Yea, but how strong your jaw tho?

I like this guy, ALOT. Alhamdulillah he won

I learned that life is actually quite long and that odds are you will most likely live to be over 60. So take care of your health because no matter how much money you have it'll mean nothing if your sick in the hospital.

I learned that life is actually quite long and that odds are you will most likely live to be over 60. So take care of your health because no matter how much money you have it'll mean nothing if your in sick in the hospital.

Hey I'm about to graduate from University and before i start Graduate School I'd like to go teach in Somalia or Somaliland or any where in Africa. Only problem is I can't really afford to take off work go to Africa and do nothing but spend money for the whole summer or fall. Is there any place where they give you at least some kind of compensation maybe housing or a stipend?! Thanks for the info.

A unitary state is basically impossible given that the country has had no effective central goverment in over 20 years and the current goverment has no monoply of power over the entire territory. For better or worse Somalia IS going down the road of federalism, which by the way, is not that bad aslong as people are smart about it and maintain their national identitiy.

clan-ism is the politicization of kinship, never heard it said better. (4:00)

You seem like a half-way decent guy so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you don't actually believe this nonsense. I have my share of silly posts aswell as any examination of my previos posts will show…anyway….Although they play a role the problem is not the US, China, AU, EU, Russia, the International community or even Al Shabab for that matter. The issue is the environment and attitudes that are conducive to cyclical war and tribal conflict. What is stopping the peace process is not the boogie men under the bed that we can't see. It is what’s been right in front of our eyes but we're too afraid to admit. Individuals out of self-interests that seek violence instead of a future, an under-resourced ill-equipped incompetent government filled with corrupt and short-minded men that can't fart and chew gum let alone run a country. And us, the diaspora from Seattle to Sydney and everywhere in between. Aslong as people continue the same old battles of yesterday and blame others for OUR own mishaps nothing will change. The 1960’s are gone, and for those who want him back your general is no more. I urge all those who need it, look for the answer to change in yourself and make a fair contribution as I know some many already have and don’t give into the old games…A wise man said of Nigeria something that can relate to Somalia, “the people of this country need to come out in their masses and put someone into power that will raise this territory to something the world has never seem before, because Africa was meant to be great, and we can’t hide it anymore.”

Somalia’s disparate leaders have agreed on the basic structure of a new parliament and government to replace the fragile transitional body that has failed to bring peace to the war-torn country. Constant infighting, rampant corruption and bloody attacks by Islamist Shebab insurgents have undermined Somalia’s unelected Transitional Federal Government (TFG), whose Western-backed mandate ends in August. Somalia’s president, the presidents of the breakaway Puntland and Galmudug regions, and the commander of the powerful anti-Shebab militia Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa signed the deal under UN auspices. The accord proposes a parliamentary system for anarchic Somalia, with both Puntland and Galmudug recognised as states within a federal system. A new 225-member lower house-including at least 30 percent women-will be nominated by “traditional elders assisted by prominent civil society members,” the agreement reads, released late Saturday after a three-day meeting. The agreement is the latest among more than a dozen attempts to resolve Somalia’s more than two decade-old civil war, with the country split between rival factions and pirate gangs who hijack ships far across the Indian Ocean. Al-Qaeda allied Shebab fighters, who control large parts of central and southern Somalia where they are battling African Union-backed government forces as well as Kenyan and Ethiopian troops, immediately condemned the deal. “The agreement is treason because it is part of a master plan of the international community to send Somalia back to colonisation,” Shebab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage told reporters. “The mujahedeen fighters will not accept such conferences and their outcomes-instead we fight against them and, with the help of Allah, we will win the war,” he said. Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991, and the leadership in the capital Mogadishu is propped up by a 10,000-strong AU force from Uganda, Burundi and Djibouti. In addition, a 1,000-member upper house-the National Constituent Assembly-will be nominated by agreement signatories “assisted by traditional leaders and civil society” groups. The upper house too must include at least 30 percent women. Source: AFP How the HELL is a 1,000 member upper house going to accomplish anything especially with a 225 member lower house? O'well atleast they agreed on something.

LOL, shameful.....

Give it time, you seem like a catch.

