar and work out a deal to get the Ethiopians out of the country.

I gather that this is not a peace conference. It’s an effort to unite desperate parties in opposition to the tfg and its Ethiopian backers. Viewed from that angle, it’s a good start.

In the big scheme of things, and when the fog of emotion is removed from this discussion, Baashi’s points are unassailable. There is no alternative for genuine reconciliation between Somalis. My only objection was the lack of sincerity from tfg’s part---insisting to hold a conference under the shades of Ethiopian tanks, and presiding over it was clearly missing the point of the whole effort.

I am beginning to like you yaa Caano! In your mind, what do you think major themes of Ramadan are? ^^This is a bid to extract some lasting wisdom from you…

^^ So Ramadan is the muufo Month... On your analysis. Although one admires your analytical skills, one also laments on the time you wasted on these futile exercises---resorting to systematic modeling to support own apatite surge, and momentary at that! That does not mean that I don’t appreciate your efforts adeer—both the efforts and the results are owe-inspiring in technical terms. But it’s the lack of substance that renders the whole efforts to a mere statistical triviality! Alas, it’s not the residuals and out-layers you missed---we could’ve forgiven you for that. What you missed is, for some, Ramadan is not a month of food, much less special food flavors. And that leaves a big dent on your statistical analysis on the q I posted to you! But again I think I got your prank….it was seriously genuine!

Originally posted by Nayruus: We need compromise. We have to leave behind the culture of militancy and stubbornness. We are the bargaining chip for both Ethiopia and Eritrea. At this moment they are sitting together somewhere in Europe (listen today’s Somali BBC news) hammering out their disagreements over a small strip of land. If these guys settle their difference and it likes like they will, are not be thrown away like a used dish washing sponge by both of them? Sidii ay doonto ha u xumaatee inta aan haysano yeyna inga sii kala daadan..... Nice sentiment there yaa N! But with this belligerent pm and his equally stubborn boss, your approach, positive as it may be, has a slim chance to be adopted by this team! The zero sum game is deeply rooted in Somali politics---much deeper than we are willing to admit.

^^How so?

^^The shoe was quite symbolic adeer !