Xoogsade, awoowe Islamists were doing just fine. Their impatience and ignorance coupled with Neocons' plots and E-factor plus cornered TFG are some of the factors that destroyed them. It will take a long time for them to regroup and become a viable force in Somali politics. They are down but not out...not yet. Thepoint, I beg to differ. The TFG, given the Neocon and Ethiopian factor, may start exercizing its token authority over large swaths of the south...by sheer force. But fpr lasting peace to take a root, the core issues have to be resolved. Legitimacy is a precious thing for anyone who wishes to rule. TFG lacks that now. I don't know your views on the presence of Ethiopians on Somali soil but I gotta tell you awoowe TFG is in catch 22 for on the one hand it lacks security they crave for and they need Ethios for that very reason and on the other hand with Ethiopians on thier side they are illigitimate pupets imposed on Somalisby coalition of Neocons and Habasha at least half of the Benadir population sees it that way . My take is that this TFG need to compromise and give Islamists a seat and reward the sub-clan whose houses and biz it destroyed. After all the folks TFG writes off as its enemy is part of constituency whose name it speaks of. Awoowe its mess. Somalis are very hard-headed warmongers. They deserve Inna Yussuf someone who drops the hammer on... It is what it is. You got TFG who boasts of its association with Melez and Neocons as political truimph. You got ignorant folks who banooni ku cayaari ciyaalkooda dhexdooda and you got Somalis who cheer for the slaughter of their fellow Muslim brerthern.

Afgaduud made a mistake. The Gedo clans are force to reckon with in that city. Like it or not, they are here to stay. The governor made a mistake when he prematurely asked them to return government properties! What was he thinking? The hard truth is this clan are new comer to the city and as such they live in the very installations the governor is asking them to return. Even though some of wealthiest sons of city hail from Gedo like Xareed yarow, Huseen Weyne...at least back in the days when I lived in the city, the majority of the new comers don't have properties to live. That's why scores of them live now in Madaxtooyada, Dalxiiska, Labada Shiirkole, Xerada Mariinada, Guryaha Ruushka, Xarumaha Xisbiga, Warshada Hilibka, Warshada Hargaha, TransJuba, Xerada Seerjito, Wakaalada Kaluumeysiga, Wagad, Dugsiga Sare Ganaane, Waamo Primary School, Bangiga Dhexe, and Inji. TFG is asking trouble for what they're asking them to do amounts to clan cleansing in their view. Leave them alone for now. The process of rectifying the problem should be gradual. The majority of this clan much of whom moved in during civil war don't have properties of their own. TFG ought to be using political solution to sort the real estate headache out...too many properties have changed hands during the civil war. Reconciliation is in order...I can't emphasize enough...the alternative is that we'll keep on fighting and fusing. Also an ad hoc dialogue between the warring clans without TFG involvement prior reconciliation grand meeting (independant one where the TFG sits in through its 4.5 reps as part of the Somali conflict) is something that need to be explored. All in all, Afgaduud and the governor should be warned about the consequences of clan conflict in the area. Many many Somalis who lost their properties in the capital have invested a great deal of wealth in Kismayo. TFG has already wreak havoc on Benadir and turned the clock back by 7 years in my estimation(in terms of biz destroyed, houses burned, animosity rekindled). Nimankan reer Gedo awoowayaal aashiina Kismayo is owned by the folks who own the houses, businesses, the folks who built the masjids, Cinemas, hotels,...those who own the merchant ships, the nomads who roam in the baadiye...the ones who built water collection pits known waro...majority of them belong to clans other than reer Gedo. Adduunyo.

^Amin to that. Bashir got it right this time.

Ethiopia delivered. Neocons are pleased. TFG thinks it has arrived. Innocent lives have been lost. Many more are suffering. Large swaths of Mogadishu have been destroyed. Somalis in the Diaspora are divided. Somali conflict has not being solved. The core issues have yet to be tackled. Islamists' chance to lead this poor country out of the anarchy and clannish struggle for state power has been squandered. It is a mess! Tragedy all around! Ayaan darro big time. If the Neocons stay put and commit helping this TFG directly and/or through Ethiopia, there is a chance that TFG might pull this one off. The danger with this is that the TFG will be dominated by the what I call coalition of convenience namely PLs and Geedi's sub-clan at the expense of other now opposing clans. We've been through this before. In the past some clans seemed invisible as they have exercised their authority through the state power. The ones who found themselves at the bottom of the pile thought crossing the line and getting even was better option than to be loyal to a corrupt state that ignores their plight...that's how it all started. Nothing has changed as far as advancing the ball toward peaceful goal is concerned. The powers that be tilted the plane field for one side of the conflict. The political solution to the Somali conflict has not been explored let alone formulated. Today I'm the pessimist in the house awoowe...but then again pessimist is an optimist with experience right? Waa sidee Xoogoow gabaygan yaa tiriyey? Afartaan dhurwaayee U adeegta Xabashida Allahayoow intaan Jiro Miyaan Eray ka yeelaa Ummaddi la laayiyo Wixii iil la wada dhigay Waa Illoow ayaa yiri?

