"The Ethiopians can be none too happy with the state of affairs," said J. Peter Pham, Africa director with U.S. think-tank the Atlantic Council. "The Kenyans, having foolishly charged in with apparently little thought as to realistic strategic objectives... are now bogged down and need an additional front opened against al Shabaab to relieve the pressure on themselves," he said. (Reuters) - Ethiopia is being sucked back into Somalia to open another front against Islamist rebels battling Kenyan forces but even a military victory is unlikely to end two decades of anarchy unless the country's feuding politicians and clans want peace. A small Ethiopian contingent rolled across the border on November 19 and 20, although Addis Ababa has publicly denied its troops are there. They have revived bases used during its ill-fated 2006-2009 campaign to rid the anarchic country of hardline Islamist rebels. Regional leaders were meeting in the Ethiopian capital on Friday to discuss ways of supporting Kenya's campaign. Mogadishu has said it would welcome an Ethiopian force if there was an official mandate. Kenya has leaned heavily on Ethiopia to send a much larger force to join the assault against the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels. But Ethiopian troops are unlikely to stray far this time, aware that their last intervention was a rallying call for rebels, who portrayed Ethiopia as Christian invaders in a Muslim country. Kenya too has stressed it will leave Somalia once it has dismantled al Shabaab's network and seized strongholds that provide the insurgents a financial lifeline, potentially leaving a void for former warlords to step into. Somalia is a hotspot in the global war against militant Islam. But in the two decades since warlords and then Islamist insurgents reduced its government to impotence, a string of foreign forces, including American, have failed to bring order. "The Ethiopians can be none too happy with the state of affairs," said J. Peter Pham, Africa director with U.S. think-tank the Atlantic Council. "The Kenyans, having foolishly charged in with apparently little thought as to realistic strategic objectives... are now bogged down and need an additional front opened against al Shabaab to relieve the pressure on themselves," he said. Kenyan forces crossed into Somalia nearly six weeks ago in an incursion designed to dismantle the militants' network. While they initially advanced smoothly on rebel strongholds in southern Somalia, the Kenyan campaign has stalled as al Shabaab fighters melt into the population, while heavy rains and muddy terrain swamp its forces. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said this week any measures against the rebels would be taken jointly with other members of the region's IGAD bloc and the African Union. ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY Ethiopia is reviled across much of Somalia. With tacit U.S. backing, and at the invitation of the beleaguered Somali government, Ethiopia blitzed its way through Somalia in late 2006 and 2007 to rout another Somali Islamist administration from de facto power. Washington said the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) had ties to al Qaeda. It now backs a government led by a former ICU boss. Al Shabaab rose from the broken ICU, its ranks swollen by a deep resentment at the perception of Ethiopia as a Christian invader in a Muslim country. "The Ethiopians understand all too well that their presence, as a Christian nation, in Somalia could be propaganda for al Shabaab," said an African Union official in Addis Ababa. "They're not going to repeat that mistake twice," the official said on condition of anonymity. "They will back up ASWJ, equip them, train them and not stray too far," referring to the pro-Mogadishu Sufi militia group, Ahlu Sunna Waljamaca, which is also closely allied to Ethiopia. A second AU official said Ethiopian troops might push as deep as Baidoa, about 250 km (155 miles) northwest of Mogadishu with an airport, to stretch rebel lines and cut off some supply routes. An Ahlu Sunna commander told Reuters the militia expected Ethiopia to train 4,000 fighters. KISMAYU PRIZE Kenya boasts it could seize Kismayu, a nerve-centre for rebel operations and prized Kenyan target, any time it chooses. The advance on the port city was still on and the country's navy has blockaded the sea port, a Kenyan military source said. Kenya hopes to starve the militants of huge revenues on inflows of smuggled contraband and charcoal exports to the Gulf. The lack of a significant blow to the rebels so far, though, has raised questions about Kenya's troops numbers and strategy. In 2006, against Ethiopia, a military giant in the region, the insurgents squared up to the offensive and suffered. "This time, they faded among the population ... even as they draw (Kenya) deeper into Somalia, extending their lines of communication and supply and allowing them to get bogged down in the unforgiving terrain," Pham said. Some Western diplomats believe Kismayu will fall, but acknowledge their are few answers to the question: What next? "I don't think even within the political and military circles anyone can tell you the end game, the exit plan," Ndung'u Wainaina, head the Nairobi-based think-tank International Centre for Policy and Conflict said. Kenyan troops might seek to switch berets and join an African peacekeeping force. That, though, would require the United Nations to extend the force's mandate beyond Mogadishu and raise the ceiling on troop numbers from the current 12,000. Western powers -- most likely the United States and European Union -- would also need to stump up more cash. "It's difficult to see how that could happen anytime soon given that the salaries of the soldiers are paid for by the West. There's no stomach for giving any more money to AMISOM," said a Western diplomat working in the region. Even if Kenya and its regional allies crush the rebels, military force at best provides breathing space. Critical is political reform, but Somalia's government has done little to convince its neighbours it is capable of extending its sphere of power beyond the capital. The unelected government's legitimacy is already battered by internal power struggles and corruption. Its reliance on yet another foreign incursion might damage its credibility yet further if there is no swift political follow up. "There is a very real danger that al-Shabaab gets defeated only to be replaced by nothing better than a collection of warlords whose depredations gives rise to yet another insurgency, renewing the cycle of conflict and prolonging once more the sufferings ordinary Somalis," said Pham. (Additional reporting by Abdi Sheikh in Mogadishu, Barry Malone and James Macharia in Nairobi; editing by David Clarke and Philippa Fletcher)

