Lol@Moonlight. You are truly a big clown.

Thomas Friedman is a delusional columnist, and at times he bursts irrational concepts of globalization, that is one thing I can tell. And that is because he believes in the maintenance of western supremacy over the rest of the world, in which a small group's control over the global resources and Finance is essential in maintaining systemic stability, growth and progress Thanks Hunguri, great one indeed.

Originally posted by chocolate & honey: [QB This is the Dilema: Al-Shabaab must be stoped. They're blood thirsty, ruthless, power-hungry demons who could careless about God and religion. But how do we stop them when they're our sons, fathers, brothers and the formerly quiet-loving neighbor?Somalia is done!!! Maybe the U.S will send Ethios again or maybe the international community should cut them into states. I have a zero hope hada for us to ever make it out of this mess. My heart is sick. We're like wild animals. [/QB] Well said my sister.

Ilaah ha u wada naxariisto. Something has to be said about the recklessness of Mogadishu residents and government officials to trade, hold ceremonies, or work in the midst of raging war. Something has to be said as well the dearth of experience in security officials.This explosion which took the cream of our society just to get two or three ministers is a tragic one.

Cismaan Dalmar waa rageedii. He has been to all over Sanaag and wants to strengthen public institutions.

That decision to lift the ban truly greated Somalis from all walks of life with euphoria. It's a legitimate concern that the Saudi Healthy Ministry cited that the Rift Valley plague had influenced its earlier decisions of the ban as there was no central government to account for any health irregularities. However, just months before the lift, al-Jabar, the private UAE company had an impact on the decision since it has shown a commercial interest in dealing with this problem of public health and accountability. It made its proposal and signed a trade deal with two emerging administrative entities on building two quarantine facilities. Now that the construction of the facilities has begun, many are questioning whether the Saudi lift has to do with competition or the swine flu epidemic reported from Australia, a market the Saudis shifted for its needs of livestock imports during the ban. It's the competition methinks. If this shift of policy holds, the Somali nomads and the economy in general would be well served as the Saudi market creates more employment and better living standards.

Very interesting and detailed perspective on the Arale-Garriye debate about who contributed more to the metrical structure and codification of Somali Literature. Who Discovered the Metrical Structure of Somali Poetry: Arale or Gaarriye? by Dr. Said Fahia

^well said Zack. No need for extreme regionalism.

Unless they wonna escort their fishing trawlers and secure the continuation of their industrial and urban waste disposals.

AfricaOwn, the key word is aiding an administration that proved to be a viable one without current or previous outside assistance. Of course, activities of piracy aren't exclusive to one area/region, but assisting the Puntland adminstration not only on security issues but also other environmental and economical factors that cause and perpetuate piracy is of utmost importance in lieu of wasting streams of hard currency into the Atalanta project as well as the TFG. Such policy stance has failed and staying on this track will prove to be a huge sunk cost.

Excellent policy recommendations. Solution to piracy is aiding Puntland administration while not abandoning the TFG option in its entirety because the extremists have to be really contained.

I had the chance to read a small book today at a resource center on such tendencies when people assume kindness for weakness and brutal honesty. Kindness however is a strength of character and that without it there won't be civilization, argues the book. Co-authored by Alistair and Kate, it recommends interesting course of actions to which the source of happiness can be accessed. 1. To be very kind to others even if your politeness and courtesy is not reciprocated. People will eventually acknowledge your strength of character and personality and return those favors in a synergy of unexpected levels. 2. To understanding that life is a rhythm, that to avoid creating distractions which can destabalize and distract other person's goals, expectations, and activities.for instance, being on time. 3. Eating with friends or families. "Whoever eats without friends is living the life of a wolf and lion" 4. Giving yourself enough sleep. "Early to bed.." 5. Communicating to others about your feelings, problems and relations with them. 6. Understanding your surroundings.. Etc. So, kindness is what is always needed in our lives.

