Stoic, your response is well appreciated.

government"? This is disgrace and a great scandal it only displays how weak this government is, and the whole country as well! I say all support to Cadde muse, he seems to be the only rational figure in this drama. Keynan, don't be surprised. I agree with Gedi and he has a right to say such words. He is extremely disappointed with the so called TFG government so as the so called Cade Muuse.

“SOMALILANDâ€: PART AND PARCEL OF SOMALIA- A Response to Dr. J. Peter Pham In my part of Somalia, which Dr. Pham calls “Somalilandâ€, we have a saying—an expression to dispel disbelief—“Mana waalan mise Cadan baa laga heesayaa?â€. Roughly translated, it means: “Am I going crazy or am I hearing singing in Aden[1]?†It is frequently heard as a reflection when a sudden connection appears between two unlikely things—a person and something who are supposed to have a ‘disconnect’—a state of emotional isolation and disinterest that may be voluntary or involuntary, according to one dictionary definition of the word. In other words, the Somali expression is used as an exclamation when something one least expected happens. Dr. Pham’s article, “ "Somalia facing Reality in Somalia", raises the same question in most Somali minds. That is despite the advent of globalization and the knowledge that the world is so much smaller than it was ten years ago, in terms of communications, and in this information age. I bet Dr. Pham, on his part, has only come to know very recently about Somalia, and particularly, “Somalilandâ€, when he has only been inspired to write about the subject—by inertia from some quarters rather than by independent choice! Dr. Pham starts his article with the following promotion of “Somalilandâ€: “… a country within the greater Middle East ambit that has successfully made the transition to electoral democracy with multiparty municipal, presidential, and, most recently, parliamentary polls. Moreover, imagine that despite virtually all of its citizens being Sunni Muslims, the country's national elections commission designates a progressive, foreign-based Christian non-governmental organization to coordinate the international monitoring of its parliamentary elections.†Perhaps, as a ploy, to appeal to the Christian faith and the democratic character of the people of the United States and of the West, Dr. Pham starts his demagogic piece by his description of “Somaliland†as in the quotation above. Surely, the intention is immediately transparent. He is fishing for the xenophobic, and particularly, the Islamo-phobic, tendencies, if at least, of a minority, of the people of the West, who may harbor such feelings. And, for that matter, he lies. Somalia, although a member of the Arab League, is an African country. At least, I never heard Somalia being placed within the ambit of the Middle East. For the purpose of deception, though, he creates a new description—the “Greater Middle Eastâ€. I may already conclude that this is a cheap shot to dismember Somalia, if not a divisive insult to humanity at all levels. And, so what! If a Christian non-governmental organization monitored the mock election the leadership in Hargeisa had staged in only a small part of the region? That I call a piece of demagoguery that only a swindler can use to pull a fast one on those he considers gullible. I do not believe that the world is as gullible as Dr. Pham thinks of it. And yet, he is promoting the secession of “Somalilandâ€, which, to the majority of the people of the Somali Republic, means a dismemberment of their beloved country—including a significant proportion of our people of the North. If an independent thinker, or a real professional, he would have first studied the matter qualitatively at least, if not quantitatively, by way of social research, and show something for his conclusion. In the lack of any of the sort, I was reminded of the power of the above mentioned Somali expression—and I internalized its meaning in a way in which I never did before. To dispel my exclamation, I read, and read, and read the article—again, and again, and again—to see the connection between my part of Somalia and Dr. Pham’s interests in life. I could not, honestly, fathom why Dr. Pham would remotely be interested in Somalia! Is he another pseudo expert on Somalia? If he is, it is not surprising at all! We have already had some foreigners in this respect. I called them the foreign pseuds elsewhere[2]. John Drysdale and Professor I. M. Lewis of the UK; Matt Bryden of the ICG, perhaps a national of the US; and Professor Iqbal Daood Jhazbhay of South Africa have all been somehow influenced to participate in the dismemberment of my country. Speaking of motives, as to why these individuals have made it incumbent upon themselves to help dismember the Somali Republic, there could have been a number of reasons. They could have invariably been approached by the corrupt leadership of “Somaliland†or representatives thereof, which is prepared to spend a lot of US dollars to lure anyone to help them defend an indefensible cause! And it will be a remiss, on my part, if I pass here without underlining the exorbitant amounts of dollars forgone for the poor population of Somalia, and particularly “Somalilandâ€. This money—the taxes they collect from the poor masses in the name of democracy—could have been used for health services, for education, for placing people in jobs and for other social and economic goods. In some of the cases of some of these stray academicians, there have also been rumors, that there were matters of the heart involved. In other cases, it has been a colonial nostalgia, as it may have been in the case of John Drysdale and Professor I. M. Lewis, which I discussed elsewhere[3]. Studied a little more, one would conclude, I am sure, that Dr. Pham’s relationship with Somalia—hence, “Somalilandâ€â€”is just one of those or something superficially similar. The other question is: why is it Dr. Pham, this time around? Why was he chosen to promote “Somalilandâ€? Is it because he simply can write, as indicated by his extensive CV? Is it because, since he knows a little about, for example, Liberia, as he claims, he can easily transfer that “understanding†of that country, Liberia, in Africa to another on the other side of the continent, Somalia, or for that matter, any other country in the continent? Is it just about the “F†and “S†words which is the only connection between Somalia and Liberia—both “Failed Statesâ€â€”that since he knows one thing of the one failed State, he knows every thing about all failed States? But, can he see that, despite the fact that the people, in Liberia, had suffered the atrocities inflicted by Samuel Doe and Charles Taylor, and despite the label, at some point, of “failed Stateâ€, Liberia remains intact under one nation? No denying here that Somalis from all parts of the country had suffered the Barre Regime’s atrocities. Or, is it just because he read the International Republican Institute’s (TRI) Report, which he links to his article, he has become an authority overnight on the subject of Somalia, and particularly on my region of the country, which he calls “Somalilandâ€? I am raising these questions because I do not think that the good doctor woke up one morning to suddenly write about Somalia. I am certain he has been inspired. Hence, apart from regurgitating a little of what he read here and there, and/or recycling the same old platitudes, tirelessly and sickeningly, argued by the secessionists, over the last fifteen years, Dr. Pham does not offer any new substance to the debate. It does not look like he is very well studied in the subject matter or in the internal affairs of Somalia, either. He is just repeating the same old banal arguments of those wedded to a “Somaliland†and their foreign pseuds, to an extent you would think he was spoon-fed to the content of his article. Hence, he is NOT original and is, therefore, NOT credible. Surely, that is not expertise, nor is it an account worthy of regarding as what he describes as a “World Defense Reviewâ€. He calls himself a Columnist on this area. Even then, he has to show more than a biased, if cursory, desk study for his column—at least an emotional attachment to the beast he calls “Somalilandâ€, if not an a cogent analysis to swerve minds! Otherwise, what, does he think, makes him the expert he claims to be, here? He does not even seem to be aware of the US influence in the region he is writing about! He does not—could not in a trillion years. But, neither has he presented a convincing argument, even if borrowed from the existing myths for the case. He simply, and apparently, does not even care to go that far! Dr. Pham does not have anything to show for his blatant and conspicuous effort at dismembering Somalia. I would not be surprised, if, at least, he was attached to Somalia, even by marriage, like some of the other foreign pseuds calling for the secession of “Somalilandâ€. The question is: how is Dr. Pham related to Somalia? Why does one have to take his word for what he is preaching in his article? Therefore, is he credible enough to set the parameters of foreign policy for the US and other countries of the West, about a place so remote to him—by culture, religion, colonial ties, or, even, political relations—as a person, probably of immigrant origins from as wretched a country in Southeast Asia as is Somalia? What is the connection? Or, is it the wretchedness of his background that connects him to Somalia, by way of mercy killing? I say: not even the Tsunami that hit the Somali coast—together with, and unfortunately more so, many countries facing the Indian Ocean—connects him to Somalia! I should not, therefore, lengthen my debate with a man who is neither honest enough, even to himself, nor conversant, on a subject so strange to him, and so peculiar to his past, that he can hardly say anything more than a few hearsays about it. If, however, one is interested in the political and legal argument against the case for “Somalilandâ€, one might wish to read my articles on the subject, the latest of which are “The Somaliland Mythology Indicted[4]†currently posted in Hiiran.com, also earlier in WardheerNews.com, and the "Somaliland": The Mythology Dispelled" in Banadir.com. One will find the URLs in the end notes. Funnily enough, as a preamble for his infamous argument or as a psychological self-justification for his faulty rationale, he writes: “The point is, however, that I am not hallucinating – much less doing so under the influence of mildly narcotic qat – but summarizing the largely unheralded developments over the course of the last few years in Somaliland, a self-declared republic in the northwestern region of the wreckage that is still labeled "Somalia" on most maps despite not having any of the recognizable accoutrements of statehood since at least 1991.