Originally posted by Juje: ICU lacked compromise and are paying the price Juje , you're being a little too harsh on the Sheikh. Both he and Sheikh Shariif pleaded with AY to come to Mogadishu and take up his much priced seat as the 'President of the Republic'. The ICU continued on this line even after Ethiopian soldiers were streaming into Baidoa. It was AY who was uncompromising. Whether AY really held sway over his own negotiating tactics with the ICU or whether outside players set the conditions for him is the real question. I would favor the latter. The ICU provided AY with generous provisions given what was at stake. If AY had any inclination to a peaceful resolution, he would have taken those chances. Instead he conjured up and introduced a bogus and illegal piece of legislation aimed at 'inviting' Ethiopian military trainers to Somali soil. As we all know, that 'invitation' led to the current occupation. Your assertion that the failure of the Khartoum conference was upon the ICU does not sit harmoniously with the analysis of the either the convening party (AL) or the many officials from the EU.

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar: He seems to have a very close working relationship with the Ugandans. Yet another reason why we should never accept any kind of force whether African or UN led. At the end of the day, they are all here to prop an illegitimate government. A government which has already relinquished effective control of its own territory to our enemies.

^The letter was written in Arabic and sent to the U.N. in that format. The copy i've found was translated from Arabic into Somali. I haven't come across the letter in English, but if i do i'll post it.

Originally posted by Geel_Jire12: I say there aren't many people like him in Somali politics. Matter of fact, there aren't many Somalis like him . Very true. The Sheikh has earned my respect. May Allah preserve him.

Originally posted by Jacaylbaro: quote:Sidee loo xalin karaa qadiyada Soomaaliya: Waxay ku xalismaysaa mushkilada Soomaaliya haddii la fuliyo qodabadan: - In ciidanka Ethiopia laga saaro dhulka Soomaaliyeed sababtoo ah waa ciidan cadow ah oo aan ahayn saaxiibkano. Waa kuwii laayay shacabkanaga ee gumaystay dhulkanaga. Cadowgaaga lagama rajeeyo inuu wax kuu wanaajiyo. Cadowgu ma keeno kharaab iyo burbur waxaan ahayn. - In la kulmiyo dhammaan cida danaynaysa qadiyada Soomaalida ee ka kala socda axsaabta kala duwan. Waa in lagu kulmiyo meel dhexdhexaad ah oo nabad ah. Waa in la fuliyaa waxa lagu heshiiyo waana inuu caalamku taageeraa. Waa inaan shuruudo dibada looga yeedhinin ka soo horjeeda maslaxadooda. Waa in markaas wadanka dib loo dhisaa waana in (ugu danbayn) la xaliyaa khilaafaadka u dhaxeeya Soomaalida iyo dawladaha dariska ah qaab dhinac waliba mahadin karo. He didn't say who is doing all these ,,,,,,, ha la yeelo, ha la sameeyo ,,, but who ??? The things he mentions need to be undone by those who did them. Eight months ago, Somalia was not occupied but today it is. The Sheikh is urging the engineers behind this disaster to take some responsibility. The ICU put alot of energy into building friendly relations with both the UN and the EU. The Sheikh has just demonstrated his political astuteness with this letter to the UN. More than anything else - he is rebuking the UN for their poor stance in relation to the flouting of key U.N. resolutions by the U.S. and Ethiopia. The ICU placed their confidence in the U.N. as a fair arbiter but the U.N. failed them miserably.

^^It may be old policy news but the Sheikh earned alot of respect from many quarters, including many in the EU. The Sheikh was right about alot of things. The truth may seem odd but it remains the truth.

