Originally posted by Khalaf: Let us ask ourselves why islamic movements never succeed in building a modern islamic state. Anyone? It's not because Islamic movements cannot succeed in building a modern Islamic state; they can succeed. They haven't so far succeeded because obstacles are put in their ways to fail. Obstacles in the form of armed oppositions formed and supported by the West, interferences, sanctions, embargoes, iwm. On top of that, they are not allowed to exist openly by the West and its proxies (secular regimes). When Islamic movements are militarily able to guarantee their existence openly, then building a successful Islamic state will be a piece of cake. Simply put, they aren't meant to succeed, but that's about to change.

Originally posted by Pi: I think the courts will put up a final fight. Anyways, whatever happens, one thing is clear: their power was really exaggerated. If not, why this sudden change in military tactics? The bravado didnt match the ability. There's no such thing as "final fight." It's not in the equation. You stay alive, you live to fight another day. The era of final fights is over; this is the era of insurgencies and guerrillas. This will be a long protracted fight. And you are wrong; the power of the ICU wasn't really exaggerated. This sudden change in military tactics was prompted by a sudden change in the balance of power. The TFG has been given a lease of life by Ethiopia, AU, the US and the EU.

Originally posted by Sumaya3: Somaliyeey aduunku wuu kala baxay Gaal iyo Islaam ... the choice is yours. I choose Islaam. Allahu Akbar.

Originally posted by sweet_gal: Plus there is no need to compare christian with shia. Because christian are misguided people who perhaps can believe the truth once they find it. But shia on the other hand claim to be muslim and associate partnership with Allah. All the whie knowing that Quran is suppose to be their Guidance. Are you saying the Shia cannot believe the truth once they find it, but Christians can? I am asking the question because I have heard there are many Shia who left their sect and become Sunni Muslims.

Originally posted by rudy: Well,we ain't nothing but mammals.. Sir, with all due respect, we ain't mammals. We are bani aadam.

Ethiopian offensive in Somalia could mirror Iraq war NAIROBI, Kenya -- Ethiopia's attacks against Islamic forces in Somalia may have delivered a short-term military victory, but analysts warned that a longer offensive could present the U.S. ally with some of the same challenges facing American forces in Iraq. Airstrikes against the Somali capital Mogadishu and other towns on Sunday and Monday demonstrated Ethiopia's military superiority over the Islamic forces that seized most of southern Somalia during the summer. But Ethiopia would be hard-pressed to dispatch enough troops to capture and occupy Islamic-held areas of Somalia. "I don't understand what Ethiopia's objective is," said David Shinn, former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and now political science professor at George Washington University. "I can't imagine their objective is to occupy and hold Somalia. It was a very limited victory." Most experts agree that Ethiopia's battle-tested army, numbering as many as 150,000 fighters, could easily beat Somalia's rag-tag Islamic troops, which are believed to total under 10,000. But Islamists say they would compensate for their lack of numbers and sophisticated weaponry by pursing an unconventional war, including suicide attacks and other insurgency-style tactics that U.S. and allied troops face in Iraq. "The Ethiopians could get bogged down into a hopeless, long-term guerrilla campaign with enormous supply lines," Shinn said. "I don't see how they `defeat' the Islamists in the long run." The attacks Sunday and Monday marked the first time Ethiopia has publicly acknowledged taking direct military action against Somalia's Islamists. Ethiopian officials said they acted to preempt threats by Islamic forces to launch a "holy war" against them. Ethiopia is also moving to protect Somalia's weak transitionalgovernment, which has been battling with Islamists over who will control the Horn of Africa nation. Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991. Anger over the Ethiopian air strikes reverberated Monday through Mogadishu. Local radio stations flooded the airways with nationalist songs, recalling the history of tensions between Ethiopia and Somali, which last went to war in 1977. Angry youths rioted in several Somali cities, urging all adult males to join the Islamic forces. The attacks appeared to be bolstering support for the Islamic forces. "I used to think that the Islamic courts were just another interest group, but now I recognize that they are standing up for the country and religion," said Muse Ali Omar, a banana vendor in Mogadishu. "Ethiopia is my enemy, I will not sell bananas any more. I will take my gun and go for jihad. Otherwise I am sure they will kill me in my banana kiosk if I wait for them here." Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed, a moderate Muslim, said "As long as the West is supporting Ethiopian invasion, it will open the door for Islamic courts." The Ethiopian strikes have helped unify the Islamic Courts Union, an alliance of religious leaders that came together to defeat U.S.-backed warlords earlier this year. In recent months, some cracks were beginning to appear inside the alliance over how rigorously to implement Islamic law. But in recent weeks, U.S. and Ethiopian officials have concluded that extremists have seized control of the courts. They accuse court leaders of having links to terrorist groups, including al-Qaida. Last weekend, one Islamist leader issued an invitation to Muslims worldwide to join the fighting in Somalia. The nation of Eritrea is also believed to have dispatched as many as 2,000 troops to aid the Islamists. U.S. officials on Monday called on Somali groups to end their fighting, but they did not call for an Ethiopian withdrawal. "Ethiopia has genuine security concerns," said one U.S. official, adding that State Department officials have urged the Ethiopian government to use "maximum restraint." The U.S. has worked closely with Ethiopia, including training elements of its military, in its four-year effort to contain the spread of Islamic extremism in the Horn of Africa. They repeatedly have denied using Ethiopia as a proxy against Somali Islamists, and have insisted they argued against an Ethiopian invasion with officials in Addis Ababa. A U.S. military official said the Pentagon, which set up a 1,500-man task force in neighboring Djibouti in 2002 because of concerns al-Qaida-linked groups were seeking refuge in the region, has yet to take any action in response to the Ethiopian offensive. "We're just watching it," the official said. Shinn said international leaders should immediately intervene and push to remove all foreign fighters from Somalia. "A week ago I was still optimistic that we could get this cat back in the box," he said. "Now I'm not clear if that's an option." Los Angeles Times