†No, Dr. Pham is not hallucinating, as he wonders here, but he is, indeed, writing this baloney! And, it is only perfect that he is, himself, wondering why he is doing so—right there, in his own statement! I am not surprised by his mentioning of Qat, a substance generally consumed in Somalia, and most traditionally in “Somalilandâ€. Perhaps he wishes to subliminally intimate that he knows something special about “Somalilandâ€â€”therefore, suggesting a depth of knowledge about the culture of the people. That makes me conclude that he has tried the substance, which is offered to anyone which the Hargeisa leadership gets in touch with. Even then, to a Somali, like me, who comes from the place he calls “Somalilandâ€; it is not strange to chew Qat. However, his spelling of the word “Qatâ€, together with his tenet of the argument, give me another clue. For a foreigner to spell the word with the “Q†and NOT the “Kâ€, as the western world knows it, is an evidence that he has been inspired by Somalis—at a minimum—and, probably, by some with the secessionist orientation, if not the very representatives of the secessionist leadership itself. I am sure the United States is capable of considering and making its decisions on the question of Somalia, given its interests in that country, and the region of the world surrounding it, without ever considering the input from the likes of Dr. Pham. Does not the leadership in Hargeisa know that, if the US was to listen to the myth propagation from someone as sinisterly uninformed as Dr. Pham presents himself, the US would have already accepted their demands a long time ago? Again, what is so new that the good doctor presents here? Is it his publications? Is it that his face is different from that of the Somalis, the few Caucasians, or the two lost African professors—Iqbal Jhazbhay and Ali Mizrui—who have been defending the secession? Or, is the leadership in Hargeisa so desperate that, in their new gimmicks, they are claiming to have defendants from all the races of the international community? Never mind the fact that their count remains less than seven charlatans. One hardly can, therefore, buy Dr. Pham’s defense of the secession under the umbrella of what he calls the “World Defense Reviewâ€, implying strategy, by extension, for the United States. Yes, he writes in ‘defense’ of the secession of “Somalilandâ€, for some reason unbeknown to me. I cannot believe he is even concerned about the “World Defense Review†or his column this time around. Generally speaking, he sounds more like another naïve academician than he is an independent expert. I do not think he even expects anyone to believe him, let alone a rebuttal. It is just that: “Waan arkaa wuxu in ay subxaanyo tahay eh, sankaygaan in uu halaq-mareen noqdo uga baqay[6]â€. I will not translate this one; almost, sure that Dr. Pham has his own translators, from the right quarters. Abdalla A. Hirad Abdalla Hirad is a Somali scholar who has supplied papers to both African Studies and Somali Studies and was a former officer of UNDP [1] A Port City of the Yemen, across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia. [2] See Hirad, Abdalla A. “The TFG and Politics of Disintegration in Post Embagathi Somaliaâ€, http://www.wardheernews.com/Articles_06/march-06/21_Somali_distegration.AHirad.html [3] See Hirad, Abdalla A. “The Nostalgia of a Former British Colonial Officerâ€, http://www.dhahar.com/articles/nastalgia.html [4] Hirad, A. Abdalla, see: http://www.hiiraan.com/op/2006/may/Abdalla_A_Hirad070506.aspx [5] See: "Somaliland Mythology Dispelled [6] A quotation borrowed from Egal Shiidaad, the character of a Somali legend. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is time of the year (Summer hay fever) A.Yaasin Abdiaziz Many people suffer with runny noses and itchy, red eyes when pollen counts are high including me. But there are plenty of steps you can take to relieve these hayfever symptoms. What are the causes? Hay fever is caused by breathing in pollen and by pollen getting in the eyes. You can get hay fever at any time from early spring to late summer, depending on what pollen or pollens you are allergic to. The pollens most likely to cause early spring problems are those from trees such as the silver birch, ash, oak and London plane. Summer hay fever is also called 'seasonal allergic rhinitis' because it only occurs during the spring and summer. Symptoms occur when an allergen causes inflammation and irritation of the delicate linings of the nose and eyes. Grasses pollinate during mid-summer from May to August. The most profusely pollinating grasses are timothy, rye, and cocksfoot, "The most profusely meadow and fescue." Occasionally, in late summer and autumn, weeds such as nettles and dock as well as mugwort and plantain can trigger hay fever. The condition tends to occur in "allergy-prone" families and usually starts in the early teenage years and symptoms peak in the 20s. What are the symptoms? The main symptoms of hay fever are: * repeated sneazing attack * runny or itchy nose * itchy or watery eyes * an itchy throat, palate and ears * loss of concentration * a general feeling of being unwell (hence hay 'fever') What is the treatment? The most useful treatments for hay fever are: * Anti-histamine tablets and nasal sprays, which help relieve a runny nose, sneezing, an itchy throat and itchy, watery eyes. * Anti-inflammatory nasal sprays and nose drops, which reduce inflammation in the delicate lining of the nose. * Anti-allergy nasal sprays and eye drops, which act on the linings of the nose and eyes to stop the allergen triggering a reaction. * Decongestant tablets and sprays can help if the nose is blocked and stuffy. Some of these medicines are available over the counter at a pharmacy while others are only available on prescription. You may need to try different treatments or find a combination of treatments that works best for you. If symptoms remain severe despite medication, you might benefit from desensitisation immunotherapy to grass pollen. You will be given injections of minute amounts of pollen over a three-year period to induce immune tolerance and cure the allergy. Unfortunately this treatment is not widely available in Britain yet, but the results of recent clinical trials have been very encouraging. First aid If you have hay fever, here are some steps you can take to avoid exposing yourself to pollen: * Keep an eye on the pollen count and stay inside as much as possible if the count is high. (In the pollen season, the pollen count is often included in radio, television and newspaper weather reports.) * Wear sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes – wrap around sunglasses are best. * Saline douches or a little Vaseline applied inside the nose will reduce symptoms. * Keep car windows closed and make sure a pollen filter is fitted to the vent. * Keep bedroom doors and windows closed in mid-morning and early evening when pollen levels peak. * Avoid areas like parks or fields, particularly in the early evening when there is a lot of pollen at ground level. * Get someone else to mow the grass and don't lie on freshly cut grass. What can be done to prevent hay fever? If you have hay fever symptoms, you may be able to find out what you're allergic to by having allergy tests and then taking practical steps to avoid that particular tree or grass pollen. Oral allergy syndrome Some hay fever sufferers develop oral allergies to certain fruits, vegetables and nuts. This is also called the pollen-food allergy syndrome. Patients typically develop hay fever in early spring and then notice itching and swelling of their mouth and throat on eating fresh fruit and vegetables. Silver birch pollen allergy sufferers develop oral allergies to apples, peaches, cherries, carrots, celery, hazelnuts, peanuts and walnuts. Grass pollen allergy sufferers develop oral allergies to tomato, melon and watermelon. Mugwort pollen allergy cross-reacts with apple, celery and carrot. Ragweed pollen allergy cross-reacts with bananas, melon and honey. People do not react to cooked or canned foods and the reaction usually remains localised to the mouth and throat. In latex allergy, people sensitised to latex also develop allergies to fruit such as avocado, banana, chestnut and kiwi fruit. A.Yaasin Abdiaziz Elmi Clinical Researcher Based in London. yaasin_24@yahoo.co.uk