Xaaji Borat Again Alshabaab is a Somali problem Wrong, nomad. Al Shabab is a regional and international problem. It is a terrorist organization that was involved in bombings in Uganda, perhaps Kenya and threatens to inflict pain on civilians in the wider region and beyond. It is a regional menance and requires a regional response. As I wrote earlier, you are the last person to question my motives. You are a wicked man who gets a kick out of posting violent news about southern Somalis. So stop the charade.

Xaaji Borat, Al Shabab is a terrorist organization that derives its guidance from wacko Arabs and Pakistanis. It is an alien entity that Somalis want nothing to do with. And of all people you, who gets orgasmic from posting distressing news about Somalia, have zero credibility when preaching about the brotherhood of Somalis, Djiboutis and separatists.

Isn't it funny that the nomads that are shading crocodile tears about foreign invasion in Somalia are the separatist that want nothing to do with Somalia at all? Hmmm....the prospect of an emasculated al shabab is spooking the separatists.

That's why you're seeing separatists going crazy on SOL. The job of clearing Al Shabab will not be done without combing through Asmara and Hargeisa. I surmise the next step for xabashis and AMISOM may be the separatists' heartland.

I am just wondering if Zack and AT&T will be as enthusiastic about xabashi's foray into Somalia as they are about Kenya's invasion. At least the xabashis are waiting for a go ahead from AU unlike Kenya that went in unilaterally.

Are you trying to link Meles and Frew Hailu just because they both are yeAdwa Tigrewoch? BTW, Frew Hailu's son, Dawit Frew, is an accomplished Clarinet player. I just found out.

Yerasua arobat yesew tamasilalech.

(Juba, South Sudan NSV) - President Kiir's oldest daughter, Adut, was handed over in marriage on Saturday, in a church ceremony attended by almost the entire cabinet for South Sudan. Hundreds of South Sudanese, government ministers and dignitaries drove to Rejaf County to witness the marriage ceremony. There was heavy deployment of police and the army, from Juba up to Rejaf, about 15 minites drive away from the city... Assistant Parish Priest for All Saints Rejaf Catholic Church, Fr. James Lado, officiated Adut’s marriage to an Ethiopian, Nardes Gebeyehu Alemneh. http://www.newsudanvision.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2470:south-sudans-first-daughter-aduts-wedding-in-pictures&catid=1:sudan-news-stories&Itemid=6

AT&T's spin is so funny I am laughing my azz off.

This is exaggerated news.Liyu police are tough. Osman's boys learned the hard way not to mess with them.