Now as a disclaimer I am neutral on the issue, but frankly I felt every argument about Somaliland secession has lacked substance. Those who wish it to stay in the Union have miss placed visions of the past and equate Somali Wayne, with a peaceful prosperous Somalia; this is far to the contrary. All those who want Somaliland to stay as they see it, a sovereign state, are a bit naïve. After 20+ years of "independence" let alone all the investment by the international community in Somalia, it doesn’t appear they are making progress on the international stage although in they have gone light years compared to the south in terms of peace and development. I apologize for the long intro or if anyone here doesn't live in America or know who Lincoln was, but just for a brief insight into whom he was...a short Google of the name should turn it up. But if ur too lazy for even that….Basically when the US was on the verge of a civil war, Slave loving south vs Industrial north, President Lincoln gave an inaugural speech about the very notion of the south seceding. His 3 main points which I will write down, I have related them to the context of Somalia. Let me know if you think my assumptions hold weight. 1. He argued that the south had nothing to fear, because they would lose nothing if they stayed in the Union. • This is true in the case of Somaliland; they broke away because of the crimes committed against them. It doesn’t look like they have much to fear now. 2. The constitution does say anywhere in it you can secede • Same in case of Somali constitution which both ratified in 1960. 3. If a constituent is a contract agreed upon all, then in order to secede all parties must be in an agreement. To unilaterally secede would be illegal and a breach of contract. Also seceding without all parties in agreement is CHOAS because then the party which seceded could have regions which would want to secede and so on and so forth. • In the case of south Sudan the north agreed to referendum. • In somaliland, they have SSC, awadal state, etc. All trying to leave it politically seems chaotic to me... I know I don’t come off as neutral as I actually am, but that’s because I just want to see what you all think of the matter discussed on these 3 terms.

hahah, awesome!

Damn, fighting over land like a bunch of animals... depressing. InshAllah their families will be ok.

ok, but will he raise my taxes?

what's wrong with you, do you know anything of Geo-politics? "diminishing role", Egypt's role was never that big, and it probable never will be. They have alot more things to worry about then somali people.

Damn you guys are so biased toward Somaliland.(funny name btw, they really shouldve chosen a different thing to all themselves)

When has blowing yourself ever been part of Somali culture, or even African culture. And untill recently had nothing to do with Arabs or middle east, it was the Europeans and japanese who were known for it. Holy Quran -"And take not life, which Allah has made sacred, except by way of justice and law" The Kenyan invasion has ticked off alot of people but Alshabab are even worse, i just hope the invasions dont make them stronger.

damn, that's depressing. Clan-ism ,Wars, famines, Piracy, Terrorism no one on earth has it as bad as the people of Somalia... "the only place harder then Kandahar" -knaan

Here is another angle to look at it from, the Swiss used to have a violent history. They have an Italian, German, and French population who used to war for many years. Similar to the 3-4 major tribes in Somalia. However through political maneuvering, they each got territories in which they remain now at peace. Yea man, definitely military confrontation would be horrible, I pray to Allah people just drop their weapons and use either Fotbal or politics to solve their problems.

Yes, that would be the most natural outcome of such a move. But unless these is a political solution to solve the Somaliland/Somalia issue if or when the south becomes peaceful there could be serous tensions

I'm neutral on the issue but, I found this article to be the most persuasive rational call against a strong Central governmental(not that there is one), but rather a bunch of strong separate state entities like Puntland. The case for devolution has always been strong, especially in such a hard place to govern like Somalia. Switzerland or America under the Articles of Confederations seems like what the author thinks might work best. Your thoughts?