Sh Xasan Daahir Uways oo ah Gudoomiya Golaha Shuurada ee Gollaha Maxaakimta Islaamka Soomaaliyeed (GMMIS) ayaa qoraal u diray Hay'ada Gaallada Midoobay kaas oo uu kaga waramayo waxqabadkii MMI oo uu ku tilmaamay Sheekhi inay mudan tahay in la siiyo Shahaadada Nabada Caalamka laguna mahadiyo dadaalkii ay sameeyeen. Sheekha ayaa ka hadlay arimo fara badan oo ay ka mid yihiin dhibaatada guud ahaan lagu hayo Muslimiinta. Wuxuu kale oo ka hadlay sida uu u arko xalka Soomaaliya. Waraaqda Sheekha oo dhan waanu tarjunay iyada oo ku qoray Af Carabi waxayna u dhignayd sidatan: Waxaan mar walba ka hadlaa (Sh Xasan Daahir ahaan) cadaalada, waxaan naftayda iyo dadka kalaba la jeclahay cadaalad, laakiin waxaan la yaabay markii uu nin ka mid ah (hay’ada) Qaramada Midoobay uu igu yidhi; waxaan ku arkay inaad mar walba cadaalada u fikirto, oo aad aad uga sheekayso cadaalada, laakiin waxaad ogaataa inuusan aduunkan oolin wax cadaalad ahi. Waxay ii xaqiiqowday arintani kadib markii Maxaakimta Islaamku ay soo baxday oo ay qabteen wax ay ku mutaysan karaan abaalmarinta caalamiga ah ee (Nobel Peace Prize), wuxuuba mudnaa waxaan qabanay inuu noqdo tusaale caalami ah. Laakiin danbiga aanu galnay wuxuu ahaa Muslimiin ayaan nahay, waxa aanu dhisnayna wuxuu ahaa wax ku salaysan diinta Islaamka iyo shareecadeeda (Lagooma aargoosan inay Ilaahay rumeeyeen mooyee, Ilaahaasoo ah mid awood leh oo la mahadiyo; Surah Buruuj; aayad 8). (Nooga aargoosanaysid inaanu rumaynay aayadihii Ilaahay markay noo yimaadeen kadib mooyaane; Acraaf 126). Waxaan maanta ogaaday inaan Muslimiinta loo ogalayn cadaalad iyo karaamo, inayna lahayn xoriyatu qawl oo ayna xataa lahayn xaq inay noolaadaan ah. Ma difaacayo (Muslimiinta) waxaan Ilaahay ahayn. Looma ogola inay is difaacaan Muslimiintu, is difaacaas ay karaamadooda ku difaacayaana waxaa loo yaqaanaa argagixisanimo. Bal eeg waxa ka dhacaya Falastiin. Dhulkoodii ayaa la dhacay, xoolahoodii ayaa la qaatay, dadkoodii ayaa la bara kiciyay hadii ay gumaysiga la dagaalamaana waa argagixiso!! Waxa ay samaynayso Israa;iil (Waxaa la yidhi waa ) difaacu nafsi!!!. Ciraaq xageedana waa Yaabka Yaabkiis! Ciraaq waxay ahayd dawlad ka tirsan hay’ada Qaramada Midoobay. Waxaa ku soo duushay dawlad kale (USA) dariiq aan xaq ahayna ku qabsatay. Dadkii Ciraaq waa la laayay, maalkeedii waa la bililiqaystay, shacabkeedii waa la bah dilay, xataa aduunka kale (Wuu awoodi waayay) inuu inkiro ee waaba la sii badhi gantaalay (oo lagu garab istaagay Maraykanka). Waxaa la inkirsan yahay kuwa wax iska caabinaya! Afghanistan waa sidoo kale. Wadamada kale oo la nooca ahna waa badan yihiin. Waxyaabaha ka dhacaya Caalamka Islaamka (ee duulimaadyada lagu qaaday ah) waa xalaal nadaamka aduunku dhistay sida Soomaaliya oo kale. Markii ay Ethiopia ku soo duushay iyada oo jabisay nadaamkii caalamiga ahaa waa lagu daba istaagay (Xabashida), iyada oo arinkani ka soo horjeedo xeerarka caalamiga ah iyo doonista shacabka Soomaaliyeed. Wuxuu arinkasi dhaliyay in la dilo kumaankum, in la gawraco kumaankum. Waxaa la barakiciyay malaayiin. Waxaa la baab’iyay dhismihii wadanka. Waxay rumaysan yihiin in wixii ay hagaajiyeen Muslimiintu uu ahaa fasaad, waxa ay iyagu kharibeena waa wax fiican waana in la burburiyo waxa Islaamku dhistay, muraadna kama laha inay dib u dhisaan. Haddaba haddii ay Qaramada Midoobay oo ay dadku moodayeen inay masuul ka tahay ilaalinta xuquuqdooda ayna siiyeen kalsooni waa fog (Waa Muslimiintee) ay tahay mida dhiirigalinaysa in la weeraro wadamada Muslimka kolba mid, miyaanaan mudnayn inaan kalsoonida kala laabano? Miyaanaan mudnayn inaan xaqanagii doonano? Miyaanaan mudnayn inaan iska difaacno cadowga? Xaqu miyuusan ahayn midka mudan in raaco? Maxaa Xaqa kazoo hadhay oo aan baadinimo ahayn? Qadiyada Soomaaliya Qadiyada Soomaaliya waa mid siyaasadeed. Ma aha mid nabad galyo, ama bulsho ama dhaqaale. Soomaalidu waa hal ummad. Ma jiraan kala qoqob qawmiyadeed, ama diineed ama mad-hab. Waa hal qoys waxaase jira qabaa’il uu marar dagaal dhex maray kaasoon daa’im ahayn. Wuxuu dagaalkani ku dhammaan lahaa xal siyaasi ah waana dabeecada mujtamac qabyaaladeed. Mana aha mushkilad aad u wayn. Waxaa laga yaabaa in (dagaalkan sokeeye) keenay loolan loogu jiro kursiga madaxwaynanimada sidii dhacday sanadihii 1990aadkii. Loolankani ma ahayn mushkilad sidiisa ah haddii ayna dawladii (UNISOM) soo fara galin lahayn. Dawladahan faraglinta sameeyay ayaa kala qorsha duwanaa. Soomaaliya waxaa la yidhaahdaa waa dawlad aan qaabilin danaha dawlada kale, xataa kuwa ku bahoobay mawqifka la iclaamiyay ee fara galinta (iyaga ayaa kala dana ah). Waxaa is diidan danaha tusaale ahaan Ethiopia, Maraykan, Yurub iyo Afrika. Dhammaan dawladahan waxaa isku dhacsan maslaxadooda marka ay timaado Soomaaliya. Dhibaatada Soomaaliya waxay ku dhisan tahay oo sharaxday aayadan: ( Ilaahay ka baqa oo wanaajiya dhexdiina haddii aad tihiin Muslimiin Suuratu Anfaal). Qadiyadu haddaba waxaa weeye in Soomaalidu Ilaahay ka baqdo oo Ilaahay iyo Rasuulkiisa adeecdo. Waa inay Shareecada isku xukumaan wixii intaas ka soo hadha ma xalin karo mashaaakilka Soomaaliya. Sababtu waxaa weeye Soomaalidu waa Muslim 100%. Cudur ma dawayn karo daawo aan tiisii ahayn. Dawada ku haboon cudurka Soomaaliyana waa ISLAAM. Hagaaga bulshada waa in la dhiso xukun caadil ah, waa in la waasiciyo maamul iska leh kalsooni shacbi. Waa in la sameeyo dad xikmad iyo garsoor wax ku maamula. Lama heli karo cadaalad ku filan (Soomaalida) oo aan ahayn Kitaabka Ilaahay iyo Sunnada Rasuulka NNKH. Dawlada Ajnabiga ah: Dawladahan shisheeye haday yihiin Axmaaro, Afrikaan ama Quruumaha Midoobay waxba kama qaban karaan Soomaaliya. Sababtu waxaa weeye mashaakilka Soomaaliya ma aha mid amni ee waa mid siyaasadeed, maamul, waana mid mabda’a. Dawladna dawlad kale kuma faral yeeli karto waxayna rabin. Xukuumada Ku Meel Gaadhka ah Ma awoodo tani inay xaliso mashaakilka Soomaaliya. Sababtu waxaa weeye waa daciif mana laha wax awood ah iyo mabaadii. Shacabka (Soomaaliyeed) ma rabo, waana daba dhilif cadow. Sidaa awgeed loogama fadhiyo inay wanaag keento. Waxaa intaas sii dheer in shacabkii uu si hor leh usii nacay oo ay beerantay cadaawad cusub. Waxaa kale oo ayna lahayn fikir siyaasi ah oo waasac ah oo midayn kara kooxaha Soomaalida. Sidee loo xalin karaa qadiyada Soomaaliya: Waxay ku xalismaysaa mushkilada Soomaaliya haddii la fuliyo qodabadan: - In ciidanka Ethiopia laga saaro dhulka Soomaaliyeed sababtoo ah waa ciidan cadow ah oo aan ahayn saaxiibkano. Waa kuwii laayay shacabkanaga ee gumaystay dhulkanaga. Cadowgaaga lagama rajeeyo inuu wax kuu wanaajiyo. Cadowgu ma keeno kharaab iyo burbur waxaan ahayn. - In la kulmiyo dhammaan cida danaynaysa qadiyada Soomaalida ee ka kala socda axsaabta kala duwan. Waa in lagu kulmiyo meel dhexdhexaad ah oo nabad ah. Waa in la fuliyaa waxa lagu heshiiyo waana inuu caalamku taageeraa. Waa inaan shuruudo dibada looga yeedhinin ka soo horjeeda maslaxadooda. Waa in markaas wadanka dib loo dhisaa waana in (ugu danbayn) la xaliyaa khilaafaadka u dhaxeeya Soomaalida iyo dawladaha dariska ah qaab dhinac waliba mahadin karo. Waxaa qoray waraaqdan Gudoomiyaha Gollaha Wada Tashiga ee Maxaakimta Islaamka Sh Xasan Daahir Uways. Waxaa waraaqda tarjumay KismaayoNews.