Code tallker, you really explicated dispassionately. Our brother Duke is blind to the reality. Abdusalam M. Jama "Salwe", a regional analyst will shed you more light Duke. He is not biased as he belongs to the same sub-clan of Adde Muuse. Go to this feature analysis "Kalabayr" consist of seven (7) parts as of now from the date Puntland was established. It even updates with the current issues and conflict. Good Luck! http://www.somaliawatch.org/feature.htm

It is hard to predict brother, but this is a good move and it will Notresult in division or Sub-lands but only to enhance security provision and to create more public services under the systems of tax umbrella and civil society.

Puntland Oil & Mining Deal: The Offspring of an Affair between Greed and Incompetence (part II) Omar M. Abdi Fairfax VA Laurel, oabusa@yahoo.com Salah Fatah MD sfatahj2@yahoo.com May 09, 2006 If you were in a position to sell one third of Somalia’s underground natural resources, everything under the ground except water, how much would you sell it for? Would you seek the advice and consultation of your fellow citizens and listen to their concerns about the idea? Would you seek expert advice to guide you through the process and warn you of potential consequences of your decisions? Would you seek legal advice? These are some of the questions on the minds of many people regarding Puntland Oil and Mining agreement. In the second part of this article, we will present our opinions of the agreement and try to shed light on answers to some of the questions. We will try our best to provide corroborating documentation supporting our assessment. This approach is particularly appropriate when discussing financial aspects of the agreement. Based on what we have learned so far about the subject matter, we strongly believe that the approach and leadership with which Puntland administration has handled this agreement was debilitated by ineptitude, greed, lack of vision, and was beset with arrogance and inflated egos. We identified three major flaws of the deal. Strategic Flaws of the Agreement The readers of Part I of this article know that few individuals at the top of the leadership in Puntland and TFG administrations signed an agreement which gave away over 90% of the ownership of oil and minerals in Puntland regions to a foreign company, Consort Private Ltd. This firm seems to exist only in name and has no business track in the world. The agreement is so unfavorable to Somalia that oil and gas industry experts were bewildered when its news was announced late last year. Steve Rothertham of EnergyView, an Australian oil and gas industry news magazine, wrote about it in an article titled “A Punt too far?†He interviewed Dr. Ali Abullaahi Barkadle, a Somali resource and management consultant living in Melbourne, who criticized the deal on several grounds. He said, 1. “The Puntland contract gave an unfair advantage to Consort Pvt Ltd and Range Resources by lumping together mining and oil concessions and giving the whole state – roughly 212,000 square kilometers – to a single company was unheard of.†2. “It seems the negotiators had a very limited understanding of the mining and oil industry or were in need of quick money.†2. “Puntland can be divided into many blocks using modern GIS systems. The area of 212,000sq.km is too huge for a viable study to be done on. Even multinational corporations with huge budgets for explorations cannot bite into such a huge cake without damaging shareholder value.†3. “Somalia had issued a number of concessions and prospecting licenses to a number of international oil companies in the 80s when Hunt Oil discovered oil in Yemen that protruded into Somalia. Ownership questions still remain since most of these companies declared force majeure.†A copy of the article is available at ENERGY VIEW Environmental Flaws of the Agreement One of the most awful aspects of the agreement is that it contained no provisions to address potential environmental problems associated with mining activities which could have severe negative impacts on the quality of land, air and water resources. These problems are widely recognized in the world and include: * Watershed deterioration caused by increased erosion and runoff rates as result of large scale mining excavations. Rangelands, the backbone of livelihood in the region, are extremely vulnerable to this kind of damage. * Mining related activities such as digging of underground tunnels and trenches can increase the risk of groundwater contamination. Human health concerns include hazardous substances disposed at surface which could find their way into the ground through these structures, thus, providing an easy migration pathway for contaminants to reach the groundwater. * Unsafe waste disposal practices could be rampant throughout mining sites in the region due to lack of regulatory oversight. This could lead to wide spread dumping of chemicals and other toxic substances used in mining operations into the ground. *Risk of massive land deformation due to collapsing of mining tunnels. This is particularly true if the design and operation of these structures are not planned and monitored carefully by qualified institutions. * Lastly and most importantly, all of the above risks are likely to happen because Somalia has neither the environmental protection laws nor the qualified workforce and institutional support to oversee complex oil and mining operations in order to protect human health and the environment. Failure to address these issues in a well thought-out manner carries the risk of ecological disasters which linger in the region for along time. The communities who live in areas targeted for contract works should be aware of the health and safety risks as well as economic deprivations to their land and way of life. If governments at all levels failed them, they do have a right to look out for themselves and they deserve the support of their fellow citizens. We believe Range Resources has mixed feelings about the gross negligence by their Somali counterparts to protect human health and the environment. On one hand, they see it as a risk to the project since future Somali authorities could impose strict laws which could increase the cost of operations. On the other hand, they seem to use it as selling point to investors by mentioning that there are no regulatory requirements from local and Federal governments. In other words, this is a high profit project. A statement to this effect is mentioned in the prospectus document Range Resources put together to raise $3.45 million from investors in Australia and New Zealand. You can find the document at the link below. See Section 7.0 which discusses government regulatory compliance. http://www.rangeresources.com.au/ [sorry the site doesn't accept the pdf type link] The above observations led us to believe that country is not ready to enter agreements such as the one signed by Puntland at this time, and the Somali public has the right to rise against the actions of few individuals driven by irrational greed and irresponsible behavior that endangers the lives of many citizens. Financial Flaws of the Agreement The flaws in of the agreement defy logic and common sense to the point one has to ask what were Somali representatives in the negotiation table doing. Who were they looking out for? Based on what we know now, they were there just to pick up the check. That is the only rational conclusion a reasonable person can deduce from their actions. There are a lot of speculations about how much money changed hands in this deal. We don’t know exactly how much money Puntland and TFG governments received for signing the deal, since the agreement between Puntland and Consort Private Ltd is a highly kept secret known to few. However, based on two documents released by Range Resources, we were able to make a reasonable estimate of the amount of money Range Resources will pay to Consort Private Ltd and Puntland/TFG administrations to get a majority ownership of oil and mineral rights in the region. The payments made by Range Resources are in three categories. It is important to understand the differences and the value of each one of them to get a realistic sense of the actual money going to the payees. Cash payments: Direct cash payments to the payee. Company shares: These are shares paid upon Completion Date (after signing all necessary papers.) To calculate the value of these shares we obtained price of Range shares as reported by the Australian Stock Exchange and then converted it to US dollar using the exchange rate at the time of this article ( 4 cents per share, 1 Australian dollar=0.768332 US dollar). We don’t know when these shares can be exercised (sold). However Range did not put a time restriction on them, so we assumed they can be cashed at any time. Company Share Options: These shares are subject to conditions which payee has to fulfill to the satisfaction of Range Resources. These conditions include but not limited to ensure contract work schedule is not interrupted/delayed and availability of third party investors to raise additional funds for the project. The leaders of Puntland and TFG, based on our estimation, sold 1/3 of Somalia’s underground resources for the following benefits: * A cash amount of about US $ 5.9 million. About US $ 2.6 million in the form of Range Resources shares. * About US 2.6 million in the form of Range Resources share options. * A royalty payment of 5 to 10 percent of the revenue generated in production phase, if the deal gets that far. This means that the maximum benefit the Somali people can hope to get out of this agreement is 10% of the revenue. It is possible that Consort Private Ltd will receive some of the above money, although an insignificant share. There is also a chance that Somali officials may never cash the share options in the amount of US $ 2.6 since it comes with a number of conditions which may not be fulfilled. Having said this, as of May 31, 2006 the total cash amount that would be paid to Puntland/TFG officials is about US $ 2.6 million excluding any payment from company shares and share options. We don’t know who the beneficiaries of the shares offered by Range Resources are. For its part, Consort Private Ltd will get most of its payment when 3rd party investors come on board. Not a bad deal for a one man company. See the tables below for details. Payments to Puntland/TFG Administrations Payment Description Cash advance (refundable if Somalia/Consort side doesn’t meet their obligation to Range Resources). The obligation here was to sign the papers. US Dollar: 1,500,000 Status: Paid Cash ( to be paid when all agreement approvals or signatures are obtained) US Dollar: 1,000,000 Status: Paid Cash (17 monthly payments of 200,000 starting Nov. 15, 2005). US Dollar 3,400,000 Status: Partially paid 85,000,000 Range Resource shares to be given at agreement completion date. These shares can be cashed in any time. The only condition was to sign the papers. US Dollar: 2,624,800 Statis: Paid 85,000,000 Range share options. We don’t know what conditions are attached to exercise these shares. We believe these shares will be paid if third party investors come on board. US Dollar:2,624,800 Status:Not likely to be paid soon. Total 11,149,600 Status: Partially Paid Source: Agreement between Range Resources and Private Consort. Please see Part I of the article. Payments Promised to Consort Private after 3rd Party Investors come on Board Payment Description Cash (To be paid after Consort Private brings third party investors). We think that Puntland/TFG will not get the significant share of Consort Private payments. US Dollar: 500,000 Status:Not paid 85,000,000 Range Resource shares to be paid after Consort Private bring third party investors. US Dollar:2,612,329 Status:Not Paid 255,000,000 Range share options. Shares to be paid after Consort Private brings third party investors. US Dollar:7,836,986 Status:Not paid Total 10,949,315 Status: Not paid Source: Agreement between Range Resources and Private Consort. Please see Part I of the article. The source for royal payments is a document presented at Range’s annual company meeting in November 28, 2005. It contains interesting scientific details, unknown to many Somalis, regarding the prospect of oil in north eastern regions of Somalia. Range Resources acquired substantial data from former oil companies suggesting the existence oil reserves estimated at more than 500 million barrels. For details see the document at the link: http://www.www.rangeresources.com.au/docs/slide.ppt Note: you need to download it first and then view it with Microsoft PowerPoint. Look at slide #16 for royalty payments. Conclusion We wonder if any other country has been robbed of its wealth as belligerently as the Puntland Oil and Mining Agreement did to the people of Somalia. An interesting analogy to this deal, in our opinion, is when the Dutch bought the island of Manhattan in New York in early 18th century from the native Indians for a bunch of beads amounting to 60 Dutch Guilders, which was later converted to about 24 US dollars. Omar M. Abdi Salah Fatah Fairfax VA Laurel, MD oabusa@yahoo.com sfatah2@yahoo.com Source: Wardheernews.com

