You say that saxiib, but u only got to look at its strong military and economic presence in the ssurronding countries to realise that they are vigilantly awaiting there chance. Dijbuti is already well within the sphere of control, Ethiopia has successfully played the Terror card after 9/11 to illict more Aid in return for more "Strategic co-operation", and the kenyan Misniter of Justice recently passed Legislation which has had the effect of Grouping all Muslims in Kenya (a siginifcant majority being from somali background) into the "suspected Terrorists". Indeed Its funny that, we have not even got to an Industrilized or indeed post Indusriized state and we have already had more than enough Catastrophic wars. Imagine what a fully developed Oil Economy would have ment in the wider context of Tribial Conflicts and Warlordism in somalia?? A Frighting thought

The "Shock and Awe" campaign of bombardment will begin if Somaliland chooses or declares their desire to remain defient. Military force is our last resort.but if somalilanders fail to give up their ambitions to remains renegade state..They will face the most severe consequences. Man lets cut the dipolmacy this brother (if indeed he is one) is on Crack as simple as that.

He is somali through and through Og

yeah I'd have to agree with the sentiments already expressed in the above responses. Am not shockd, just sadned to here the story am more concerened for his wife and 3 Children and the health. I also do agreewith you sue in that it seems that we (somali's) have been appearing all to oftenly in the news (propotionaetly speaking) than other ethinic groups. There are many M. Dica's out there who are from many backgrounds and nationality. I guess if anything this story tells me is, or rather confirms to me, is that we as somali's are just as corrupt, and purpetrate as incedious and Henious of crimes as any nationailty does.

perhaps.

Think Tank saxiib in addition to the Pasta and Beautifull Signorita's they gave me A Drug.....CALCIO, its more than just football its a philosphy LST the have saxiib they stuffed the welsh turkeys 4-0

Wake-up call to Muslims KUALA LUMPUR: It is time for the Muslim community to awaken from its slumber and be committed to preserving its life, independence and beliefs as a united force, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. “It is not an exaggeration to say that the ummah (Muslim community) has been a sleepwalker in world history and politics for a long time,” he said in his keynote address at the international conference called “The Ummah at The Crossroads: The Role of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)” yesterday. Abdullah, whose speech was read out by Information Minister Tan Sri Khalil Yaacob, said a whole new ummah had to be created to face the challenges ahead. Although the ummah inherited some of the most illustrious history and traditions the world had ever seen, he said, contemporary and recent developments suggested the contrary. “If Islam places a premium on knowledge, why is it that Muslims are ignorant and far from being a learning society? “Why is it that Muslims do not have systems and processes as a means of creating, documenting and generating knowledge, science and technology? “We should first of all be self-critical,” he said, adding that Muslims and the West had a four-fold vicious circle of misunderstanding, he said. They were Western misunderstanding of Islam, Muslim misunderstanding of the West, Western misunderstanding of the West and the Muslim misunderstanding of Islam, he said. “The roots of these misunderstandings are both historical and contemporary,” he added. Abdullah also noted that Muslims were poor in creativity, in the invention of technology and how they portrayed themselves. After the Sept 11 incident, he said, Muslims were viewed as violent and uncivilised to the extent that the world looked upon them as inferior, primitive and backward. Abdullah blamed the silence of the Muslims for this misunderstanding and called for a representational system that was non-coercive. “Muslims must first of all be at peace with themselves. Muslims must lead, at least learn to lead in the creation of a new society devoid of hatred and violence,” he said. He said the OIC must lead the ummah to create and transform the present for the future. “Despite a host of problems and constraints, we must not allow ourselves to be hostages of the past. “At the same time we cannot simply escape to a new reality,” he added.