Originally posted by General Duke: Next next time you want to post an image of the Somali map, make sure to post the right map. One which should include other regions of Somali that rightfully belong to us. Don't post a colonial map of what Somalia ought to look like. This is Somalia. Lets afford our brothers and sisters in occupied regions some respect by atleast acknowledging their existence. They continue to labor hard for their rights while we continue to quarrel, and worse than that, allow the reoccupation of whatever is left of our homeland. BTW - I'm not here to argue the merits of the SL issue. Just making a general observation about the use of the Somali map sanctioned from colonial times. I understand its use in inter-state relations for the moment. This will ofcourse change once the concerned regions are libertated. For now, i'm simply calling for a change in use of that map amongst ourselves.

The government of Mwai Kibaki has acted dismally in its dealings with vulnerable Somali refugees. Once the Somali people achieve a credible and strong government; we ought to red flag Kenya. It should be made to pay for its wrongdoings against innocent and helpless Somalis in these difficult times. Amnesty: Kenya Denied Somali Refugees Human Rights Group Condemns Kenya's Decision To Close Border To Somali Refugees (AP) Kenya has turned away thousands of refugees at its border with Somalia and forcibly returned hundreds who had fled Somalia's rampant violence before the border was closed _ leaving them susceptible to hunger, beatings and rape, Amnesty International said Tuesday in a new report. The human rights group urged the Kenyan government to reopen its border with Somalia, which it closed in January as Ethiopian and Somali government troops drove Islamic insurgents toward the frontier. The group also called on Kenya to help those Somali refugees stranded at the border receive proper humanitarian aid and protect them from attacks by armed groups. "It's very dangerous for civilians in Somalia right now," said Ann Corbett, a Kenya specialist for Amnesty International. "Kenya's action in closing its border is deplorable and a violation of a fundamental right enshrined in international law _ the right to seek sanctuary from persecution." Kenya's government said in January that it closed the border to keep militants from entering the country. It also said it would not accept any Somali refugees because the Ethiopian and Somali soldiers were not directly attacking civilians. Amnesty International said in its report there were between 5,000 and 7,000 Somali refugees waiting for entrance to Kenya when the border closed in January. The group also reported that Kenyan border guards ejected 400 people, mostly women and children, on the day of the closure _ what it called a violation of international law. Khadija, a 24-year-old mother of four children who was only identified by her first name, told Amnesty that the refugees were "dropped and left in the middle of nowhere." She said that as they were walking on foot in the bush, a low-flying helicopter forced everyone to run and hide. As a result, she lost her children. The organization launched a fact-finding mission to Kenya in March to investigate reports that refugees were being denied entrance to the country and those who had managed to get into camps were not being registered properly and therefore did not receive aid. The final report estimated that nearly 2,000 refugees who had crossed into Kenya illegally were fearful of registering with humanitarian agencies and did not have access to food or other aid. "The border crossing has contributed to increased human rights violations since those who have been forcibly returned to Somalia are facing death, starvation and other terrible abuses, including beatings and rapes," Corbett said. "Others who are stranded near the border face similar threats and risks to their lives." She said Amnesty has made several requests to the Kenyan government to reopen the border, but has not received any response. The group said it will present its report to the Kenyan ambassador to the U.S. on Wednesday and appeal to the State Department to increase pressure on Kenya. Fighting reignited in Somalia's capital of Mogadishu in late March as Ethiopian and Somali troops made a final push to defeat the Islamic insurgency. Humanitarian groups estimate more than 1,000 people were killed and nearly 400,000 people were driven from their homes _ many taking shelter in rural areas where relief supplies were lacking. Somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned against each other. A U.N.-backed transitional government was established in 2004, but has failed to assert any real control over the country.

Originally posted by Khalaf: A contradiction don’t u think? If he has no control as u say, then how can he have the power to authorize the war? He had control prior to the war. When I say that he illegally authorized the war, what I mean is that he went against the wishes of parliament in authorizing the so-called ‘invitation’ of Ethiopian ‘military trainers’. That in itself was illegal. You will have to go back to early August of 2006. See this for more info on - http://www.somaliaonline.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=008169 Originally posted by Khalaf: I think we all know why the focus and grievances in this tradgedy is soley on AY and Puntland more so then Geedi and others the main culprits of this war and who are the biggest callers for the shelling of xamar, its all about clan nothing more nothing less . I blame Geedi and AY equally. I have no appetite for tribalism or anything connected to it. I’ve reiterated this in this forum many times before.