The long waited summit for the people of Sanaag and West Bari regions has started on Sunday, May 14, 2006 at Badhan City. The summit was postponed few times for the arrivals of guests. The elders, politicians, intellectuals and social groups ,who are mainly from the Main clan in Sanaag, have been arriving in Badhan for the past weeks, after Sultan Saeed has called for this emergence summit. Delegates have been arriving in large numbers from other cities, some parts of Africa, Middle East, Europe, North America and Australia The main goal of the summit is to discuss matters concerning the developmnent of the region and to formulate a regional government , increase stability ,security and peace in the region. “We want to promote peace and harmony and unite our people†said one of the elders at the summit, who arrived after a long road trip from Dhahar. The Sanaag region of Somalia was unaffected by the civil war, which have devastated most of Somalia, and have long enjoyed peace and stability, until recently when fighting broke out at Majiyahan between militias loyal to Adde of Puntland and the locals of Majiyahan, after Adde had a signed a deal with little known company, RangeResources, to explore minerals in the area, and the locals opposed. The conflicts at Majiyahan are expected to dominate the talks. The city of Badhan is busy with people and booming of business is reported. No vacancy could be seen in all hotels, as the city would not accommodate such unexpected large number of people. Warbixin Ku Saabsan Shirkii Beesha ee Maamul Sameynta uga Socday Magaalada Badhan Ee Gobolka Sanaag Waxaa si toosa uga furmay magaalada Badhan 14/05/06 maalinino Axada shirkii aayo ka talinta beesha Sanaag iyo Galbeedka Bari shirkaas oo ay ka soo qayb galeen ergooyin kala duwan oo ka kala socda qaybaha kala duwan ee bulshadaiyo dhamaan Gobolada Beeshu Degto. Radio Ogaal More News

^Are you underestimating then the military power of the Islamic Court? One reason, apart from the war on terror, the U.S government bypassed the TFG and conspired with the warlords is Ethiopia's ties with the TFG. The U.S interest in the region is somewhat tied to or perhaps be predicated on its dilemma of the two power countries: Egypt and Ethiopia. Egypt fears that Ethiopia has ulterior motives in Somalia and wants to expand there due to its demographic explosion, which then helps Ethiopia in its search for a big seat in the international spotlight for its sphere of influence in the region. It is glaring obvious when it comes to the two which one will the U.S pick as its best ally. There are rumors that America is looking for ways to restore the rule of Amhara in Ethiopia. I find this old article below interesting and relevant to say the least, but first do pay heed to the note in [italics]. The author divides the political camps/forces of Somalia into two groups (since the start of tribal war). These two political camps, the “militarist†and “assemblists†each has received financial support in its own political engineering and goals from a number of external forces, Ethiopia and Djibouti being the two main role players. The two groups, the former a.k.a the “manifesto†to some is dominated by civil politicians of the 60s, whereas, the latter is and has been dominated by former officers, colonels, and generals of the old Somali army. The author points how their “shifting alliances have remained a constant feature of their personality composition.†The â€assemblists†were first getting vanished in their grip of regional power to the “militarist†camp, with the exception of Somaliland---the late Egal was able to defeat Abdirahman Tur and Ismail Hurre (Bubba). Then, the Arta Conference of which Djibouti had the IGAD’s mandate, (under the cloak of assisting Somalis reconstitute a unitary government and the development or empowerment of ’Civil Society’) restored the “assemblistsâ€Â¨ whom it has supported since 1991, but it did so to the exclusion of the militarist? and accusing them of “everything that went wrong in Somalia,†in front the UN General Assembly of 1999. Djibouti also sought to undermine Abdillahi Yusuf’s authority in Puntland and by extension the whole militarist camp. This led to the formation of SRRC --the “militaristâ€Â¨ and Ethiopia, alienated as to how it could play a political role of the Arta conference by Djibouti with the support of the Arab league, Egypt being at its helm, saw this as an opportunity to counteract the TNG. As a forgone conclusion, the author shows, “Col. Yusuf may have concerns beyond Puntland,†which indeed happened, but the TFG and Ethiopia may now taking the footsteps of TNG and Djibouti, each to the exclusion of the other and both, as now appears, having no solution to Somalia’s mosaic fiefdoms and anarchy. Reconciliation in Somalia in the wake of Col. Yusuf's Return to Power in Puntland

Duke, I don't know if you read it or listened to CNN, the Islamic Court are a big power to be reckoned with and in par with the Warlords and the TFG, according to U.S officials.

I voted. Thanks

MMA, Definately they are not minority, but from the sociological point of view, I think that is what the author is alluding to like the Hispanics and Blacks in America. Sooner they free themselves from the shackles of the warlord grip, sooner that term will be rendered a misnomer. However, the fact is that these clans are scattered and aren't tied by blood lines and history to form a confederation like the RRA. This is in part how the warlords exploit the disadvantage of their disunity and Inorganization. I can't believe some of them don't even have seats despite their large settlement. Bakkie, I think you have a lot to learn

MMA, that is how far it can go. I agree with the author that we should spearhead a campaign to advocate for the freedom of these clans. Therefore, hardly has anybody counted them in as an important component of the larger entity (Somalia). I agree with that statement too. Some of the clans despite their big Size as to their large settlement don't even have seats in the Transitional Federal Government.

Do you know that the troops from Portugal first landed in Somalia around the coast of Sanaag. Theirs were handed the first defeat since Mait was at the time in the hands of the army of Garaad. Ahmed Ibrahim (Ahmed Gran) It was a Muslim Kingdom we can all relate to its achievement but its power grip and popularity accelerated after the pacification of the Somali nomads by the Imam, dissolving the power of the countless Amirs that used to pay tributes to the Adel Empire to maintain a semblance of their own rule over a few defined domains and further tripute to the Abyssinia. All tributes were halted after the rise of Imam Ahmad. The father of that State was King Omar D. Ahmed (nicknamed Aw-Barkhadle). What source can i find this? Or Is it a later fabrication. I have come across all these sources and I couldn't locate the statement above. Please note the history in these sources extend their reserach to the whole kingdom and its rulers. Futuh al-habasa, J. Spencer Trimingham, Islam in Ethiopia (Oxford: Geoffrey Cumberlege for the University Press, 1952), p. 173. Whiteway, The Portuguese Expedition, p. 51. Whiteway, The Portuguese Expedition, p. 53. Lewis, I.M. "The Somali Conquest of Horn of Africa." Journal of African History, I 2