Must see documentary in PBS. This is for political junkies. Bill Moyer put some big shots up in the food chain on the hot seat. Neocon and Bush got a free pass...is what Bill Moyer wanted to prove...he convinced me! Bill didn't explore why that is the case instead he nails the fact that media in general and White house press core in particular looked the other way. Washignton Post, New York Times, all major Network portals, all cable outlets went along with the official version almost parroting the Neocons line. Jourmalism in the states is exposed. Donhue's dismissal by MSNBC is tooooooooooo embarracing. This is not a conspiracy theory anymore. Who is who in politics and media sat down with Bill and tried to defend their follies...unsuccessfully. God bless PBS. Check it out...Bill Moyer Journal

Can't see the pics.

To some they were Mujahids. Al qatil wal maqtuul kuluhum fi naar says it all. Still I expect them to bestow their shining knight with "Mujahid" status. It's human nature. Some folks passion and pride overcomes them. They are just incapable in flipping the coin to see how different the engravings are on the other side!

There you have it. Prof. Addow is a sensible guy. His ideas are worth considering. This man is a principled man. He doesn't wobble. He seems to understand that dialogue is the best way forward. Details can always be ironed out later but almuhim is to understand the wisdom of making a deal without compromising your core principles... Ciiloow wayee yaa mar waxa miis isugu keena oo fahamsiiya in raggu dirriro oo deeto heshiiyo. Dagaal aan dhamaan sow ma aha kan halkaa inna dhigay.

Qallanjo is more qallanjoos back in the days. Natural beauty right there. Caasho Cabdi talented as ever...looks like she is the one dishing out the few chinese sentenses there. Funny how they say Indhihii is jecel baa...bla bla..arligeena waa arligiina...all BS. It's amazing how far the indoctrination went...we used to have Korean magicians, Chinese circus, and Russian trainers (music) come in and perform in Shiirkole (basket ball court...that was before the theater was completed)..in Kismayo...I loved them then especially the circus and magicians...plus...calan suubanoow samada u ekoow with piano renditions....documentaries about the heros of the revolution...underground movement...and the personality of Kim Il Song...Adduunyo!

Good stuff. You can't beat good ol' dhaanto. Lyrics are da real killer and probably what makes it unique... Jaandheer majirto sxb...mucawis looks like skirt when they do the swirl thang. Keep them coming.

Twenty bucks to see Togane perform! That can't be real. Well I could be wrong...keep us posted

He crossed the line. Kinky haired yes but hos is way way over the top!

Topolini doing top notch "xod-xodosho" ala Hadhow bay oran, Leylama hadlin, Doob hurdau helay Very creative

Xiin, I'm taking notes.

Originally posted by Northerner: Baashi, haye will you be next in line for a transfer? Khalifa Port is basically civil engineering undertaking plus material handling and management. I'm not a civil engineer. So I wasn't involved on that one. and I'm not interested in Power related side of my trade. Northerner make sure you read the paper. The date is April 15th. It can change! Abu Dubai will announce what company (many companies bided for this) gets the $4 billion project. If we get it then I stand a good chance to get the transfer (family status). Will keep you posted North.

I have a meeting in about 4 minutes...but to answer your question quickly...no agreement means only one thing: continuation of the war.

This is for Kashafa, Xiin, and ThePoint. Didn't get time to expand my thoughts on this. Allah willing I will do so when I get time...work is killing me nowadays. Why don't you enumarate the key demands you think will allow UIC and clan insurgents to take part in inclusive and independant reconciliation gathering. Likewise those who support TFG please forward conditions under which TFG will share power with those who oppose them and deny its legitimacy to manage political transition of this war-ravaged and poor country. That will help refine the plan I have in mind.