Originally posted by Castro: There's no slipping out of the back door. Meles stirred a hornets nest in Somalia and he will pay dearly for this. The Americans, who're in their own hornets nest in Iraq will cut him loose soon enough . He sure will pay dearly. The democracts are keen to review all major foreign initiatives from the Bush administration. Somalia will certainly be high on the list. Democrats aside, the Bush administration is clearly annoyed with how things have turned out in Somalia. They may cut Zenawi loose sooner than we think. The Americans are learning a bitter lesson, one missed by all of our enemies, including the Ethiopians. That of misinterpreting disunity amongst clans. They don't realise that Somalis would gladly place the interests of their country above that of tribalism. It may take sometime to get to that stage, but it will happen. They are clear signs of that happening already. Originally posted by Castro: The whole idea of being a stooge and a puppet is that you've no tangible influence in the state of affairs . This was demonstrated in the most unambiguous of terms when the Ethiopians chose to hold direct talks with the elders. This is one of the gravest of crimes, diplomatically. Abdullahi Yusuf and his stooges may be in Mogadishu but sovereignty belongs to the Ethiopians. This is why the Ethiopians didn't even bother to ask for permission to hold direct talks with the elders. Ironically, Geedi denies that direct talks between the named parties ever took place. He denies this because admitting it would render their much priced titles useless. Originally posted by NGONGE: I can’t help thinking that your explanation seems to be a bit too perfect a story. Nothing about Somalia has been that perfect or straightforward. Nothing about POLITICS has ever been straightforward! I certainly understand the complexity of politics in general and Somali politics in particular. When dealing with Somali politics, i’ve found that its best practice not to concentrate too much on the local players. Apart from the UIC, all other parties in Somali politics are heavily influenced from outside, whether by resource-hungry business interests or by individual nation states. Looking at it from that context, you soon realise that there is nothing complex about it. The truly complex parties in Somali politics are the UIC, complex because its roots have risen from within and their goals are forward looking. Charges of it not having a proper political wing are immature. As for my theory being specualtive; i only wish that I was speculating. The picture that I paint is probably a mild version of what really took place. The US had its dirty fingers in the Somali conflict for a long time. It would be incorrect to assume that US involvement in Somali affairs began in reaction to the rise of the UIC. In fact, the UIC was partly established to protect innocent Somali civilians who were being snatched from mosques, schools and homes by CIA agents and their collaborators. Another reason why this theory cannot be categorised as speculative is this: The rise of China and its bold entry into Africa had instilled a sense of urgency on the part of the US to speed up its long planned goals for Somalia. Originally posted by NGONGE: You believe Ethiopia invaded Somalia at the behest of America. Others think Ethiopia did it of its own back and for its own reasons. Worse still, many many others think Ethiopia’s aim is to colonise Somalia and that the Ethiopian army is never going to leave Somalia! Where does all of this fit into your analysis? My analysis, as pointed out by Castro, is not supposed to be all-encompassing. It deals with matters prior to the invasion. In any case i'll briefly address some of the questions in the above quote. Firstly, i believe that Ethiopia invaded at the behest of the US, but that it also had its own motives for invading. My contention is not so much with Ethiopia. We are all aware of Ethiopia's ancient dreams of occupying Somalia. Despite this, it was never in a position to achieve this on its own. As such, my real contenion is with the US for finally providing Ethiopia with the resources and diplomatic cover to invade Somalia. In regards to Ethiopia colonising Somalia; i do agree that it would be an exaggeration to say that Ethiopia is bent on occupying Somalia for eternity. It would, however, not be an exaggeration to say that Ethiopia’s intention is to attain firm control over the most important institutions of any future Somali government. In this modern age, one doesn’t need to maintain physical control over an area in order to control it. Ethiopia seeks to repeat the models it has successfully created and implemented in other regions of Somalia. Finally, i think your scepticism about my post goes much deeper than the points you've raised thus far. Correct me if i'm wrong but my impression is that you belong to a section of the Somali society who find it hard to comprehend the wisdom behind why Ethiopia, the US or anyone else for that matter, would wish to control Somalia. This notion that we have nothing special to offer is flawed. We tend to underestimate the strategic importance of our region in this new competitive world. Our enemies, on the other hand, do not underestimate the strategic importance of our region. This is why they have been busy hatching plan after plan, all aimed at securing influence in this critical region along with its much-priced resources. If you do belong to the section of our society which holds the above stated view, then your in for a rude awakening. If our enemise have their way, our future looks very gloomy indeed. Its time we all rose to the depressing realities that face us and stop being in denial.

^^Here goes your answer.... Beelaha ****** oo beeniyay hub ay dowladdu qabsatay Mogadishu 23, April.07 ( Sh.M.Network) Waxgaradka Beelaha ****** ayaa been aan sal iyo raad toona laheyn ku tilmaamay hub maalintii shalay ay soo bandhigtay dowladda KMG ah oo ay ku sheegeen in ay ka soo qabteen dhinaca kooxaha kacdoonka ka wada magaalada Muqdisho. Afhayeenka Beelaha ****** ee dhinaca siyaasadda C/laahi Sheekh Xasan oo shabelle u waramay ayaa ruwaayad la soo abaabulay ku tilmaamay hub shalay dowladda KMG ah ku soo bandhigtay garoonka diyaaradaha ee Muqdisho. Waxa uu sheegay in ciidamadooda ay heystaan hub isla markaana ay kula dagaalamayaan ciidamada dowladda iyo kuwa Ethiopia, ila markaana aanu jirin wax hub ah oo dowladda ka qabsatay xoogagga ka soo horjeeda. Waxa uu sheegay in hubkaasi Mas'uuliyiintii soo bandhigtay ay ka soo qaadeen dhinaca ciidamada Ethiopia si ay ugu marin habaabiyaan aragtida beesha caalamka. C/laahi Sheekh Xasan oo la soo xiriirey shabelle ayaa sidoo kale beeniyay hadalo ka soo yeeray Wasiir K/xigeenka G/dhigga oo sheegayay in raggii ka dambeeyay qaraxyadii lala beegsaday safaaradaha mareykanka uu ku leeyahay dalalka Kenya iyo Tanzania ay ka soo abaabuleen dalka Somalia. Waxa uu wax laga xumaaday ku tilmaamay in rag Mas'uuliyiin ah ay sheegaan argagixiso joogto gudaha dalka Somalia.