Originally posted by Castro: African Union Backs Ethiopian Aggression This is invasion in addition to aggression.

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: Sheik Muktar Abu Mansur Robo died yesterday after a ground battle fought at the town of Menas near Bidoa. After a heavy attack from the TFG troops, Abu Robu was killed in a hot pursuit. About 350 militants manned by Robo have also been killed. Mr. Robbo reportedly said to have taken military training in Afghanistan by Al Qaeda. (Idemaale News) I don't know if it's true, but we shall soon know whether it's the truth or propaganda. If it's true, then Abu Mansur is very lucky. To die shahid is the best death. And BTW, shahids are alive if you didn't know.

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: 1. We all live in glass houses, lets not throw stones at each other. 2. There are 50 or more million moslems in ethiopia. Not impressed by the Mugadishu imposters. 3. Most ethiopian soldiers and almost all commnders that would be sent to fight the terrorists will be speaking in somali. On the other side the terrorists and the Mugadishu imosters will be speaking foreign languages and the somali people of the south can rcognize them as they did in Kismayo. 4. ICU in facing ethiopia will face somali and will face moslems. What a coincidence even our chief of the general staff is a moslem, let alone commanders in the field of battle. 5. Most ethiopians (with the exception of the mengistu nostalgic) and most somali are hoping that the war ends fast and somalia starts the ardious work of reconstituting itself and rebuild broken homes and families. The bottom line, the ICU didn't go past the Ethiopian border and attack the Ethiopian regime or Ethiopians. On the other hand, Ethiopia invaded Somalia, bombing, shooting and killing innocent Somalis. The Ethiopian regime drew first blood, and assumes all faults and consequences.

Originally posted by Khalaf: What about it sxb? We are Muslims, our example we follow is the Prophet Muhammad scw, his righteous companions.......did not the Quresh presecute them, drive them out of the land? What did they do to quresh who surrendered sxb? They as Prophet ordered were treated kindly and many converted to ilsam because of it no? Now islam orders u to treat a fallen man whose intentions was to kill u with humanity and dignity, what do u think u are to do with civilians-women and children sxb? Allah said: let not the hatered of the others devoid of being just, because that is nearest to taqwa. Same with Mujahid Salahuddin......our deen is glorious we don’t burn corpses, or drag them on streets, or kill women and children..........we protect the weak and fight to make the deen superior not for revenage, or kursi............a defeated quresh solider spit on Ali ra, ali walked away, asked why he said if I had killed him it would’ve been due to revenage (my anger) not for fisabilillah........that is islam sxb. That was a convincing and logical answer. Mahadsanid.

Originally posted by Khalaf: there are rules to war in islam if u dont follow it and commit crimes such as killing of women and children, cutting throats of prisioners then u are fighting a war of revenage and not for fisabilillah........ What about the rule of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" with regard to the enemies of Muslims?

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: Yes indeed I pray... A Christian isn't supposed to lie. You pray as an Orthodox Christian?