The Ethiopian Somali in North America demands a stop to brutality and torture against elders by Liyu Police in Somali Region Written by ismail Tuesday, 01 November 2011 13:12 Liyu Police Militia said "forcefully arresting and killing" natives in southeast Ethiopia Among them Dr. Abdulmajid ‘s uncle From mid-October, the Liyu Pilce has started forcefully arresting thousands of families in the rural areas around Harshin [in the restive Somali region in southeastern Ethiopia, where local government forces are engaged in arresting and killing against the villagers]. Two week ago, The special militia ( Liyu Police) loyal to the President of Somali Region is rounding up all adults and detaining them in few designated villages around the road between Yacaale and Harshin, leaving behind their children and livestock unattended at the mercy of wild beasts. Furthermore, the Liyu policeis separating the women and taking them to military camps for sexual abuse. Some of the villages used as concentration camps are in Jijiga area. Civilians who escaped from this massive campaign are highly distressed and hiding in nearby towns. They are recounting horrendous stories about the fate of the young children left behind. The villagers escaping from the killing and arrest of Liyu police found the remains of young children and livestock eaten by hyenas. The Local government and its local agents are telling the rural population that anybody found in the surrending Yacaale district will be arrested. This is an escalation of the ethnic cleansing of other clan people that has been continuing since 2010 and is unprecedented in both scale and savagery and needs urgent federal government attention and immediate intervention to stop it. The local government has made up stories that the villagers crossed from Somaliland. One of the elders whom the BBC Somali service reached him, he said , “The late Dr. Abdimajid Hussein ‘s uncle is born in Ethiopia and could not be a person who crossed from the border; he is among the fifty elder who were arrested last week.” , he added that it is an unfounded allegation and pretext that the President of Somali , Abdi Mohamed is using to dislocate other Somali clan and resettling his own clan, ******i, due to his latest creation of fifteen districts. Since Local government has isolated other prominent Somali clan , Issa, Issaq, Garinle, Gadabursi and Sheikkhal to name a few and dismantled the local party where the President is the chairman and things have gonefrom bad to worse . The Somali community in North America and Europe urge the federal government to interfere and restore peace and send media to report about the calamity in Somali Region villagers; the liyu police militia has a free rein to conduct scorched earth campaigns with impunity without fear of retribution. Consequently, the Harshin people have no international or national protection since the local militia ( Liyu Police) state protection is itself conducting the pogrom. The possibility of thousands of civilians perishing and hundreds of thousands migrating is eminent unless urgent federal government and international intervention happens. Therefore, Ethiopian Somali in North America aka Hawd and Reserve Area appeals to the federal government of Ethiopia UN, the Security Council, the AU and the international community to act immediately and take adequate measures to protect the civilian population in Somali Region .

Nomad, don't you have a lot of sh_t on your plate to worry about as is?. Why covet your neighbor's land? You remind me of the Amharic saying, Yekotun awerd bila yebibituan talech.

Addis Ababa, November 2, 2011 (Addis Ababa) -The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) said it had finalized construction of the Degehabur-Shekosh Asphalt Road at a cost of 282 million Birr. Authority Communication Director, Samson Wondimu told ENA on Wednesday that the construction of the 108-km road was launched in 1999 EC. According to Samason, with the exception of some activities, the construction of the road has already been finalized. He said the road was badly damaged since it had served for more than three decades. ---END---

Xaji Borat, We already know you're an Al Shabab sympathizer. Are you by any chance one of the Al Shabab recruiters in the west? It's reported that many of Al shabab's suicide bombers recruited from the west are from the same clan as Godane.