Abdullahi Yusuf has promptly flown back to Addis Ababa only a day after flying back into Baidoa. Using these flurry of visits as a precursor, let us try to map out the sort of command structure the resistance is dealing with. There are unconfirmed reports that this latest 'urgent' trip to Addis came at the behest of Ethiopian generals. These generals are inturn said to be responding to reports from their colleagues in Mogadishu, most of who are reported to be eager to engage in talks with the resistance. Yet other reports indicate that Ethiopian generals in Mogadishu are already engaged in talks with the resistance. Ethiopian generals and their influence over military operations aside; its commonly believed that the real decisions are made by high ranking U.S. Generals from CENTCOM. U.S. intelligence is behind the scenes working very closely with Ethiopia. This was demonstrated by a visit to Addis Ababa late last year made by the former commander of CENTCOM, John Abizaid. Prior to this visit, Meles Zenawi did not have the intelligence capabilities, money or the diplomatic cover with which to invade Somalia. The visit by General Abizaid neatly placed all these variables on the table for Meles. Of what significance was that visit in the context of current Ethiopian operations, you may ask? Well, the fact remains that the Ethiopian invasion and current occupation of Somalia wouldn't have been possible without the tacit diplomatic and military support the provided by the U.S. to the Ethiopians. It therefore stands to reason that Ethiopian tanks would not have continued to roll into Somali territory were this support still not in place. The new CENTCOM chief Admiral William J. Fallon like his predecessor, John Abizaid, is eager to produce results from the rather expensive contingent of U.S. naval armada just off the shores of Mogadishu. So, just what kind of command structure are we dealing with? Diplomatically, the U.S.’s modern day plantation runner, Jendayi Frazer, will deliver the message straight from the Pentagon to Meles Zenawi. This part of the structure has thus far functioned without a hitch. Meles passes his instructions, this time in the master position, to his slave Abdullahi Yusuf. Militarily, the command structure seems to be failing. There are number of factors hindering its progress, not least the strength of the resistance. Here’s how the correspondence between the main players might play out: U.S. Generals: Our air strikes earlier in Janurary targeting ‘Al-Qaeda’ operatives were not successful. We have ‘credible’ evidence to suggest that all the major players are now in Mogadishu. We must go after them. Do whatever is necessary. We must get these guys at any cost. Ethiopian Generals in Addis to Generals in the field: We have clear orders that we must hunt down ‘Al-Qaeda’ operatives in Mogadishu. Go after them. Don’t worry about the civilians. The Americans have a new name for civilian casualties. They call them ‘collateral damage’. Generals in the field: We may need more sophisticated hardware, the resistance is strong. Generals in Addis to U.S. generals: We need more sophisticated weaponry. We are losing a lot of men. This is not as easy as you made it seem. – BTW - civilian casualties are rising. We fear for the legal standing of our generals in the field. U.S. Generals: We’ll provide you with all the weapons you need. Our military base in Djibouti is overfilled with unused arsenal. Don’t worry about the legal standing of this war. We’ve got you covered. On that note though, some of your military manoeuvres have been pretty ****** of late. What happened to all the training we’ve provided you with? This correspondence goes back and forth and will continue to do so until there is a change of Administration in the U.S. or until the Americans realise that the Ethiopians are incapable of subduing Somalia, irrespective of the sort of military support it receives. Meanwhile, Meles Zenawi feels more trapped each passing day. His intention was to use the U.S. military to achieve his dream of installing a puppet regime in Somalia. Having installed his puppet regime, he unexpectedly found the going tough. He is now hoping to slip out the back door and leave a fragmented country. The Americans, however, are demanding every cent of their investment and forcing Meles to stay in Somalia, until Somalia is free of the invisible enemy called 'Al-Qaeda'. Some of you may have been waiting to read about the role of Abdullahi Yusuf in this command structure. Sorry to disappoint but Yey has no place. How else would one explain the thousands of statements made by himself and Gedi warning of an imminent offensive, only to have the so-called offensive delayed for weeks by the real planners and controllers of this war. He neither gives an order of any kind nor transmits or performs the order. Odd really. This man will end up bearing all the responsibility for a war he has no control over. Why hold him responsible, you ask? The simple answer: Because he illegally authorised the invasion of his own country and applauds as his own people are being massacred.

Originally posted by Wisdom_Seeker: It isn’t only Somalis that they are capturing and interrogating, they have Yemenis, Tanzanian, Kenya, Ethiopians and so forth. The keyword is “Muslim”. If you are an extreme Muslim be very beware, if you are a moderate Muslim, also beware. Its true that the overriding factor is that of being a Muslim but at least the other nationalities you mention have a fair chance of receiving consular assistance which in most cases leads to their immediate release. At the worst they face deportation to their countries with the prospect of a 'proper' legal process (no such thing as proper legal process for Muslims today). For Somalis, the scenario is entirely different. There is no government to act on their behalf. Their prospects for release, let alone a fair legal process is zero. I doubt anyone will even bother to add them to the 'vanished' list.

Originally posted by Castro: Prisoners of war are to be treated humanely. Even if they acted as animals towards us, we must take the high road and show them we're above their inhumanity . I agree. Apart from taking the moral high ground, there are also clear strategic goals to be achieved. Treating these band of prisoners well may encourage more soldiers to follow in their footsteps. Its clear that most of these soldiers have been sent against their will by the despotic regime in Addis Ababa. This unwilligness to fight in Somali has been demonstrated by a group of soldiers who refused to leave their army barracks in Ethiopia and yet others fled to Yemen following their arrival in Somalia. Some of these soldiers may have feared for their lives, yet others may have fled in response to their conscience. This is why i welcome the call from Sheekh Sharif calling on the Yemeni authorities to refrain from turning the soldiers over to the Ethiopian authorities. Rueters - SANAA—A leader of the Somali opposition Islamic Courts called on Yemen on Friday not to extradite Ethiopian soldiers he said had fled to the Arab country from the fighting in Somalia. Yemeni newspapers have reported that dozens of Ethiopian soldiers were among Somali refugees who arrived in Yemen in the past week, but Yemeni officials denied the reports. "This war is illegal and immoral and any soldier who flees from it for fear of killing or being killed deserves to be ... treated in a humanitarian way," Sheikh Sharif Ahmed told Al Jazeera television. "We ask our brothers in Yemen ... not to hand them over to the Ethiopian regime because it is known that they would be either tortured or killed," said Ahmed, who is visiting the Eritrean capital Asmara. Yemen, located across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia, is a frequent destination for Somali refugees. More than 200,000 people have left the Somali capital Mogadishu since February during fighting between the Ethiopia-backed government and Islamist insurgents and clan fighters. Sporadic shelling and gunfire shook Mogadishu on Friday, but Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf downplayed this week's violence which residents say has killed at least 30 people and wounded scores more. Magan galyo loo balan qaaday ciidamada Tigreega ee isa soo dhiiba Muqdisho,20,April-07 (Qaadisiya.com) G .G Fulinta Maxaakiimta Islaamka Soomaaliyeed Sh Shariif Sh Ahmed ayaa ugu baaqay in nabad galyo buuxda la siin doono ciidamada Tigreega iyo Soomaalida ka garab dagaalamaysa ee isku dhiibta Mujaahidiinta Muqaawamada. Isla markaana loola dhaqmi doono si banii'aadanimada waafaqsan. Sidoo kale waxaa uu Sheekh Shariif ku tilmaamey waxa muqdisho ka dhacay masiibo bani,aadanimo Waxaa uu kaloo intaa ku darey in Maxaakiimta Islaamka ay ka soo baxeen shacabka Soomaliyeed hadana ay wali shacabkooda ka mid yihiin Muqaawamadana wadi doonaan inta cadowga dalka ka baxo.