"The model for Somalia is Switzerland. Don’t laugh! Political power in Switzerland lies in the cantons — the 26 proud self-governing communities. The state, such as it is, deals with international matters and national law. Who cares — or even knows — who the president of Switzerland is? The way people live and are governed is decided locally. The Swiss confederation means that cantons have joined the state willingly. At one time they could leave if they wanted to. Somalis — unlike the Swiss but like most Africans — are stuck with a Constitution that leaves total power in the hands of a president. Strong centralised states are the legacy of colonial rulers and, unsurprisingly, the inheritor governments have kept it that way. Terrible wars — such as those in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Sudan — were fought to keep the countries together, but in the latter two, they failed. In Somalia, civil war began in the late 1980s and since then fragmentation has continued. Good. Leave it that way. It suits Somali society. The odd factor is that Somalia is one of only two sub-Saharan African states more or less made up of a single ethnic group. The other is Botswana, the most peaceful country on the continent. But the Somalis are different. I realised that when I was having dinner with a minister at a restaurant in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. One of the waiters recognised my host and having delivered the food, decided to give the minister an earful. In most African countries, the man would have been dragged off to jail — or worse. But not only did the minister have to listen, he got to his feet and argued back. This was an argument between equals. “Every man his own Sultan,” is how one Ugandan visitor described the Somalis in the mid 19th century. Disputes Traditionally, disputes between Somalis were sorted out by the clan elders, who would arrange compensation payments after clan or family battles or theft. In the north of Somalia, Somaliland, British indirect rule left the traditional leadership of clan elders — collectively known as the Gurti — in place. During colonial times, Somaliland virtually managed itself and the Gurti retained respect and authority. That has carried through to present times and Somaliland is stable with political parties and democratic elections. Twice, electoral disputes have reached crisis point in recent years. Each time, the politicians have turned to the Gurti for a ruling, which has been accepted by all. In the Italian-ruled south, the Gurti was dismissed in colonial times but it still exists beneath the surface. Somalia’s civil war began in the 1980s between clans in a winner-takes-all battle for total national power. The former British-ruled northwest territory, Somaliland, declared independence. The northeast, Puntland, also declared itself self-governing until a proper government was restored. The centre, Galmudug, is also self-governing. The civil war continues as a battle for Mogadishu, the capital, and for the ports and fertile river valleys of the south. It has cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Although alliances have shifted, no formula has been devised that can bring peace at a national level. The only period of peace was in 2005, when the clan warlords were defeated and Islamic courts took over the administration of justice and kept the peace. A united, peaceful Somalia however, especially under the rule of Islamic courts, was a threat to Ethiopia. The Ethiopians persuaded the Americans this was Islamic fundamentalism taking over. The Ethiopian invasion at the end of 2006, backed by the US and, shamefully, Britain — which should have known better — in fact strengthened the fundamentalists. Three years later, the Ethiopians were forced to withdraw and were replaced by an African peacekeeping force of Ugandan and Burundian troops. Since then, they have managed to hold a small part of Mogadishu on behalf of a weak, ineffective government most of whose members reside in Nairobi. The rest of the city and much of the south was at the mercy of Al Shabaab, an Islamic fundamentalist movement. But Al Shabaab made the crucial mistake of not letting foreign aid enter the country during the worst drought since the 1980s. That turned the drought into a famine and turned the people against Al Shabaab, forcing them out of Mogadishu and other areas to allow food aid to arrive. This development, together with the Kenyan military incursion in the south, presents the government — known as the Transitional Federal Government — with an opportunity to prove itself and deliver food and security to the people. But this is unlikely to happen, according to Prof Ken Menkhaus, a Horn of Africa specialist. “This is the TFG’s best and probably last chance to do something right by showing that it can and will govern well,” he says. “I wish I could say I am hopeful it will, but the TFG’s track record so far points to the opposite conclusion — it has never missed the opportunity to miss an opportunity.” Meanwhile, holding elections is the way to continue the war, not end it. Political parties in Somalia are little more than a cover for clans, so an election simply elevates one clan over the others. Allow the government in Mogadishu to run the city and port, perhaps the Benadir region, but no further. Negotiations should then take place region by region about the relationship between the various regions and the capital, leaving power in local — not national — hands. The zones should be soft-bordered encouraging trade and dialogue between them. Taxes should be raised and spent locally. That is especially true of Somaliland, where the feeling against the south is still very bitter. Reunification with the south is unanimously opposed. Not a single Somalilander I know wants reunification. Not a single Somali from the rest of the country wants Somaliland to stay independent. Unless we are very careful, peace in the south of Somalia will mean war in the north." Richard Dowden is director of the Royal African Society in London

@Somalia- I am not a somalilander, but none the less man, don't hate. Hating never got somalis anywhere and it never will.

thank you! in the international stage somalilands reputation would get a black eye. But my god 2.5% is humiliating.