I believe we are better off with the Islamic Court. WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Islamic forces loyal to such countries as Iran, Libya and Saudi Arabia have been gaining control in Somalia. A United Nations Security Council report asserted that militias, bolstered by weapons from regional states, control 80 percent of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. The report said Islamic forces have gained control over the city as they overcome U.S.-backed militias. "Three fundamental sources feed this [weapons] flow: a widening circle of states -- each with its own agenda -- arms trading groups and economically powerful individuals, and the business elite," the report said. The report was released as more than 120 people were killed in militia violence in Mogadishu this week. The battles have centered on the rivalry between Islamist units and those aligned with the United States. Both oppose the so-called Transitional Federal Government. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Everyone Though we never moved up to this phase of forming an all-inclusive assembly for the clan heads, the political participation of Sultans and Garads selected from the segmentary lineages is not something new in both regions: North and South. It has its precedents; the cultural construction of our lineage segmentation---creating the dynamics of dominance—then configuring the patterns of the lacerating violence in Somalia based on hidebound views, the system, adopted for traditional roles in any government, worked effectively prior to the colonialism, had subsequently operated under the colonial system, and the former regime of Somalia. As part of the Indirect Rule and a measure to preempt political consciousness that crosscuts clan and lineage civil disobedience, the chieftaincy in a non-traditional authority was employed all over Africa, the Middle East and Asia. “Old men who employed the power of tradition and the trust of their own people in order to support and justify a non-traditional authoritarian head of State,†writes Nuruddin Farah, one of the best novelists we have today in our continent in his book, “Close Sesameâ€. These figures, and their position as chieftains, were used as instruments of power to govern the ungovernable and to pacify their grievances. Our ancient name, Berber, (now designated this area as Berbera and the rest of Red Sea), for instance, the First Century Greek Merchant Alexandrine , wrote about the “Berber†or “Berberi†as “are very unruly†an exact description of Somalis as Prof. Abdi Ismail also writes, in his paper “Destruction of State and Society in Somalia.†Similarly, Richard Burton described the Somalis as very “turbulent and fierce race of republicans.†In essence, Somalis have no commitment to state government unless some form of political thesis is laid to resolve this farcical reality built around the swirl of clannism. The traditional role playing in our body politic is as important as the cabinet ministers. Their task has always been to serve government as selected representatives from top-down management. Well, the mechanism is to cement further splits, factionalism, or total chaos as is now in Moagdisho—South (the Death Triangle). In the last government, the traditional chiefs were awarded titular political power and a salary. They were made responsible to state authorities like governors and district commissioners. They negotiated vexed issues of political and economic discontent between the masses to which they represented and the government. Historically, this system was a form of rule or an extension of power by one nation into another. Its derivation could be dated as far as in the Eighteen century. First, it was employed in Somalia by the Egyptian viceroys, acting as the absentee landlords of Somalia. The Egyptians themselves learnt from the Tukish empire “delegating of powerâ€. Before the partition of Africa, when Berbera, Bulhar and LasQoray were under the Khedive rule of Egypt, such institution of delegating power to the traditional elders were employed and it “changed with every new colonial government, “ according to Farah. The intensification of Mahdist movement in Sudan effected the departure of Egypt after which Germany , the fist time in history, filled the void by negotiating with elders and merchants of Somalis from Sanaag in Berbera with which they intended to establish their influence and rule over the locals. “"To some extent it was German intrusion into Somaliland which forced the British to take the above action. The Germans, already established on the EAst African coast to the south, also aspired to control Berbera when it became apparent that the Egyptians would withdraw from there, and they negotiated to this end with both the ******** and the Egyptian Governor at Berbera. At this stage the British stepped in, †states Ray Beachey “From Early European Contact with Somalilandâ€. But before the agreement crystallized and materialized, the English was signposted of Germany’s interest in the region,. The British, therefore stepped in and signed the treaties of 1884 with the local clans. If you haven’t read or head of the terms used by both the colonies and the last regime of Somalia., Jawaadheer was used by the English for the political participation of elders in their adminstration. Capo Capila was used by Italy. Nabad-Doon or peace-keepers was used by the Somali government prior to the state collapse—their role duties is discussed above. Now Adde, the current governor of Puntland, for it boils down to the discussion of why Puntland Is obverse to the integration of traditional Sultans and Garads into the political process of the state to help the state apparatuses make informed decisions about the proposals and implementation of initiatives, projects of public and health services, infrastructure, and the natural progress of the society concerned. The answer is very simple. He is a corrupt , hateful warmonger, an incompetent cretin who is there to advance his self-interested scheme so that he can collect the crumbs of mineral and oil exploitation as a reclaim of recompense for his catherticc experience during his crestfallen rebellion that claimed the lives of thousands of people. I don’t put the blame squarely on his shoulders alone but the whole blood-sucking members of this Puntland fiefdom regardless of which clan they hail from.

The fact of the matter is that these minorities are occupied and misrepresented in their political outlook or where the destiny of their fate lies. Their territories have been turned into the power bargaining strategy for the warlords who occupy them. --------------------------- On Comparisons with the “Southâ€: The leadership of “Somaliland†constantly refers to what they call “the anarchy in the “South†to sell the better image—in their perception—of their “republic†for recognition to any one who is willing to buy the gadget. Or, they complain that the “South†is far too unstable to wait for, and, waste their time, over the re-institution of a Somali government, which will never be formed in the near future, they argue. Or, that they do not wish to go back to the era of dictators and warlords with the “Southâ€. But I wonder who wants any of that, any way? Not the “Southâ€, not anyone else in the North needs the repetition of that era or its extras of tyranny and totalitarianism! In fact, the plight of the people in the so-called “Death Triangle†is where the crux of the matter lies in the comparisons between peace in the North—North meaning upwards of Mogadishu, in this case—and the deep “Southâ€. Therefore, there is no blanket “South†when it comes to the prevalence of peace and stability in the land. This means it is not true that the whole of what they call “the southâ€â€”which, for them, is anywhere outside the claimed borders of “Somalilandâ€â€”is neither peaceful nor stable. The rural-pastoral communities in the “Death Zone†or “Death Triangleâ€, as it was known at some point, have been less militarized than the armed, marauding militia of the ****** and ****** clans from up North. The people of the “Death Triangle†have remained a captive population throughout the period of the civil war. Their territories have changed hands between those more powerfully militarized nomads, and who see this area as no-mans-land. This is despite the fact that there are more clans in that zone, than there is in the rest of Somalia. There are the Jiidle, the Jareers, the Bio-Maals, the Bravans,the Tunnis the sheekhals, the Banadiris, the Geledis and the Begedis, the Garres, the Cawramale, the Dabarres and various others, less known ones, but not in any way the least—to name but some. Hardly are most people in “Somalilandâ€, even, aware of this fact, or know the names of these clans. Hardly do they know also that this region is the most populous in Somalia, or that it is the most fertile zone, to qualify as the “bread basket†of Somalia. The leadership in Hargeisa far from informing their own captive population about this reality, they engage in rhetoric exploiting the plight of this helpless people, by way of seeking legitimacy for their “banana republic†from within and from without, in the expense of these people. Also, unlike in the North, “Puntlandâ€, or the Central lands, where nomadic classlessness reigns to the point of anarchy as a core value in the culture, individualism and self interest†can be detected as central in the mix of values of the captive population of the “Triangleâ€. Traces of inequality—them being rural-settled—are observable. But, in the main, one can attribute to them, also, a shade more of social discipline, domesticity, and existence on crop savings. They have remained occupied through out the civil war and have hardly had the freedom to go about the basic routines of their life—let alone reorganizing for grassroots initiative and peace talks or attaining democracy during this period. These people have as yet to attain their rights for basic freedoms or the empowerment to free themselves from their occupiers. Few of us, from other regions, now realize that towns and villages from Afgoye, 25 kilometers from Mogadishu to the south, through Shalambood, Marka, Brawa, Qoryooley, Jannaale, Marian-gubay, Jamaame, Mareerrey, down to Kismayo along the tarmac road, as well as many more deeper to the West, between the two rivers, are occupied by one warlord or another, or by proxy thereof. Of course, all warlords come from Mogadishu northwards; and there have never been a warlord from the “Triangleâ€, except, occasionally, as an ally to one from up north. Thus, Victims from this people, in the hands of these occupiers, have recently been coined “Looma-Ooyaan, Looma-Aaraanâ€â€”roughly meaning: “un-mourned, un-avenged forâ€. The recent horrible story that a sixteen year old boy numerously stabbed his father’s killer to death in front of hundreds of spectators as allowed by a so-called “Islamic Court†in the interest of justice is typical. It is said that the man was a member of a minority clan—a Jareer, if my sources are correct. Click here for the picture and the whole story in the Somali Language. http://www.shabellenews.com/2006/may/n6978.htm. The act reeks of contempt for the man and his clan. In fact, nothing like that happens (could ever happen) to a member of the majority clans. Ali H. Abdulla[ii] writing of the incident and relating it to other incidents of the same type elsewhere in Somalia observes: “They also share the fact that the executed person may have [come] from a minority clan that could not protect his/her poor soul.†They could hardly move freely within their territory since the collapse of government, in 1991—let alone organize for grassroots reconciliation and for home grown democracy. They have been unable to organize because of their lack of freedom. They have been so much ostracized by the power grip and the whims and skims of the warlords controlling their territories that they have suspended their image of their own reality. Therefore, hardly has anybody counted them in as an important component of the larger entity (Somalia). If “Somaliland†has refused to play as a member of the State sub-entities, the Deep South has never been given the opportunity to even play; because of the Warlords and their allies of war-profiteers. The Hargeisa leadership, perhaps too insensitive to appreciate the predicament of this people, or deliberately indifferent to their plight, has used the relative comparison to their advantage. The Leadership in Hargeisa must, therefore, stop its repeated exploitation of the woeful situation of the people of the “Triangle†in their publicity stunt to seek recognition for “Somalilandâ€. The Rahanweyns in Baidoa and its environ, also comprising many different clans, have only had a respite as of the year 2000, when Colonel Shati Gaduud—leading a successful campaign against Aideed’s (the son) militia—freed the people from captivity, with help from the Ethiopians. Soon after that they had their internal political conflict bare open for all to see, with the first political window of opportunity. Thanks to God that things have been going better for them these last two or three months. So, they currently are hosting the Transitional Federal Parliament, and are united at least in that respect. I believe a movement is appropriate in support of the people of the “Triangleâ€, by calling for peace and freedom, given the dire situation of the community(s) of that region and for the sooner transition of the whole of Somalia into peace, stability and good governance—a movement in the fashion of Hadrawi[iii]’s exemplary solo attempt a few years back. All good Somalis must stand up to call on the warlords and war-profiteers in the zone to free the people from captivity and release their lands to their use. I am aware of the claim by those controlling the land and its people that they are Somalis too, who have a right to live there. But living there as neighbors and guests of the local community is far different from imposing oneself on them, thereby exploiting all that is available to them in their expense and to their misery. Remember nothing like that has happened elsewhere in Somalia, my dear reader. In the name of God, the Compassionate the Merciful, “Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity.†The Quran[iv] (3:104) On the Case for Unity: The “Somalilanders†camp has had three arguments to advance to justify what they call the de facto existence of “Somalilandâ€â€”that: (a) Somaliland is a State which pre-existed the Somali Republic. (b) The “Act of Union†was never ratified by the Parliament of the Somali Republic in those days. © Pursuant to these facts and since the Somali Republic is no more —in their thinking—“Somaliland†has reemerged de facto as a State of its own right. But before we discuss the legal argument against this claim, let us discuss the political argument. -------------------------------------- From "Somaliland": The Mythology Dispelled" by Abdalla Hirad.