Here is the link. Btw, I could not believe one of the panelists, I believe from "Somaliland", never heard of the now defunct USP organization and its history. http://www.voanews.com/MediaAssets2/somali/2009_10/DISCUSSION-PART-ONE-25OCT09.mp3

I was truly surprised at how biased the recent VOA program was by pairing the issues of Sool and Buuhoodle with much of Sanaag. It seems that the VOA program producers and their coordinators are stoking hostility between communities, because knowing the Sool debacle and how it impressed on the agenda of "Somaliland's" resolve to diversify its bargaining options, the VOA alienated a very crucial stakeholder from the regions of Sanag, Haylan, and western Bari in its program and thus the panel was exclusive, their proclamations either uninformed or ignorant, distortive, and utterly biased. Despite a remark made by one of the panelists that a major stakeholder (Ilka-jiir's political base) was not represented in the program discussion, the main clan of Sanaag and western Bari regions was intentionally ignored and their relative position and interests overlooked. The issue here is how to identify the culprits of Sool debacle without directly implicating the main inhabitants of Sanaag region or playing a deceptive and sleazy game of politics, which can eclipse or dominate others' natural rights to moral and legal ownership of their own territory based on historical(real or myth) and archeological evidence. This is to avoid the ugly reality for a tit for tat accusations between two brotherly communities such as Makhiris are inevitably postured towards "Somaliland"

war ileen mintid waa la heley.

Ayoub, the boys of Laasqoray do not take pride in this business of self-declared coast-guards.(Perhaps you are angered by my last post) Nevertheless, they cashed in &4M from the Italian tugboat before that orchestrated coup as a result of internal dispute over the conditional release of the Egyptian hostages. And to further enlighten your ill-informed side of the story on this phenomenon, it's of multi-clan sophisticated criminal business with foreign involvement and that those in LaasQoray incidence were not necessarily from the natives. In fact, they were of 4 other clan members. Besides, and without sliding into this silly assertion, it's well known that, clan-wise, the private, self-centered individuals from the region you alluded to make the bulk of that network, esp in Bari and beyond, according to a Report I read some time ago. Nuune, beryahan "somaliland" baa la jirtaan bay ila tahey. Aragaane meeshey idin geyso.

Zack, I mean if you cut off the mutual economic interdependence, don't you know this is another act of war. War doesn't have to be the roaring of the gun only. What makes "Somaliland" with its habit of doing the same even with the blind support of her communities better than Puntland?

Originally posted by ThankfulSP: quote: adopt the clannish style of the Ade Muse of yester years as the latter was to the Makhiris even calling the clan as "beasts who dwell on the grass" I think to be fair, there was bad blood between the both of them way before Cadde was president. During the time, he was leaving Duudo, and asked the Makhiris for assistance and was basically told get lost (even some road blocks being set up because their was a reward issued for his arrests). Then the Honorable Bur Madow stepped in and mediated the peace deal. Something that was never forgotten. So there's always two sides to a story, but there is definitely mutual issues. [/QB]Actually it was sultan Said who initiated the peace process. The Puntland Peace Agreement, 2003 In early 2003, Said Mohamed Raage, a member of the Puntland parliament and a prominent businessman who had maintained a cordial relationship with both Abdulahi Yusuf and General Adde, initiated dialogue between the two parties, involving two distinguished Isimo (traditional titled elders) from Sanaag region in the mediation. Both were held in high regard by their respective communities and beyond: Boqor Osman Aw Mohamoud of the Habar Jeclo clan of the ***** clan-family, and Sultan Said Sultan Abdulsalam of the ********** clan of the ***** clan group. The two senior elders visited Gardo and Bosaaso and enlisted other influential elders, intellectuals, and prominent businessmen in the process, including Haji Said Aw Mussa, Mohamud Ali Jagaf, Mohamed Aden, and Abdi Osman Fikad, all of whom lent their support to the peace initiative. Btw, are you his son? Just curious.

Congratz to Omar Jamal. As Duke said, he is a self-made Community Organizer.