Xoogagga xaq u dirirka oo gacanta ku dhigay Suuqa Jamhuuriya ee degmada Kaaraan Posted to the Web Apr 20, 08:32 Aayaha.com, Jimce, 20 April 2007 - Warar lagu kalsoon yahay oo soo gaaraya Aayaha.com ayaa tilmaamaya in xoogagga xaq u dirirka Soomaaliyeed ee dagaalka kula jira ciidamada cadowga ah ee Itoobiya ay gaareen, isla markaana gacanta ku hayaan Suuqa Jamhuuriya ee degmada Kaaraan. Xoogagga xaq u dirirka ayaa guullo la taaban karo maanta ka gaaray dagaalada ay kula jiraan ciidamada cadowga, iyagoo jebiyay duullaan xooggan oo ay ciidamada cadowgu saakay kusoo qaadeen goobihii ay shalay dagaaladu ka dhaceen. Suuqa Jamhuuriya ee ay xoogagga xaq u dirirku gacanta ku dhigeen ayaa kaabiga u saaran Hotel Lafweyn oo xarun u ah ciidamada cadowga Itoobiya, lamana oga in ciidamada cadowgu isaga cararaeen xaruntaas. Goobihii saakay lagu dagaalamay ayey joog joogayaal degaankaas ku sugan sheegeen in ay arkeen meydadka Itoobiyaanka oo daadsan dariiqyada. Ciidanka cadowga ee lagu jebiyay dagaalkii maanta ayaa bilaabay in ay madaafiic ku garaacaan xaafadaha rayidku degaan ee magaalada sida degmooyinka Huriwaa iyo Yaaqshiid. Ciidamada naf la caariga ah ee Itoobiya ayaa marka ay ku jabaan dagaalada ay kula jiraan xoogagga xaq u dirirka waxey bilaabaan in ay madaafiic ku garaacaan shacabka Muqdisho. Madaafiicda ay tuurayaan ciidamada cadowga oo weli ku dhaceysa xaafadaha Muqdisho ayaan la ogeyn khasaaraha ay geysteen baaxadda uu la egyahay. Duqeyntii ay shalay ciidamada cadowgu u geysteen xaafadaha Muqdisho ayaa waxaa ku naf waayay ugu yaraan 30 qof, iyadoo 130 kalena ay ku dhaawacmeen.

Rudy - One will have to wait and see where Aydid ends up, but i much prefer the words he's uttering in the last few weeks than his old self. Repentace is open to all. I only hope that his recent words are an indication of a deeper sense of true repentance on his part. Besides, Aydid was a heavyweight in the TFG and his apparent switch of sides, even if for a brief moment, can only benefit the resistance.

Muqdisho,18,April-07 (Qaadisiya.com) Guddoomiyaha golaha fulinta maxkamadaha islaamiga Soomaaliyeed Sheekh Shariif Sheekh Axmed, guddoomiyaha baarlamanka Shariif Xasan Sheekh Aadan iyo raysal wasaare ku xigeenka kooxda Imbagati Xuseen Ceydiid ayaa kulan ka yeeshay xaalada dalka uu haatan ku sugan yahay ayagoo gabagabadii kulankaasi soo saaray war saxaafadeed loo qeybiyay saxaafada. Warmurtiyeedkaasi oo ka koobnaa 12 qodob ayaa waxaa saxaafada u akhriyay guddoomiyaha golaha fulinta maxkamadaha islaamiga Soomaaliyeed Sheekh Shariif ayadoo labadiisa dhinac ay taagnaayeen guddoomiyaha baarlamanka iyo ra'iisal wasaare ku xigeenka ahna wasiirka hawlaha guud iyo guryeynta halka wakiilo ka socda beesha caalamka oo lagu casuumay shirka ay goob joog ahaayeen. 1) Waxaan ugu baaqeynaa beesha caalamka in ay soo fara galiyaan dagaalada ciidamada Xabashida ay kawadaan magaalada Muqdisho ayagoo adeegsanaya madaafiic aan loo meel dayin. 2)Waxaan canbaareynaynaa xasuuqii ciidamada Xabashida ay ka gaysteen 29kii bishii March ilaa 1da april oo lagu laayay in kabadan 1086 qof,laguna dhaawacay 2400 oo qof halka boqolaal kun ay ku barakaceen. 3) Waxaan canbaareyneynaa bur burinta baaxada leh ee loo gaystay magaalada Muqdisho gaar ahaan degmooyinka Wardhiigley,Yaaqshiid iyo Huriwaa oo ku fadhiya masaafo dhan 10km oo si gaar ah ay u bartilmaameedsadeen ciidamada Ethioipa. 4)In ciidamada Xabashida ee duulaanka ku soo galay dalka Soomaaliya ay ka baxaan si loo abuuro jawi lagu nabadeyn karo dalka Soomaaliya. 5) Waxaan beesha caalamka ugu baaqeynaa in dawladda Ethiopia ay culeys ku saaraan in ay joojiso ciidamada faraha badan oo ay u soo direyso dalka Soomaaliya kuwaasoo ujeedkoodu yahay sidii xasuuq kale ay u gaysan lahaayeen. 6) Waxaan canbaareyneynaa socdaalkii Jendayi Frazer ay ku tagtay magaalada Baydhabo oo lagu dhiiri gelinayay xasuuqa ciidamada Xabashida ay ku hayaan dadka Soomaaliyeed. 7) In beesha caalamka ay guddi caalami ah u dirto magaalada Muqdisho si ay u soo baaraan xasuuqii Muqdisho ka dhacay isla markaana lala xisaabtamo raga ku lugta leh xasuuqii ka dhacay magaalada Muqdisho 29kii March ilaa 1-da April. 8) Waxaan canbaareyneynaa xabsiyada lamidka ah xabsiga Guantanamo ee Ethiopia ay ka sameysatay dalkeeda ayna maamulaan raga maamula Guantanamo kuwaasoo jirdil ba'an u gaysta dadka rayidka ah ee aan wax danbiyo ah galabsan. 9) Waxaan u sheegeynaa beesha caalamka in ciidamada Uganda ay gaashaan u yihiin gumeysiga Ethiopia ay ku soo rogtay dalka Soomaaliya. 10) Waxaan canbaareynaynaa mowqifkii wadamada Kenya,Ethiopia iyo Uganda ay ka istaageen shirkii dhawaan ururka IGAD ay ku yeesheen magaalada Nairobi kaasoo lagu taageeray cadaawada ciidamada Xabashida ay ka wadaan magaalada Muqdisho, waxaan soo dhaweyneynaa mowqifkii wadamada Suudaan,Jabuuti iyo Eritrea ay iska taageen xaalada Soomaaliya, waxaana ugu baaqeynaa 3daasi dal in ay soo fara geliyaan xaalada Soomaaliya si loo joojiyo xasuuqa ciidamada Xabashida ay ku hayaan shacabka Soomaaliyeed. 11) Waxaan ugu baaqeynaa hay'adaha samafalka kuwa caalamiga ah iyo kuwa maxaliga ah in gurmad deg deg ah ay la gaaraan dadka tabaaleysan ee ka barakacay dagaalada Muqdisho ka socda kuwaasoo roobab iyo cuduro ay isugu darsoomeen. 12) Waxaan soo dhaweyneynaa shirkii magaalada Liister ay ku yeesheen jaaliydaha Soomaaliyeed, waxaana si buuxda u taageersanahay qodobadii laga soo saaray shirkii Liistar. Shirkan ayaa ku soo aaday xilli weli ciidamada Xabashida ay xasuuq ka wadaan magaalada Muqdisho ayagoo xalay ku asqeeyay madaafiic qeybo ka mid ah magaalada taasoo muujinaysa sida weli ay ugu ooman yihiin daadinta dhiiga umadda Soomaaliyeed.