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: I pray for the innocents there, the war to end fast. What's your religion?

Originally posted by OLOL: Good news my fellow cyber Mujaahidiin...Beledweyne has been liberated from the Tigre invaders. Allahu Akbar.

Originally posted by Naxar Nugaaleed: Taliban:"global Islamic insurgency ". Taliban, I hope your not in the US or I would report you to homeland security and you would spend the rest of your filthy life in Getmo because thats where people who think like you belong. That supposed to scare me? You want to run into trouble?

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: Does IndaCadde know the road to Addis Ababa? Don't be arrogant and underestimate the ICU. If anything is known about Islamists, it's they honor what they promise to do, though it could take them time (years) to accomplish it. It might not be Indhoadde who will march to Addis Ababa, it might be another ICU leader. Remember, Islamists are very patient and calculating. It would be irresponsible to be arrogant about what they can accomplish. Instead, it's prudent to worry about the future of the Ethiopian regime.

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: The point is why wait for arabs that are so hipocrites as you can see from palestinian situation. I agree with you those Arabs (Arab League leaders) are hypocrites with regard to the Palestinians. However, they are hypocrites because they are seculars, not Islamists. Seculars care only about their personal interests, not about their Muslim brothers, country, citizens, environment, natural resources, etc. Islamists are the opposite; they care about their Muslim brothers, country, citizens, environment, natural resources, etc. You are in error; the ICU didn't ask help from secular Arabs. Sheikh Yusuf Indhoadde asked help from the global Islamic insurgency to take part in the jihad against the Ethiopian regime and its TFG proxy. The Ethiopian regime is underestimating the ICU. It's invasion of Somalia will not be a cakewalk, just as George Bush's invasion of Iraq has proved to be anything other than a cakewalk. George Bush is regretting his blunder, so will the Ethiopian regime, insha'Allah

Originally posted by Alle-ubaahne: May Allah destory our enemy, aameen. Aamiin.

Originally posted by Sky: It's in their interest to call for a ceasefire, before they lose it all. Why is the TFG begging the ICU for ceasefire?

Insha'Allah, the ICU with the help of the global Islamic insurgency shall hand humiliating defeat to the TFG and its Ethiopian patron. Amen. Allahu Akbar!

Total population 15-22 Million Regions with significant populations Somalia: 9,950,000 Ethiopia: 4,620,000 Kenya: 1,854,000 Yemen: 757,000 Djibouti: 301,000 Canada: 250,000 United Kingdom: 200,000 United States 150,000 Saudi Arabia:50,000 United Arab Emirates: 30,000 Netherlands: 31,700 Australia 17,435 Norway: 17,000 Denmark: 16,564 Sweden: 15,294 New Zealand: 14,345 Finland: 11,000 South Africa: 9,000 Italy: 5,000 Brazil:3,200 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_people

Thanks for the link. I just watched a live report by Al-Jazeera's Mogadishu correspondent.

A long article, but contains interesting analyses.

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: Taliban, "If for nothing else, ICU should be punished for making Islam as mcdonalds and cocacola comercial with actors fashioned in arab and pakistani garb. We did not become moslems and kept being moslems through the millenia by allowing imposters and fly by night "Mahdis" to play with our religion" A shiek from Afar state, ethiopia The Afari sheikh got it wrong. Anyone who thinks Islam can be harmed doesn't understand Islam. Islam is a religion protected by Allah, and Muslims are required to defend it. No amount of badmouthing and smearing Islam will harm it. Those who badmouth or smear it only harm themselves. Despite 911 and all the negative propaganda against Islam and Muslims, more and more converts are embracing Islam.

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: Taliban, " Yonder lieth a country wherein no one is wronged: a land of righteousness. Depart thither and remain until it pleased the lord to open your way before you." Your understanding of Islam is impaired. What you have quoted doesn't and cannot apply to the current Ethiopian regime. For more than 15 years, the Ethiopian regime has been funding, arming and collaborating with various Somali secular warlords, for the scope of fragmenting and weakening Somalis. Because of those Ethiopian funding and arming, thousands of innocent Somalis lost their lives, got handicapped, displaced, exiled from their country, etc. The Negash of the era of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) didn't take part of aiding the enemies of Muslims, interfering with the internal affairs of Muslims or making life difficult for Muslims. The Negash and administration of that era is totally different from the current Ethiopian administration. The ICU and the global Islamic insurgency's jihad is against the current Ethiopian regime. This regime must be uprooted because it poses a clear and present danger to Islam and Muslims.