Originally posted by Mintid Farayar: If you notice in the charts, Bossasso only started surpassing Berbera starting from 2001 (correlating with the embargo). The increased numbers for Bossasso are still far less than the numbers for Berbera in years preceding the embargo. to happen... Mintid, Yesterday Obama made a great speech to a crowd of Chinese uni students that sparked my interest. At the openings, he took a Chinese proverb, which said, "look to the past to know the future". This is exactly what I have been telling the snm boys as xiinfanin says in this thread, that being in an aggressive posture all the time and belittling some communities is a counterproductive and self-defeating style of demonstrating your perceived worth. Indeed, look to the past to know the future. The eastern communities, according to Capt. Miles's journal (1840s), describes as people who live "orderly and loth to shed blood" whereas the western communities(Somaliland) as "much more turbulent and predatory than" reer Bariga, not to mention "their chronic state of warfare and anarchy". I'm sure this state of warfare as happened in the Hawd recently would have returned were it not for Mr. Riyaale who is doing his level best to turning their in-built contradictions and venom within, to the east as to distract them from social and political issues that matter to them the most. Second and most importantly, Boosaaso or eastern natural harbors have dominated the trade for centuries. In similar journal, when the Arabs controlled Zeila, an English explorer observes in vain that the east exported more than Berbera and Zeila combined. This is eastern culture as Somalis agree and the reason for their great hospitality and love of Peace and co-existance. Mr. Oodweyne quite demonstrates that above-quoted behavior, in fact.

Zack, tolka ha ceebeyn, hana iska dhigin nin go'aanka tolka goyn kara. Xagee u kala wada laba beelood oo walaala ah over a minor mistake by an individual. You are doing the Guilt by Association error in here. Haven't you read how many protests took place at that incident. Qaladaad waa dhacaan, maalin walbana dad baa la laayaa ee cadawtinimo ha abuurin. If Faroole turns to behaviorially adopt the clannish style of the Ade Muse of yester years as the latter was to the Makhiris even calling the clan as "beasts who dwell on the grass" much less his unilateral actions of playing with fire, then it's best to oppose his policies and leadership as best as you can with a workable solution, but without ever accusing the whole clan or making perpetual state of war or cutting off the mutual interdependence., which amounts to another type of internal war between two brotherly families.

^indeed very interesting. I still have my reservations on the public aid the former TFG gave to the Laasqoray port project via Puntland. Mr. Faroole has promised to return that aid estimated to be of $500K to the implementing agency of Laasqoray port via the head of Internal Affairs and Local Governments Minitry. But all that Ade said in this statement of Puntland's current and considered policies is what I referred in my earlier comment that the TFG should work with and thank " Puntland for keeping its Territory safe and secure for its residents and IDPs," until a nationally instituted federal framework becomes an agreed-upon solution for all Somalis. Other programs of governance and democratization on one hand and infrastructural developments in the public sector that Puntland is implementing jointly with UNDP and the World Bank should be commended. Thanks Cawke.

"An American oil company, Tenneco, announces the discovery of a large deposit of natural gas in the Bale region of the ******. Only 30 miles from the Somali frontier, and in the belief that the gas find might indicate substantial oil deposits, the Ethiopian military deploys substantial forces along the frontier." SSI Special Report Background information for Operation Restore Hope 1992-93 Walter S. Clarke

Roble has re-animated an important public debate but one thing that he truly missed in his theory and which aided the elections of Sharmarke and Abdirizak into the Premier posts was the dissolution of USP, its members joining the SYL. This move had completely changed the balance of power structure in favor of the Puntland dominated SYL. Egal was a late comer and it was to the Sharmarke's decision that he became the Premier in order to give equitable representation to the former SNL members. How does the author explain, Dr. Ali Khalif(Premier) in the post-Somalia civil war, Major General and Vice President Qoorsheel(Sanaag) in 1969-71. Others in post-Somali civil war, (Omar Arte Qalib(Premier -Somaliland), Jengelli,(Foreign Minister - Sool), Mohamud Ali Bayr(Defense Minister - Sanaag), would also come to mind. However, if Roble is interested in the clans of those who held the Presidency, then he is wrong in placing the elites from "Somaliland" clan perspective in his, as Oodweyne said, pet theory of the Tripartite axis of power. Overall, great special report, that is to look beyond "Somaliland, Puntland and South-Central" elites in resolving Somalia's economic and political crisis.