So who would it be? Would Azania dreaming Osman boys choose Somalia invading Kenya or Al Shabab arming Eritrea? Hard choice, isn't it? All Eyes on Eritrea as Arms Shipment Reaches Al-Shabab Gabe Joselow | Nairobi The Kenyan military said two planes landed at an al-Shabab controlled airfield in Somalia this week, loaded with arms destined for the al-Qaida-linked group. The news immediately heightened longstanding suspicions that Eritrea is arming Somali militants. The Kenyan military did not say from where the airplanes came, but that they landed in the south-central town of Baidoa, an al-Shabab stronghold, and that they were carrying weapons for the militant group. Local media reports were quick to pin the shipment on Eritrea, which has long been accused of supplying al-Shabab. The Eritrean Foreign Ministry issued a statement Wednesday denying the accusations, calling them “pure fabrications and outright lies.” It also accused its regional rival Ethiopia of being the chief author of a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting Eritrea. But, Rashid Abdi, an analyst with the International Crisis Group says Eritrea has a history of supplying militants in Somalia. “I think no one doubts that Eritrea has throughout the last four years been supportive of al-Shabab, sending in weapons, sending in trainers and also training hundreds of al-Shabab fighters in some of its military camps," said Abdi. "But, as I said, it is very difficult to confirm this news story that this support has been resumed by Eritrea.” A United Nations report released in July alleged Eritrea had flown weapons and fighters into Somalia on numerous occasions. The report also said Eritrea has been funneling about $80,000 per month to people linked to al-Shabab through the Eritrean embassy in Nairobi. Eritrea has consistently denied the accusations. Why fund al-Shabab? Rashid Abdi says it is all about Ethiopia: “Eritrea definitely has been supportive of al-Shabab for a long time and this support is not ideological, it is essentially meant to counter Ethiopia's influence in Somalia and during the Ethiopian occupation, that was the height of Eritrea's involvement in Somalia,” he said. Eritrea and Ethiopia fought an intense border war between 1998 and 2000 and tensions have remained high ever since. Analysts say this prompted Eritrea's alleged support of al-Shabab during Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia in 2006. Now Kenyan troops are pursuing al-Shabab in Somalia, in a cross-border operation that began nearly three weeks ago. Kenya blames the militants for a spate of recent kidnappings and attacks and has vowed to continue fighting until the threat is eliminated and Kenyans can feel secure. This week, a spokesperson for the Kenyan army warned of impending military strikes on al-Shabab targets across Somalia, including Baidoa, Afmadow and the port town of Kismayo.

zack At the end of the day non of us cares what a Wayane thinks, as divided as we are on many things we are completely united on the wayane hatred At the end of the day it is much better to unite based on love for Somalia than on hate for xabashis. You see, if you loved Somalia, you wouldn't be a cheerleader for a unilateral Kikuyu invasion.

Zack Waryaa wayane are u scared? You should be because we are coming to take over mekele. No, I am not scared. I am rather bemused. BTW, I don't think the Kikuyu will entertain the idea of carrying you on their backs all the way to Mekele. They have neither the will nor the interest.

There is a sinister motive why Somalilanders don't support the demise of Al Shabab. So far they have been pointing at the chaotic southern Somalia as one of the reasons they say the don't want to associate with their cousins. Al Shabab has been doing a pretty good job of making the case for them. Take away Al Shabab and a semblance of peace may be restored in Southern Somalia. It is something the Slanders dread.

Zack's euphoria over the Kenyan invasion is sickening. Who knows may be his uncle is part if the invading Kikuyu army. He reminds me of an Amharic saying : YeAbathin bet sizerfu abreh ziref, which means- when they burglarize your fathers home join the burglars.

Read the Ethiopian constitution. There is no monolithic Oromo view, but the vast majority have no desire to be independent. Even OLF has retracted its hollow ambition. Somalilanders on the other hand have been ruling themselves for over 20 years. In addition they claim to be a product of British colony. If that can be ascertained, give them the referendum they so desire. BTW, this thread is not about Ethiopia. It is about Somalilanders. It is mind boggling why nomads insert xabashis in every argument. It is a cheap distraction

Abtigiis he accepts the lazy Amisom army and throws tantrums about the Kenyan. Wow. The "lazy" AMISOM lost 70 of their soldiers a few days ago fighting Al Shabab terrorists. It is a disgrace that A&T would disparage them. TFG may have been assembled in Djibouti but it has an international legitimacy. I would like to also remind every one that AMISOM were a replacement for the "dreaded xabashis" many here wanted to leave Somalia. Hence, what ever argument Azania proponents come up with will remain hollow. Azania is a Kikuyu project for Kikuyau by Kikuyu. And please don't bring xabashis into your arguments to score points because they are still on their side of the border.

Knight of Wisdom The best possible course of action is to reconstruct the Somali state from a center in Hargeisa. Hargeisa is too small and too far north to be Somalia's capital. Mogadishu is geographically suitable and so should remain its capital. It just needs to be pacified and the clan cleansing that took place in the early 90s needs to be reversed. Somalia and Somaliland have to come to an agreement on a referendum for Somalilanders to decide their future.

Zack, You oppose Azania and support puntland, eesh calaa Somalinimo. If you oppose Azania, you denounce puntland nooh. Are you serious? Have you lost your marbles? C-R-A-Z-Y

Weren't the Kenyans who rescued him from the combined Ethiopian Yey forces who were chasing the ICU figure-head all the way to Kenya? Didn't they whisk him out of Kenya and to Eritrea? Hmmm...