The Youth conference didn't coincide with the Inter-Communal conference that is now in progress, but was arranged by the youth themselves to raise up issues of unity, adminstration, and the redevelopment in their region: Sanaag. Also, the meeting in Badhan has started today. Great future awaits people of Sanaag and Western Bari. --------------------- May 08, 22:54 Waxaa maalintii axadii ee taariikdu ahayd bishii 5/7/2006 shir ay isugu yimaadeen dhaliyarada Reer Sanaag kana soo qaybgaleen in ka badan 200 oo qof. Shirkaa oo lagaga hadlay sidii loo horumarin lahaa waxna loogu qabaan lahaa dhamaan degaanada beesha ay degto ee gobolada Sanaag, Bari , Jubada Hoose iyo deeganka Raaxoole. Shirkaan ayaa ugu danbaytii waxaa la isla af gartay qodobada soo socda: 1-In la sameeyo urur mideeya dhamaan dhaliyarada beesha 2-In la abuuro ilo dhaqaale, lana maangeliyo degaanada beesha 3-In beeshu yeelato siyaasad midaysan 4-In la sameeyo mashaariic horumarineed oo dabooli karo baahida degaanada beesha Youth Conference Breeking News:- Shirkii

Thanks brother. This is a good article

Have you guys read this paper. Archived -------------------------------------- IS ISRAEL A THREAT TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY? by Ali A. Mazrui Director, Institute of Global Cultural Studies and Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities Binghamton University State University of New York at Binghamton, New York, USA Albert Luthuli Professor-at-Large University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large Emeritus and Senior Scholar in African Studies Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA Chair, Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy Washington DC, USA Based on a presentation at Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, under the auspices of a “Teach-In†organized by Graduate Students, on Wednesday April 17, 2002. There will be no “world without terrorism†for as long as the Palestinian-Israeli dispute is unresolved. It is by far the biggest trigger of rage against the United States among all issues. Muslims are victims of violent injustice elsewhere in the world without the globalization of anger against the United States. Muslims in Kashmir, India, are victims of Indian security forces trying to prevent them from having self-determination. Muslims in Chechnya are victims of Russian security forces trying to prevent them from having self-determination. Muslims in Macedonia are trying to cope with discrimination from Christian Macedonians. Muslims in Kosovo are denied a separate state by the international community and face the risk of reintegration with Yugoslavia against their will. Muslims in Afghanistan faced the Soviet Union before and defeated it. The Afghans have now experienced military action by the United States. If Muslims have been victimized elsewhere by other powers, why is the victimization of Muslims in the Middle East such a powder keg? A Zionist Shadow on the U.S. Constitution Israeli militarism, occupation of Arab lands and repression of Palestinians are the main causes of not only anti-Israeli terrorism but also anti-American terrorism. No issue in the world since apartheid in South Africa has caused greater international rage than Israeli repression of Palestinians. Even in dusty Khartoum – the New York Times reports—several hundred thousand people have marched in the streets denouncing Israel and the USA – and some cheered Osama bin Laden. On April 17, 2002, President Husni Mubarak of Egypt declined to see Secretary of State Colin Powell and sent Egypt’s Foreign Minister instead to meet him. Mubarak had a diplomatic cold. If Israeli repression and militarism provokes suicide bombers and give rise to movements like Hamas and al- Qaeda, Israeli political culture becomes increasingly racist – and the Attorney General of the United States begins to curtail civil liberties in the United States. I) There are now detainees without trial in the USA in their hundreds, sometimes physically tortured. II) Prisoners’ access to attorneys is restricted III) There have been search and seizure in cultural institutions of Arab and Muslim Americans. What is probable cause? Being Muslim! IV) The attorney-client confidentiality is at risk for those suspected of terrorism. What happened to the principle of innocent until proven guilty? V) Military tribunals may be set up for civilian suspects: even secret trials have been considered. VI) CNN and other networks have been summoned to the White House to be lectured about giving undue publicity to Osama bin Laden. What happened to editorial independence? And now steps are being taken towards militarizing domestic life in the United States. New military reforms establish a military command for within the United States. If Israeli atrocities and repression cause terrorism in the United States, and terrorism in turn threatens civil liberties in America, a chain of causation is established. The behaviour of the state of Israel threatens not merely democracy within the Jewish state. Israel threatens democracy in America as well. We keep on hearing that Israel is the only democracy in the region. But it is in the interest of the United States that Israel should be the only democracy. Because of Israeli intransigence, Arab public opinion is more anti-American than most Arab dictators. Had the Arab world been more democratic, their governments would have had to be more militantly anti-Israel and anti-American than they are. The United States has a vested interest in an Arab world which is not democratic. For Arab dictators are a safety valve to keep their populations less explosively anti-American. Almost all the 20 Arab governments of the Arab League apart from Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Sudan are obedient to the United States. But such pro-American obedience would have been voted out of office had the Arab world enjoyed free elections. Similarly, only a military regime in Pakistan under General Musharaff could have cooperated so fully with the United States in its invasion of Afghanistan. No elected government in Pakistan would have been able to defy the pro-Islamic and pro-Taliban segments of Pakistani opinion with such impunity. The United States gained from lack of democracy in Pakistan. Into the Arab heartland Western powers decided to create a Jewish state in 1948 – with President Harry S. Truman playing a critical role in making it happen. It did not stop with the creation of the Jewish state. (a) Israel expanded after the 1948 war (b) Eisenhower prevented expansion in 1956 © Further Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory after 1967 war (d) Annexation of Jerusalem by Israel in 1967 (e) Creating Jewish settlements on Arab land continually (f) Blowing up and destroying Arab homes as a hidden strategy of ethnic cleansing. WHY IS THE U.S. being blamed for Israeli policies? Where was Osama bin Laden’s anti-Americanism coming from? (a) Massive economic aid from the United States to Israel in billions (b) Provision of sophisticated American weapons to Israel © The United States was shielding Israel from U.N. censure (d) The United States was making U.N. Security Council impotent in punishing Israel. (e) The United States was weakening anti-Israeli Arab forces by buying off the government of Egypt with a billion U.S. dollars every year. Egypt is the largest Arab country and used to be the biggest single threat to Israel militarily. The U.S. largess has bought off Egypt effectively. (f) The U.S. was preventing IRAQ from rising as an alternative to Egypt in challenging Israel. Taking advantage of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait to weaken Iraq permanently – whereas Pearl Harbor was not used to weaken Japan permanently, nor was Hitler’s aggression used to weaken Germany permanently. THE UNITED STATES is both the main source of military support for the enemy of the Arab World, Israel, and the USA is also the main destroyer of Arab capacity to rise militarily. This latter policy includes weakening Egypt and enfeebling Iraq. We must solve the Palestine problem if terrorism is to end. To the moralist, terrorism against the United States is born out of evil. To the political analyst terrorism is born out of rage and frustration. Solving the Israeli-Palestinian brutal stalemate is indispensable for the creation of a world without terrorism. It is also indispensable for making the United States a more benevolent super power, and Israel a less racist power. Finally, the Jews to whom 1.2 billion Muslims owe a lot doctrinally and to whom a similar number of Christians are equally indebted, will one day re-discover their global role. The Jews –who invented globalization – may one day help to make globalization more humane. AMEN. Towards the Racialization of Zionism But for the time being many friends of Israel are anxious that the repressive forces in the Jewish state are getting stronger – and a distinctly Israeli form of racism may be evolving. This is a minority. But within that racially anti-Arab minority there may be a smaller and more ominous sub-group. There is a school of thought in Israel which is already becoming fascist. This issue is debated more frankly in Israel itself than in the United States. Lovers of democracy in Israel are alarmed by the fascist trend. There is even an Israeli word for this kind of Semitic fascism. Professor Yeshayahu Leibovitz of the Hebrew University has called it: Judeo-Nazism. As editor of the Encyclopedia Hebraica, Leibovitz has grappled with many trends in the Jewish experience. But he has now raised the issue of whether the concept of Judeo-Nazism is any longer a contradiction in terms.1 Israelis are warning each other that the unthinkable is not necessarily impossible. Specific sociological conditions in inter-war Germany