They pay their condolences and decry the treatment of dead occupiers, yet they fail to utter a single word in regards to slaughter of their own innocent civilians? Doqonimada dadkaan wax laqiyaasi karo ma aha. Come to your senses folks. Even Caydiid had enough sense left in him to realise that the status quo benefits only Ethiopian and American interests. Poor Yey will be liquidated very soon. Jump ship before its too late or risk ending up on the wrong side of this critical period in the history of our beloved country.

****** rebels denounce Ethiopian war crimes in Somalia ****** National Liberation Front (ONLF) O.N.L.F STATEMENT ON ETHIOPIAN WAR CRIMES IN SOMALIA Mogadishu 11, April.07 ( Sh.M.Network) April 11, 2007 — The EPRDF/TPLF regimes appalling record of human rights violations which has manifested itself repeatedly in ****** is now apparent in what can only be described as war crimes being committed against the people of Somalia. Since the EPRDF/TPLF invasion of Somalia, hundreds of civilians have been killed with countless others wounded as a result of the deliberate shelling of residential neighborhoods. Many others of Oromo and ****** origin have also been specifically targeted for detention, torture and in some cases, execution. Tens of thousands of Somali civilians are fleeing EPRDF/TPLF troops conducting military operations against civilian targets in Mogadishu. These people are fleeing with little in hand and face dehydration and famine as access to food and water becomes increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, EPRDF/TPLF occupation forces continue to stir clan rivalries by providing arms to clan militias in various parts of Somalia. These arm deliveries continue to violation UN resolutions. The ONLF would like to alert the international community to the disaster which is unfolding in Somalia. We would like to affirm that war crimes are taking place in Somalia currently and urge the world community to investigate and realize the full and immediate withdrawal of EPRDF/TPLF troops from Somalia. The ONLF urges the Somali people to set aside their differences for the sake of the salvation of their nation and embark on a clear path toward national reconciliation leading to a future built by Somalis for Somalis. The people of ****** continue to stand in strong solidarity with the Somali people as they resist EPRDF/TPLF occupation .