Salams Fellow Footie Hooligans . No that the last rounds of immediate qualifies has been completed which team has caught the imagination and has become your Fav for Euro 2004? Obviously some "Bigg" teams are still in with being in 2004 i.e. Spain, Turkey, Holland via the Play off's so they can be included in your Reckoning. Alas my Choice will come as no supprise I will be rooting for th Azzuri's who Qaulified in emphatic fashion last night 4-0 V Aserbijan (3 assist for Totti), but i would also make as my 2nd Fav's The Cezh Rep. So com on ppl show your colours

Yep it takes 2 to tango, commonsense and devotion to each other for teh sake of Allah as much as for each other sake.

I just think as a people we could do with being abit more humble in everything we do. A little bit of humility nevery hurt anyone, and alot f humility oftens softens the heart and opens the mind to a reality that is more diverse than the social problems that we seem to internalise and manage every day. And in this there is no better path than that of aquirin knowledge, and more specific islamic knowledge. I dont think somali's can change the way they are, and by that i mean the essense that make us what we are, our sometimes brash ways, and Xenaphobic tendencess. Every culutre has something the makes them uniquly british, italian, chinsee and so forth. I really believe that we have plenty of problems that afflict our society, but it is how we collectively deal with these problems that is the challange that we continue to fail to embrace. From our homes to our leaders we lack stargey co-ordination and it is no suprise to me after all we are if anything a Nation of Individuals, of 1000 asipiring Presidents and 0 Revolutionaries. Plz excuse me Shopist if i dieveted somewhat from answering your intial query

Thats an important point that hasnt been raised in the argument yet. It must go without saying (although the opposite seems to eb the case in our community) that the Man (as it is his islamic duty) Must if i can do, provide for his family's needs. So i agree with you FS, lakiin still i think the best alternative is like always somewhere in between. I dont think that the need be some Conflict between the 2 Supposed roles, if, and it is a bigg if (relatively speaking)the Husband and the wife concerenced are doveted to each other and are willing to work in the best interest of their union. When i get married (inshallah) i personally wouldnt want my Wife to work the common 9-5 type of jobs that most of the career minded sisters would end up with.

Daaaaaam, i know where i wouldnt be living my Phones from now on.

lol i think it is an interesting system that see's a superstar actor become governor of what is effectively the 4 largest Economy in the world (Cali). That said who cares ..... At least i managed to catch a good laugh out of it. (in Classic arnie acent ) "here let me groap your Camera"

Sounds Interesting Lets see who comes foward

Thx for the great post bro, it is a well made point and i think the Metaphor used is very accurate. I myself hope that this will be the way i meet my wife (inshallah)

Thats a great idea i concur BY THE WAY AM NOT A WOMAN

Amiin

Salam Calayakum Muraad I dont no about kids, certainly i think it is abit of a risk to take them back whilst they are still so young for a variety of reason. It is a difficult one to call, i personally know of a family that came back from somalia just recently. The mother took her 3 kids with here and the expirence seems to have been a positive one, the certainly came back on a high. It could have equally been quite opposite for a variety of reason, one being the one you mentioned. I dont personally have akids myself , lakin i think if i where to, i wouldnt take them at this point in time, unless they are of a mature age i.e. 14yrs plus

Atheltics

Inshallah amiin

Ilaahee hau naxariisto I can only offer my condolences to you and your family shyhem in this most difficult of time.

Hey u would be supprised Siena is a good team, and like Cheivo they are having a great start to there first ever season in Seria A. I to agree that Roma will win the league (Thank you caption obvious ) because we have bought the missing piece in the puzzle in Chivu, besides Juve and Milan (the only other team i fear) have the champions league to contend with. By the way i was watching both the Milan derby and the Valencia Barca game, and it was clear to me which one ws teh most entertaining.