fostered right wing extremism among the Germans. The history of German extremism started with a people who believed they had been humiliated and humbled. The Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I created among the Germans a martyrdom complex which later favoured the rise of extreme nationalism. The martyrdom complex -- strong among the Israelis today and powerful among the Germans in the inter-war years -- can degenerate into paranoia. We now know that lovers of democracy in the German population underestimated the danger. The whole world paid a heavy price for German paranoia. Jews -- like the Germans -- have been impressive contributors to world civilization. But both people are human, and therefore psychologically vulnerable. The danger of extremism is real. The stages toward extremism through which the German psyche passed were as follows: 1. Martyrdom Complex 2. Paranoia 3. Extreme Nationalism 4. Racial Exclusivity 5. Militarization 6. Territorial Expansionism It is very unlikely that Israelis will pass through similar stages. There are in any case major constraints to Zionist extremism. The question nevertheless remains whether the danger of fascism in Israel is real enough to alarm Israeli patriots themselves. Israel was genuinely born out of the ashes and anguish of the Holocaust. It was a more genuine martyrdom than was the Nazi sense of humiliation in the inter-war years. But when does the martyrdom complex evolve into paranoia? In two stages in the case of the Jews: a) Monopolizing the Holocaust as an experience of the Past b) Pre-empting imaginary Holocausts of the future A 1980’s American immigrant into Israel from a religious family in New York prayed for a new persecution of Jews in the Diaspora so that they are forced to go to the fortress Israel: “The hatred the Gentiles feel towards the Jews is eternal. There never was peace between us and them except when they totally beat us or when we shall totally beat them. Maybe if they will give someone like Sharon the chance to kill...until the Arabs will understand that we did them a favour letting them remain alive.... We are powerful now and power should talk now. The Gentiles only understand the language of power.â€2 Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir declared in April 1988: “We say to them, from this hilltop and from the perspective of thousands of years of history, that in our eyes they are like grasshoppers.â€3 Menachin Begin's earlier denunciation of Palestinians as "two-legged animals" has formed part of the same drift towards racist perceptions and perspectives in powerful circles in Israel. Is Zionist nationalism stifling Israeli liberalism? Opinion polls of Israeli attitudes to the Palestinian uprising in the occupied territories is one measure. The death of over 500 Palestinians since the Intifada began has not alarmed enough Israelis. Indeed, the majority of Israelis seem to want even stiffer measures against the Palestinians. When is soft Israeli arrogance towards the Arabs paternalistic? As an Israeli originally from Aden put it: “We know that the Arab is an obedient good creature as long as he is not incited and no one puts ideas into his head.... He just has to be told exactly what his right place is.... They must understand who the master is. That's all."4 When united to fanaticism and nationalism, arrogance can take the form of militant racism. Take the case of the young rabbi who denounced the "filth" of mixed marriages and the "hybrid children" such marriages produce -- "a thorn in the flesh of the Jewish society in Israel."5 This rabbi recommended school segregation and exclusion of Arabs from the universities. Echoes of apartheid are unmistakable. As for the trend towards militarization, Israel has indeed become the most efficient war machine since Nazi Germany. In war after war the Jewish state has demonstrated staggering proficiency both in the air and on land. The six-day war in June 1967 was its most dazzling military success. Did this military success increase territorial appetite? A state created in the teeth of the opposition of indigenous people became a state surrounded by hostile neighbours. It was only a matter of time before the moral cost had to be paid. A Director-General of Israel Broadcasting Authority (radio and television) during years of apartheid was a "long time admirer of South Africa and a frequent visitor there." He even wrote an "emotional article" expressing his preference for South Africa over Black Africa, complete "with citations of research proving genetic inferiority of blacks" -- a view which "seems to reflect the feeling of many in the Israeli elite."6 The journal of Mapam (left wing of Labour Alignment) published an explanation of the superiority of Israeli pilots. Blacks and Arabs were inferior in "complex, cognitive intelligence." That was why "American Blacks succeed only in short distance running"7 Israeli neo-Nazism reversed the scale of genetic values favoured by German Nazis. Both forms of extremism exaggerated the impact of the Jewish factor. The Nazis thought the Jewish impact was negative. The Israeli extremists erred the other way. Why has the United States outdistanced Europe in modern culture? The proportion of Jews in the American population has enhanced American creativity, according to this Israeli school of thought.8 By implication German inventiveness before the Holocaust was due to the Jewish creative infusion into the German population. An Israeli labour party journal refers to "genetic experiments" at Tel Aviv University -- which have shown that "genetic differences among Jewish communities [Poland and Yemen are cited] are smaller than those between Gentiles and Jews."9 “In earlier years the Rabbinate had cited biblical authority to justify expulsion of the Arabs ("The foreign element") from the land, or simply their destruction, and religious law was invoked to justify killing of civilians in war or raid." 10 American Rabbi Isaac Bernstein argued that religious law gives power and legitimacy to Israel to "dispossess the Arabs of the conquered territories.†11 Another Rabbi, Rabbi Lubovitcher of New York, deplored that Israel did not conquer Damascus during the 1973 October War. 12 A doctrine emerged called "secure and defensible borders." After almost every war Israel attempted to get more territory. Whose secure and defensible borders? Because of Israel's military supremacy, only Israel had such secure borders. The Arabs were easily penetrable by Israeli air and rocket power. The transition from chosen people to chosen race gathered momentum. Rabbi Elazar Valdman of Gush Emunim wrote in the journal Nekudah of the West Bank settlers: We will certainly establish order in the Middle East and in the world. And if we do not take this responsibility upon ourselves, we are sinners, not just towards ourselves but towards the entire world. For who can establish order in the world? All of those Western leaders of weak character?13 The question which inevitably has now arisen is whether Israel's taste for imperial expansion can long be sustained without hurting Israeli democracy. Can the sadism against Palestinians be long enjoyed without creating Israeli masochism? Is Zionism becoming a cancer not just on the body politic of Arab stability but also on the body politic of Jewish sense of justice? Can a State be Jewish and Democratic? In the course of this twenty-first century Israel will have to choose between remaining a Jewish state and remaining a democracy. Such a dilemma already exists but it will get worse. The proportion of Arabs in Israel is higher than the proportion of Blacks in the United States. Yet while Blacks in the United States have reached high echelons in the executive branch, Arabs in Israel are marginalized in government. Arab Israelis have done well in the legislative branch, but have effectively been kept out of major executive and judicial positions. There is no Arab equivalent of Thurgood Marshall or Justice Clarence Thomas. The Arab population in Israel – now eighteen percent – is on its way towards becoming a quarter of the population. There will indeed come a time when Israel has to choose between being a Jewish state and being a democratic state. More recently there is increasing support in the state of Israel for a policy which is euphemistically called “transferâ€. It is basically a policy of ethnic cleansing. More and more Israelis are dreaming of a kind “final solution to the Palestinian problemâ€-- the transfer of all Palestinians of the West Bank [and presumably Gaza] to new refugee camps in the rest of the Arab world. What to do with those Palestinians who are already Israeli citizens poses difficult problems for these ultra-Zionists.14 But American civil liberties and Israeli democracy are not the only victims of the cruel behavior of the State of Israel towards Palestinians. There is also the additional risk of reactivating international anti-Semitism. It is to this dimension that we should now turn. Israel as a Cause of Anti-Semitism The state of Israel was created partly as a permanent asylum for Jews who might otherwise suffer persecution in other parts of the world. The Zionist movement was originally conceived as a quest for a piece of land without people to accommodate people without land. As it turned out, Palestine was hardly “a piece of land without peopleâ€. Millions of Arabs have remained displaced to accommodate Jews from elsewhere. Political Zionism was originally intended as a defense against anti-Semitism. Fifty years after the creation of the State of Israel, has Zionism now become a cause of new forms of anti-Semitism? Is the state of Israel becoming a cause of hatred for other Jews around the world? This appears to be the conclusion which has been reached by the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain. On