^There he goes...Caqli ma jiro...Ileyn doqoni deyr kama kacdee | Daamankeey meermeerisaa...Allah-U-Baahane Alla yahdiika awoowe. Over 400 hundred perished, many many more fled, the number of Ethios invaders has increased (not reduced), the so called IC in Cairo repeated the Ethio/TFG line and condemned the actions of "terorists"...yet the "elders" the so called freedom fighters had a meeting with the Ethios invaders thus giving them legitimacy in their Benadir policing...and guess what they want a ceasefire!!!! I don't get it wallahi. On the other side of the coin waa xarash as I have anticipated, the TFG's short-sightedness and lack of strategy short of brutal force has been exposed. TFG's failure to achieve the two key milestones is a preview of what the future has in store for Somalis. It doesn't have the security it needs in order to manage the political transition it set out to manage nor does it have any deal on the much anticipated negotiated settlement central to Somalis hope for normalcy and peace. The saddest thing of all is the fact that this TFG seems to lack the authority to make commitment on political deal without the consent of its sponsor. That's a deal breaker if you ask me. This latest mayhem looks, walks, and even smells like a clannish power struggle over Benadir. Northerner awoowe objectively speaking one must ask the question about the UIC involvement in all of this. If you can recall, UIC made the wise decision to pull its militia and leave benadir intact on the grounds that it doesn't want to expose the innocent civilians to the Ethios and TFG's onslought Many here welcomed the fact that there are folks who care about civilians death and instead swallow their pride and concede. Superimpose that image over the latest casualties and subsequent meetings with Ethios invaders. Fadhi-ku-dirir tactics aside, what's the rationale of exposing the civilians now to an enemy that has the reach, the operational basis within the city limits, and the will to destroy what it thinks is the remnant of defeated militia? - militray advantages Ethios /TFG lacked back then! Why spare the civilians then and expose them now? For TFG supporters the question is why take on one sub-clan, frustrate their political ambitions, deny Islamists a political party, and prolong Ethiopian's presence when making a deal with the same variables will give the TFG the security it needs and the opportunity to manage the transition until its mandate expires? Call me names but they way I see it is: there is no way forward without a negotiated settlement and the only way you can have that is start talking. The Somali civil war is not a winnable contest. The zero-sum game does not work in Somali context. Winner takes all, as eveident in the TFG's thinking, is a blunder in the first order. Advice to that particular sub-clan: demand a seat at the table and impose effective control over the file and rank of your militia. Don't take the helm of defending national interests of the country. Other Somalis are sitting out on this, why sacrifice your youth for a cause that 98% of the nation does not share with you? Advice to Islamists...embrace the negotiated settlement proposal, use the IC gathering in cairo and issue statement via Sherif renouncing the use of violence as political tool to reach the party's political objectives. Demand more involvement of this group in the transition period. Declare UIC as a political party, name "moderates" as the exucative slate, and define its political platform and issue a document detailing how they think we should manage the country during the transition period as well as post-conlict era. They gotta undertsand how the game is played and play it like a pro. Khidca is allowed in times of war! Just do it! Advice to TFG. Postpone the reconciliation gathering. Publish the milestone, if met, under which the Ethiopians should leave. Stop humiliating that certain sub-clan, and offer them a dignified deal they can't refuse, and have Jelle and Geddi cease issuing statements that's designed to frustrate the political ambitions of certain sub-clan and its leaders. Come up with two track negotiation scheme. 1) Deal with sub-clans that lost confidence in this TFG as constituents that need reassurance and give them a reason to be part of the TFG...like give them very important portfolio. 2) Deal with Islamists as a political party with ideological agenda (different than TFG's political views) but nonetheless an agenda. Give them a seat at the table and a chance to contest elections stipulated in the Nairobi deal at the end of TFG's mandate. Now this is a practical advice. It's doable. Each and every faction in this contest has an incentive in this. The civilians will have the normalcy they cherish. The TFG will have a chance to shape the direction the country is taking during the transition period. Islamists will have a chance to regroup and make a political comeback. The sub-clan that's targated by the TFG will have a chance to keep its tsanding within Benadir and even enhance it and take part the contest after the TFG's manadte expires. There are responsibilities and obligations each faction have to meet. The peacekeeping troops will finally have a peace to keep and Somalis can use them by having them hold each faction to commitments it made during the reconciliation period. Refuse this practical advice and you will have more wars to come. Somalia will be under the thump of Ethiopia and Ethiopia not Somalis will be the ones that shape the future of this country. Insurgency is empowering Ethiopia winning that country foreign support and making the regional power it wants to project. Believe me all these power-hungry folks have their petty reason to seek Ethiopia's help. Negative tribalism is a force. By making a deal with them, you will relieve them from the need to seek Ethiopian protection. Always embrace reconciliation effort...modify the terms when appropriate, change them when necessary but always welcome any talks that have something to do with ending Somali tragedy. Ku durduriya...