BBC Report

The Other Mogadishu: Ruled by the Pen, Not the Gun Fri October 3, 2003 08:15 AM ET By William Maclean MOGADISHU (Reuters) - The pot-holed route from the airstrip winds through streets lined with wrecked cars and alleys clogged with rubble before depositing the foreign visitor, with a bump, at the entrance to Mogadishu University. Grazed by the goats that wander every street, the area may not look much but behind the iron gates lies the neat, white- and blue-painted home of what many say is the most influential institution trying to revive broken Somalia. Perhaps its main gift, apart from knowledge, is hope. "I dream of being in a big company like Microsoft," said computer student Mohammed Abdulkarim, 20, sitting in the front of several rows of gleaming workstations in a spotless classroom. Speaking above the hubbub of fellow men and women students, the middle-class youth says he could have studied in Pakistan where he went to school but chose to study at home instead. "When I came back from Pakistan I was afraid of what I heard of Mogadishu. But I found things are improving because people are tired of war. And I want to rebuild my country." This is not the usual image of Somalia, which has been without a government since it collapsed in anarchy with the 1991 toppling of former dictator Mohammed Siad Barre. An estimated 60,000 gunmen and their rifles, truck-mounted machine guns and rocket launchers still roam the cratered streets of the capital of an estimated one million people. Among the first sights on the drive in from the nearest airstrip are a burned-out tank and the looted former army academy, now inhabited mostly by refugees. Appearances can be deceptive. The spoils of full-scale war have long been exhausted, the wholesale slaughter of the 1990s has passed, and lawlessness is currently the main curse for a city that was once one of Africa's safest. War may return, but for now businessmen and professionals are growing forces. GUNS AND "TECHNICALS" "There are two Mogadishus," said Maxwell Gaylard, who coordinates all U.N. operations in the Horn of Africa state. "There's the Mogadishu you see when you drive around -- the boys with the guns and technicals (battlewagons). And then there is the Mogadishu behind the iron gates, where people are getting on with life and resurrecting the social sectors." The university, which opened its doors in 1997, was founded by a group of middle-aged academics using funds from the large Somali diaspora and Islamic relief agencies in the Gulf. Many spent their early careers overseas but returned to risk Mogadishu's mean streets because rebuilding Somalia, they say, means more to them than the comforts of expatriate life. "When I am in the U.S. no one knows me, respects me, or calls me professor. Here I get all that, and I am helping my country," said California-trained agriculturalist Hussein Iman. "There are risks but death is everywhere. Some of my friends went to Canada: They died there. Some died in the ocean between here and Yemen. Some went to Libya and died in the desert. Some were killed in Nairobi." Salad Ibrahim, 46, taught English in Yemen for years before bringing his wife and nine children home to join the university. "We live near the Mogadishu gun market. You should hear the noise from customers testing the weapons! But we are back among our extended family. And in a moral sense, I am happy," he said. Residents say the 1,400-student university and an affiliated Mogadishu school network that teaches more than 150,000 pupils have done more to rebuild the city's morale in recent years than all the U.N. and Western relief agencies put together Residents hail the teachers' achievement in getting young people off the streets and behind desks. They also recognize it as something the fractious political class has never managed. "Your future will not be good if you have guns," said nursing student Mohammed AbdulRashid Kursow, 25. "I urge young people to take up the pen instead of shooting, looting and raping women." The university teaches four-year courses in Islamic law, education, English, Arabic, economics and computer science. An affiliated program provides a three-year diploma in nursing. Fees are $400 a year, which covers a third of running costs per student. The gap is made up by diaspora funds and charities. The university has ties to counterparts in Egypt, Pakistan, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen and plans to win recognition for its degrees from Western universities. Most warlords are only vaguely aware of its existence, and the university's president, Saudi-trained historian Ali Sheikh Ahmed Abubakar, says that isn't a bad thing. "If some of the warlords knew about us they could create problems," he said. The university's existence and its teaching of Arabic in most of its courses is seen by some in the West as evidence of the influence of radical Islamists. Somalia watchers say its leaders are moderate Islamists, noting tuition is co-educational and teachers include Christians and Hindus as well as Muslims. Arabic is essential because the Gulf is historically a big job market for Somalis.

By all accounts i think I should, if i can , explore Dubia it seems that it is a good option.