the last day of February 2002 Dr. Jonathan Sacks urged strong action to prevent “violence and bloodshed†against Jews in England. He argued that the Israeli-Palestine conflict had sparked off levels of anti-Semitism not seen in Britain since the years of the Holocaust. He referred to an increasing number of attacks on synagogues and “virulent anti-Israel campaigns on some English university campuses which have left many Jewish students fearful for their safetyâ€. [The TIMES (London) March 1, 2002, page 2] The Chief Rabbi complained that the leading liberal newspapers in Britain such as THE GUARDIAN, THE INDEPENDENT and THE STATESMAN had started publishing op-ed articles questioning Israeli’s right to exit. According to the Chief Rabbi, the websites of THE INDEPENDENT and THE STATESMAN had become what he describes as a focus of anti-Semitic discussion. At the University of Manchester, England, Jewish students claimed to have been spat upon and denounced as “Nazis†and “baby butchers†during a bitter dispute at the students’ union about whether Israel should be declared an apartheid-state. Rabbi Sacks claimed that until recently he had never experienced anti-Semitism in Britain. But he saw new evidence that anti-Semitism was returning not only to Britain but also to other parts of Europe. “The fact that I have chosen to speak indicates the depth of my concern. We know from all of history that words turn into deeds, prejudice into violence, and eventually violence into bloodshed… You cannot deny people the right to criticize any nation-state [such as Israel]. But what we are seeing goes beyond that, and has become an attack on Jews, not just the state of Israel … That Jewish students on campus should have to go in fear is unacceptable.†[THE TIMES (London) March 1, 2002] After the massacre in Jenin in April 2002, THE INDEPENDENT in London accused Israel of a “monstrous war crime†[April 16). In the correspondence columns of THE GUARDIAN (London) there have been many letters about whether negative reactions to Israeli policies are leading to a revival of European anti-Semitism. One pained statement came from David Grossman as early as October 22, 2001. He said: “ I am highly critical of Israel’s behaviour, but in recent weeks I have felt that the [british] media’s hostility to it has not been fed solely by the actions of the Sharon government. A person feels such things deeply, under the skin, I feel them with a kind of shiver that percolates down to the cells of my most primeval memories…â€15 In Black Africa, where Israel had many friends, there is new questioning. John Nagenda has said the following in a Uganda newspaper: “ The Israelis latterly scored over 300 Palestinian deaths to less than 20 against them, but still insisted that it was Arafat and his Palestinians who were the aggressors. Where is God?" “It must be crystal clear that Sharon’s blind rage policy daily leads Israel to more insecurity, not less… By Bush giving carte blanche, the American President is a bad, not a good friend of Israel. Does Bush know many Israelis? Did he go to prep school with many of them? Are many of them members of his clubs?â€16 By giving Israel carte blanche, the United States was also a bad friend to world Jewry. Is the U.S. feeding into global anti-Semitism? In April 2002 World Jewish leaders held an emergency meeting in Brussels to discuss what was described as “the rash of anti-Semitic violence that has swept Western Europe.†The Secretary-General of the World Jewish Congress said: “We are now facing an unprecedented increase in anti-Semitism on this continent.†Israel’s military action against Palestinians was identified as a factor. [New York Times, April 23, 2002] In the final analysis, blind U.S. policy, which is uncritical of Israel, is dangerous to American lives – as well as to Jewish safety. It is also a potential threat to American democracy. Israel was created as a refuge from anti-Semitic hate. It has become one of the main causes of anti-Semitic rage against innocent Jews in other parts of the world. It is also in danger of compromising its own democratic order, as well as the constitution of its closest friend, the United States of America. Conclusion The issue of Israel started causing damage to American democracy long before September 11, 2001. Few topics have caused more self-imposed censorship on the American media than any criticism of the State of Israel. Journalists, reporters and editors have to watch carefully what they say about Israel. What is at stake is the potential wrath of the pro-Israeli lobby, and also potential loss of revenue from angry advertisers who withdraw their commercials or angry Jewish subscribers to public television or National Public Radio. The Print media in the United States also routinely censors themselves against any criticism of the State of Israel. The issue of Israel has also detracted from academic freedom on American campuses. There have been cases when scholars have been denied tenure because of their pro-Palestinian writings or lectures. The United States may be the only country in the world in which it is safer to criticize the host country itself (i.e. the United States) than to criticize a particular external power (i.e. Israel). While some scholars have lost their jobs for criticizing the government of Israel almost no scholar runs much of risk at an American University for criticizing the U.S. administration of the day. Perhaps Israel ought never to have been created. Millions of Jews were opposed to its creation in the first place. Those Jews have now been vindicated. The creation of the Jewish state has cost thousands of lives and may cost many more. If the world had realized the potential human cost, even the unrepresentative United Nations of 1947 – 1948 might never have voted for the partition of Palestine. But now that Israel has been created, there should be no attempt to destroy it physically. Most Israelis today are innocent of the original massive miscalculation, and do not deserve to suffer for that mistake. However, the Jewishness of Israel will be destroyed by its own contradictions. In a few decades Israel will have to choose between remaining a Jewish state and remaining a democracy. The two will be incompatible. Already the effort to maintain the Jewishness of Israel is racializing Jewish attitudes to Palestinians. Rightwing views in Israel even from Rabbis and religious figures are getting increasingly racist. And under Prime Ministers like Ariel Sharon, Israeli policies are narrowing the gap between the behavior of Nazis towards Jews and the behaviour of Israelis towards Palestinians. Terms like the following are entering the vocabulary of international censure of Israel – “Judeo-Nazism†and “Nazi-onismâ€. Israeli Jews, who were once the unique martyrs of human history, are now becoming just one more oppressor of other people. Human kind is the poorer for this Israeli deterioration. ENDNOTES 1 Cited by Noam Chomsky, The Fateful Triangle : The United States, Israel, and the Palestinians (Boston: South End Press, 1983) 2 Report by Israel Writer Amos Oz based on interviews and published in Davar Noam Chomsky, The Fateful Triangle, pp. 446-7. 3 “Search for Partners: Should the US Deal with the PLO?†Time Magazine April 11, 1988. See what is a “Grasshopperâ€, letter to NYT, April 20, 1988. 4 Report by Amos Oz in a series of articles in Davar, Ibid, Chomsky, The Fateful Triangle, p. 447. 5 Consult report by Eliahu Salpeter, Ha’aretz, No. 4, 1982. 6 Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, “Israel and South Africa†New Outlook, March/April 1983; Hotam, April 18, 1975 and October 1, 1982. 7 Chomsky, p. 152. 8 Davar, September 8, 1981. Chomsky pp 151-152. 9 Charles Hoffman, “A Monkey Trial, Local Styleâ€, Jerusalem Post, March 22, 1983. 10 Chomsky, The Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel and the Palestinians (Boston: South Press, 1983), p. 153. See also Military rabbinate publications Peace in the Middle East? pp. 108-9; Shahak, Begin and Co., Said, Question of Palestine, p. 91. 11 Chomsky, p. 153, Bernstein, Dialogue (New York) Winter 1980. 12 Al Hamishmar, January 4, 1978. 13 Cited by Danny Rubenstein, Davar, October 8, 1982. 14 The increasing popularity in Israel of the idea of “transfer†of the Palestinian population was covered in “60 Minutes IIâ€, ABC Television [u.S.A.] Wednesday April 10, 2002. 15 “Diaryâ€, THE GUARDIAN, October 22, 2001. Cited in a letter by Arnold Wesker, THE GUARDIAN (London) March 1, 2002. 16 “Sharon’s Blind Rage is Leading Israel to Hell,†THE NEW VISION (Kampala), February 23, 2002

Has anyone of you been following this political dialogue. How obstinate is Ahmed Hassan. Even If the error transpires on either authors for the lack of clarity Jhazbay made in his article, I don't think that should still be an excuse, a petty error. He resorted to using an exchange of e-mails as a way of getting out of the trap. He resorted to personal attacks Source

I have been to this city once. It is a great city.

The letter carries deeply concerned message. It seems the Iran president does not recognize the state of Israel, which is not a nice diplomatic move.

I hope you pay attention to Part II of the last paper, now discussing the legal argument of the union, the political argument of the union, discussion on the union, In comparison to the South--this subtitle is more interestnig because the author points the plight of the occupied defenseless clans and how the 'secessionist use the relative comparison to their advantage". The paper is very long to relocate to this thread. “SOMALILANDâ€: THE MYTHOLOGY DISPELLED Calling the Spade a Spade Part II: The Evidence By Abdalla A. Hirad May 07, 2006 www.Wardheernews.com LaasQoreyNet

How young is he? Is that Prof. Khalif sitting beside him?