Adduunyo! This is a madness people. Ethiopians will leave sooner or later. There is no need for this sort of violence. The only reason they are here is that they were invited to Somalia by TFG for security reasons!! That's the official line. Behind the scenes they wanted to get rid off of Islamists who have shown their capacity to tame the anarchy, bring Bendair under one rule, rally the masses behind a cause that supercedes the clan sentiments of the day, fight against their kins for advancing that cause, dang....I gotta ruun...busy as a hell...will continue later...remind me the thread where Kashafa and ThePoint and Xiin engaged me and asked me about the Plan....

Brings back memories...Visitors the movie...anyone? Back in the days when the VCR ruled Mogadishu...oh boy! MMA is right. This is probably an unmanned drone (downed by a technical glitch or something along those lines). The radio stations back home should run a primetime program explaining the situtaion so the residents there understand what this is and why it came down to their neighborhood.

Libaax awoowe waa lagu salaamay. Mar baan kugu soo khararaf siin doonaa haddii Ilaahay yiraahdo.

Yes Xiin. Let's sit down and discuss about the situation. Ethiopia will remain the king maker it is so long we refuse to sit down and try to come up a solution. This clan get his behind wooped. It feels humiliated and rationalizes that going to Addis is the only way to get even. It crosses the border and asks the Kingmaker to turn the tables to its favor. With Ethiopian toys, it comes back and wins in style. The defeated one takes the same route...and the cycle continues. Ask why and all the ones that slept with the enemy for selfish clannish reasons have a story to tell! Many folks in this forum justify and condone when their "faction" happens to be the one under the gun. Folks across the aisle cry treason. Ethiopia wins each time! The solution is to end this tragedy by convening a grand reconcilaition council. Nothing short will do awoowe. Waqti ma jiro awoowe ee mar baan si wacan uga faaloon doonaa.

You seem to believe in absolutes. I don't. I supported the ICU in principle. That's long and short of it. I didn't supported IndhaCadde and his gung-*** approach. No sire. I don't considered him and his likes as someone I can share a political platform. I was for negotiated settlement from the get-go. My posts are on the record. I urged the ICU to take the initiative while they have the political and military advantages. They didn't. They heeded the advice of your likes who like to jump up and down and beat his chest like a chimp from a safe distance. Theirs was no Jihad. It was blunder in first order. You wanna call that Jihad be my guest. Don't you dwell on who I'm or what kinda guy I am. Deal with the issues kidos. My nuetrality stands tall. Your violence is suicidal with no end. I want to rescue what's left of Somalia. You want a war you are not willing to fight. The ICU made the TFG what it is today. They were nothing prior the ICU unnecessary and impatient war. They are a diplomatically established power with the backing of powers that be!!!!!!! I'm clear on this. I don't support the insurgency. I don't support the TFG's approach in dealing with the insurgency. I support anyone who wants united, inclusive, just and stable Somalia under Sharia. Be it ICU or BNHGYU doesn't matter what name they call themselves of. In regards of my plan...here is the deal kidos. You promise to take me on the substance of the outline I'm about to draw. No personal attacks! No name-calling. Civility all around. Can you manage that buddy. Did I hear yeah! Super. Will come back Insha'Allah. Wishper that bit to Kaligii Muslim madax faluuq ina Shido.

What people?

I never supported the secessionists. Why would I wanna do that. I never supported the mitiry junta that ruled the country either. I don't support the TFG. Calling for negotiated settlement participated by warring factions means only one thing. Folks inline with my principled position are the ones looking out for the innocent folks caught in the middle. Kix kix SNM was no Mujahidiin buddy. They were clannish interest group fighting against despot government. They slept with the enemy and enetered Somalia on the top of Ethiopian toys. They provoked a national army and used their urban centers as a battle field. You call them Mujahidiin. I call them clan faction. I said the same thing about the TFG. I called spade a spade! The difference is this TFG is inclusive and in fact is composed of several clans and has the support of the regional players as well as national dogs. The funny thing is you do call one as Mujahid and condemn the other as Munafiq!!! what gives buddy? What's happening in Benadir is tragedy. TFG wants to rule the region and by extension the country. They do that with the help of Ethiopians and other foreign troops. It is what it is. The continuation of the civil war with very interesting twist to it. What about the killings? What about them! I want to stop it. You want it continue. TFG is one faction of this civil strife. It is more inclusive than the other. The conflict is no longer about Islam nor is it about nationalism. That much is self-evident. The truth of the matter is that all Somalis are not fighting the good fight! Why is this struggle limited to one section. Caqli-U-Baahane, the issues dear the issues plz. I'm Somali albiet from different clan. I profess Islam. I want the Ethiopians out. I want a united, strong, stable, just, and inclusive Somalia governed by men of faith. I know an easy way to get the Ethios out. It's a plan. You wanna hear it? No! Now do me favor engage me in the issues or zip it baba.