Sheekh Shariif: Waa in cid kasta oo Soomaali ah ka qeyb qaadato difaaca diinta iyo dalka Aayaha.com, Talaado, 10 April 2007 - Sheekh Shariif Sheekh Axmed oo ah guddoomiyaha golaha fulinta maxaakiimta Islaamka oo haatan ku sugan magaalada Asmara ee dalka Eratrea ayaa sheegay in ay tahay in qof kasta oo damiir Soomaalinimo iyo mid islaamnimaba leh uu ka qeyb qaato muqaawamada ka socota magaalada Muqdisho ee cadowga looga xoreynayo magaalada Muqdisho. Sheekh Shariif ayaa hadalkaan ka sheegay isagoo wareysi siinayey idaacadda Hornafrik in waxa ka soconaya magaalada Muqdisho ay tahay gardarro cad iyo xasuuq oo lagu hayo shacabka Soomaaliyeed islamarkaana arinkaasi ay ka dambeeyaan dad aan marnaba raali ka aheyn jiritaanka umadda Soomaaliyeed ee islaamka. Waxa uu xusay in Mareykanka uu ka dambeeyo arrimaha ka socda Soomaaliya isagoo adeegsanaya jabhadda Tigreega ee ku amar taagleysa dalka Itoobiya,waxa uuna sheegay in cadowga Itoobiya aaney marnaba aqoonsaneyn dowlad ka dhalata dalka,isagoo tusaale u soo qaatay in kooxda Mbagathi ee dalka soo galisay cadowga xitaa aaney iyaga aqoonsaneyn mar haddii ay odayaasha beelaha Muqdisho ay si toos ah heshiiis ula gaarayaan cadowga Itoobiya. Waxa uu ku guubaabiyey shacabka Soomaaliyeed in ay taageero buuxda la garab galaan kooxaha xaq u dirirka Soomaaliyeed,isagoo ugu baaqay maleeeshiyaadka la marin habaabiyey ee kooxda Mbagathi in ay badalaan fikirkooda cadow taageerka ah ayna ka qeyb qaataan difaaca diinta,dadka iyo dalka. Shacabka ku nool gobolada dalka ayuu sidoo kale ugu baaqay in ay meeshooda kala dagaalamaan cadowga iyo kuwa dabadhilifka u ah ,si aaney caowgu fursad ugu helin kala qobqobka shacabka Soomaaliyeed,"haatan cadowgu waxa ay doonayaan in ay qabsadaan deegaanada Putland iyo Soomaaliland si ay u kala jarjaraan shacabka Soomaaliyeed" ayuu yiri sheekh shariif sheekh Axmed (Xafidulaahi). Sheekha ayaa sheegay in sababaha uu u jooga magaalada Asmara ee dalka Eratrea ay tahay isagoo kulamo halkaasii kula qaadanaya madaxda dalkaasi iyo rag uu hogaaminaya Shariif Xasan Sheekh Aadan uuna kala hadlay sidii dalka Soomaaliya loooga saari lahaa cadowga qabsaday ee Jabhadda Tigreega. Waxa uu sheegay in uu socdaalo kala duwan ku kala bixin doono wadamo dibadda ah kuwaas oo uu sheegay in uu kala hadli doono sidii cadowga dalka qabsaday looga saari lahaa. "Aniga dhowr mar ayaan Mareykanka u sheegay in ay joojiyaan howlaha ay ka wadaan Soomaaliya ee Itoobiya ay ugu garab qabanayaan shacabka Soomaaliyeed,fadeexad ayaa hadda mareykanka ka heysata Soomaaliya,weyna sii xoogeysaneysaa haddii aanu faraha kala bixin arrimaha Soomaaliya" ayuu yiri Sheekh Shariif Sheekh Axmed. Hadalka Sheekh Shariif ayaa ku soo beegmaya xilli ay xaq u dirirka Soomaaliyeed diyaar garow adag ugu jiraan sidii ay isaga difaaci lahaayeen cadowga ku soo duulay shacabka Soomaaliyeed. HornAfrik: Gudoomiyihii golaha fulinta Maxaakiimta islaamiga Sheekh Shariif oo hadlay wax yaabaha ka soconaya Magaalada Muqdisho

The west does not care much about the 'dark and Muslim' peoples of the Horn. The violations that occured in the four-day Mogadishu fighting must have been very serious for the EU delegation to be as concerned as it appears to. Words such as "hefty accusations" and "strong grounds" are not easily employed in the context of African conflicts, especially when the subjects are Muslim. The only reason these allegations are even being examined is due to the fact that evidence on the ground was overwhelming. Sadly, however, these investigations will come to nothing. The west, especially the US will not allow proceedings which might, in any way, shed light on US involvement.

U.S. officials question Islamists held in Ethiopia WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials have questioned suspected Islamist militants in Ethiopia in hopes of uncovering details about al Qaeda activities in East Africa, officials said on Wednesday. A main focus of the questioning by CIA and FBI agents has been the 1998 attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and three al Qaeda suspects believed to be in the Horn of Africa. Human rights advocates said scores of Islamists from 18 countries, including the United States, were captured in Kenya while fleeing war-torn Somalia earlier this year and had since become victims of a secret detention program that could erode international support for the U.S. war on terrorism. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said American officials were given access to about 150 suspects in Kenya. The Kenyan government later transferred more than 80 to Somalia, from which many were sent on to be held incommunicado in Ethiopia, the group said. The rights group identified one of the captives as U.S. citizen Amir Mohamed Meshal and said several others were British. A CIA spokesman declined to comment in detail but said U.S. actions were lawful and stressed none of the captives had been in U.S. custody or transferred across international boundaries with U.S. assistance. A federal law enforcement official said the FBI had been given limited access in Kenya and Ethiopia to question fewer than 100 individuals in the past several months as part of its investigation of potential threats and of past terrorist attacks. "They are people detained by foreign governments for possible violations of their law. We have been given the opportunity to talk to these people," the law enforcement official said. Rights advocates contend the United States has had a great deal of influence, saying Kenya appears to have followed the clandestine U.S. practice of detainee transfer known as rendition. "We have very serious concerns that they should have the right to a court. If you don't give them that, then you're losing the war on terrorism," said Omar Jamal of the U.S.-based Somalia Justice Advocacy Center. "It is an open secret to every Somali individual that the U.S. government is heavily involved in this." 'USEFUL INFORMATION' A U.S. official familiar with the CIA and FBI interviews in Kenya and Ethiopia said American agents have had limited access to captives "with knowledge of terrorist activities," including the embassy bombings that killed 224 people. "It's been productive. We've received useful information," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. U.S. authorities have been searching for three main al Qaeda suspects -- Abu Talha al-Sudani of Sudan, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed of Comoros and Kenyan Saleh Alie Saleh Nabhan -- who were believed to be in Somalia before U.S. and Ethiopian forces began carrying out air strikes on Islamists in Somalia earlier this year. All three are accused of playing a role in the embassy bombings, while Nabhan is also wanted in connection with a 2002 hotel bombing on the Kenyan coast that killed 15 people. U.S. officials believe Sudani could have been killed earlier this year in an Ethiopian air strike but evidence to confirm the death has not been found. US interrogating at Ethiopia's secret prisons Suspects 'detained in Ethiopia'

Originally posted by Taako Man: Dialogue was available for the last 3 months. The president spoke with all facets of Xamar including the former president Abdiqasim. PM Geedi met with many civil society groups and clan elders and focused on how to disarm people. . Don't flatter yourself. Dialogue is in the best interest of the TFG. The longer the TFG continues on this path (there are questions about whether it really controls anything) the worse its image will get amongst the civilians. This will ensure that any prolonged conflict will favour the resistance rather than the TFG. If power is your only ambition, its in your best interest to talk. Believe me, the Ethiopians have alot of factors to contend with, they cannot continue this offensive for much longer. The TFG will soon find itself isolated and powerless against the resistance.

Originally posted by raadamiir: The clean up of Mogadishu must continue!!! Maskaxdaada dhimatay is what needs a real clean up!