OoDweyne, What did I tell you? Djibouti will be shareholder in Berbera through Ethiopia, which regardless of the optics is good for both of you. Bravo Ghelleh, it took 15 years, but finally looks like he succeeded. He even proposed some kind of confederation with Ethiopia. Advice to Ghelleh from a small man: Improve the port agreement 80% in volume not in money in case Eritrea wants Ethiopian business. Take shares in Ethiopian shipping lines, Ethiopian airlines (swap shares) Invest own money in farms in Afar and Somali kilil only full Djiouti leased owned farms just like Saudis Buy shares later in Electric corporation when hydro dams in Somali kilil are built.

Great post. Just to confirm from the horses mouth. “What we could do with Syria, we cannot do with Iran,” Olmert said. “With Syria, we destroyed it and knew it would take them time to rebuild it. With Iran, the distance is farther, and it is spread in different sites, mostly underground. The ability of Israel to destroy the nuclear capabilities is much smaller, and it requires different capabilities [that we don’t have].” Former Israeli PM Olmert just yeaterday in an interview in New York.

GERD and Abiy, Finish the construction and installs as fast as possible Fill the dam to its full capacity in under 3 years Tell Egyptians they can buy electricity and they have proven that Ethiopia is not reducing the amount of water. The faster this fact is proven to Egyptian people the better. Their leaders cannot tell them the truth, Ethiopia can show them the truth. The Egyptians blame and accuse Israel, the Ethiopians blame America for not telling Egyptians the truth about the water.

It was never the oil its always the oil sold and transacted by US$. The oil per se is no big deal Americans knew they had oil before Saudi oil was found.

Calm is never good for Empires. Empires get terrified when things are calm since they call it the calm before the storm. As to crisis Americans follow as articulated by Rahim Emanuel: "never let a good crisis go to waste."

Obama only wanted to do more in Asia than what was being done prior, has nothing to do with Middle East. How do America get to India other than the middle east? No empire in the world has become without attempting middle east unless is small empire and do not have capacity.

Eritrea has made big shift as heard and observed in their official and instructions to their cadre. Previously the mantra and image was that "Only president Isayas can tell America to go to hell" "Africans and Arabs have no independence, their leaders are water boys for America" etc Now: Uncle Sam respects Eritrea more than Ethiopia or Djibouti, proof for that is the under-secretary negotiating in Eritrea for 3 long long days but staying in Djibouti and Ethiopia long enough just to tell them the instructions. And there are Ertreans who buy this. Its Mr. Isayas having changed 180 degree on his real functioning, but remaining the tough guy. No explanation is given in Eritrea. Just statement down to the level of knowledge of the ordinary man/woman and you are done.

Wow US leaving middle east?

I am not sure how this all will proceed. All I know is Ethiopia is at a crossroads, because Uncle Sam is not looking the otherway anymore when Russia or China visit Ethiopia. There was time when Uncle Sam looked the otherway when all his satellites were importing guns from North Korea. Not any more. Israel might end up being the saviour of the situation for both Eritrea and Ethiopia. As for Mr. Abiy he needs to go to Saudi Arabia and get Shiek Al Amoudi released and get good word to Washington as well as reduce Egypt's sandal cleaning of the Bedew. He also needs to visit both UAE and Qatar, problem is with these Bedew which one first. Ethiopia could be a good reconciliator for UAE and Djibouti, without fanfare, statements or media releases.

No body is safe. It is very easy, even though costly for Americans to create, manufacture trouble for Ghelleh, once they decide he has to go. Everywhere you have poor and backward countries like Ethiopia or Djibouti, you can find few thousand people who will shout and burn things for "democaracy" "anti-corruption" and anything else under the sun. All it takes is flood facebook, all media and steer some trouble in the city and you are done. Ghelleh needs to secure Ethiopia and keep an eye on Somaliland. Eritrea is not big problem for Ghelleh since the Afar would hang Isayas before they even look at Ghelleh, therefore what ever Eritrea can do is military at the border, or through Ethiopia and through Somalia.

always. Havent you seen the leaked video of their national security team meeting during Mursi? In that they discuss that all methods of keeping Ethiopia poor and backward are running out and they discuss the options. Both military and civilian officials.

It has a lot of messages, but main message is lost in the process trying to keep happy all sides. Too many symbols on one flag. From irridentism to separatist this group trying too hard to unite everybody, but ended up with only one message. "We will support anything of Oromo as long as is against Kilil"

What happened moved from Kenya to America? Is it just shillings to Dollars or facebook not good in Kenya or ONLF has something to do with it? Brother Jawar? I don't know if that is addressing Oromos more than Somalis, but that could be the purpose all along.

Thanks galbeedi, The sight of the camels is beautiful have saved the video. Will cut out the politicians later. He was maybe an attempt milking for political advertisment.

My friend. You have total misread of the Mogadishu situation. It is not Farmaajo or Khyre driving. That is the problem. Few acts of terrorism have disabled Farmaajo and Khyre has been given task on a napkin. Resignation forced resignation under threat of arms of the speaker does not bode well for everybody. Worst precedence set. From here on expect Khyre or Farmaajo to be countring their days on the chair like ones before them. There was big hope and patience from everywhere for the success of this SFG, but looks aborted.

The Egyptians are rubbing salt in Farmaajo's eyes for rejecting them for military bases. Good that the Egyptians are a no body and shoe shining of UAE and Saudis. Not even considered fr shoe shining for America directly.

lol Sadly even brothels have owners and sometimes the owners can have upper hand through corrupted police or no laws.

The love hate relationship you have with that Block. What do you expect them to do, their very life is depended on silence. They have no base or neutral ground there.

What did you expect when Khyre has the facility all captured and if that fails has the guns and if that fails some terror can be used. As long as these institutions are in Mgadishu they are beholden to the city even the very lives of politicians. Now the constitutional file will either disappear or will be done as written on Khyre's napkin.

It might be done in secret or announced at later time. If Mr. Farmaajo prefers it can also be done in other regions which even has more meaning for both countries. But it has to happen soon. Its crucial.

Wellcome back I hope from a vacation or being part of these scandaleous times for the Horn of Africa. In one phrase: In a Pickle are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia Somalia: Flashing red in all directions, thus Mr. Farmaajo facing too many stops look left right and move short again flashing red. Ethiopia: Flashing yellow and in some Red Both Somalia and Ethiopia suffering from Internal problems Djibouti and Sudan are not just flashing red, but warned kind of last worning In short that is the situation. Eritrea, the Amhara, Somaliland and Egypt have started bragging already. This month of May will be crucial. Everybody has enough tools to throw a monkey wrench on the other if it comes to it. Since the Americans and the architects the British always keep tools ready for any eventuality. That is where we are.

Saudi crown prince says Palestinians should accept peace deal or 'shut up' Mon Apr 30, 2018 01:19AM Home Middle East Palestine Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, attends a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (out of frame) at the United Nations on March 27, 2018 in New York. (Photo by AFP) Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that Palestinians should either accept peace proposals or "shut up," Israeli media reported. According to Israel's Channel 10 news on Sunday, Salman made the remarks while on a trip to New York last month where he met with several Jewish leaders. “For the past 40 years, the Palestinian leadership has missed opportunities again and again, and rejected all the offers it was given,” the Crown Prince said. “It’s about time that the Palestinians accept the offers, and agree to come to the negotiating table — or they should shut up and stop complaining." He also said that the subject of Palestinian is not currently on top of the government in Riyadh's agenda. “There are much more urgent and more important issues to deal with — such as Iran,” he added. In an interview with the TIME magazine published on April 5, the first in line to the Saudi throne spoke of the prospect of Riyadh-Tel Aviv relations, describing the regime’s conflict with the Palestinians as the only obstacle to the normalization of ties with Israel. PressTV-Bin Salman: Israel, Saudi Arabia have ‘common enemy’ Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says Saudi Arabia and Israel have a ‘common enemy’ and ‘a lot of cooperation areas’. The remarks come days after bin Salman, in an interview with the Atlantic, attempted to put Israeli and Palestinian land claims on an equal footing in a dramatic shift in Riyadh’s long-held position on Palestine, saying Israelis, like Palestinians, have the “right” to have “their own homeland.” PressTV-Saudi crown prince recognizes Israel Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recognizes Israel, stressing that Israelis are entitled to their own land. Saudi Arabia has been the main sponsor of the Arab Peace Initiative, which envisions a so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, prior to bin Salman, no senior Saudi official had publicly accepted that Israel has a right to any land. In recent months, the kingdom has been gradually softening its public posture toward Israel in what analysts describe as an attempt by Riyadh to prepare public opinion at home and elsewhere for potential normal relations with Israel. PressTV-Leaked: Saudis have ‘plans for official ties with Israel’ A secret, undated letter from Saudi FM to the crown prince which sets out plans for the establishment of ties with Israel. Recent reports also suggest that Saudi Arabia has taken up an active role in US attempts to scramble a “peace” deal between the Israelis and Palestinians to get rid of the decades-long conflict, which Riyadh views as a stumbling block to overt relations with Tel Aviv.

If you mean 40% I do not agree. One cannot understand each other totally. Unless you are talking a dialect of Af Somali and another dialect of Oromiffa. Remember that region to region people cannot easily and comfortably communicate among Oromo and to some degree among Somali as well. There is a lot of "do you mean like that' everywhere. 40% common vocabulary is big, you can make out by addition of hand signals and face movement. As far as I know, you cannot make out between complete Af Somali (as opposed to border areas to Oromo or Afar) and complete Oromo (further west from Somali areas). I was asking galbeedi since he seems to be emotionally attached to them. If this was 1994 and our galbeedi was in Ethiopia, he would have been classified Oromo for psychological makeup. lol

galbeedi, For all your closeness to the Oromo, do you speak their language? Ghelleh does, at very least can conduct easy business in it, just not formal and documented. In Amharic of course Ghelleh has working knowledge. That is in addition to Somali, Afar, French and English and little Arabic. Not too shubby. No leader in Africa can match him in languages.

Very funny. When empires loose all cover.