Xiin, Waar 'propaganda'-da jooji oo caruurta ha wareerin.... There's no deep seated hatred between clans as some have been led to believe. Just the normal Bedouin pissing contest that takes place among all nomadic peoples all over the world..... from Mongolia, to the Arabian Gulf, to the Tuaregs of the Sahara, all the way to the Somalis of the Horn... It's part of our DNA (even though I'm not 100% sure Xiin comes from that proud nomadic tradition - he seems to bear a resemblance to the 'beereley' variety)... But there's no deep hatred in the population or the majority of the people. After all, we're not Hutus and Tutsis So kids, don't drink that 'Xiin-flavored' Kool-Aid. It has unpredictable side effects

LOL@Xiin Waar Xiin, Don't confuse the young scripts in here into thinking there's real hatred between folks Sxb, Oodka and I are just waiting for a formal letter from you requesting: 'Iga qalleeya qarxiskan aad i daba wadaan ayaamahan!' We'll review the official request, run it past our committee, and then, inform you of the verdict Very simple, transparent procedure....

Just watched the first 3.5 min. Fascinating as he(Dr.Pham) names who's in the audience. Critical names in shaping U.S. policy in Africa - I was totally unaware that the U.S. had sent that high a level observation team to the last Presidential election(where Siilaanyo was elected)- according to what Dr.Pham is saying. Also the explanation of the Center's mission is 'telling', as well as who's the head guy in charge of the Atlantic Council Think Tank. Very interesting thus far. All of that in the first 3.5 min for the 'politically discerning' The 'obtuse' seem to concentrate on the usual 'Somali calaacal' at these types of functions.... I'll have to come back to this video later and watch the whole thing. Much thanks to A. Khadar for posting!!!

^^Just a second ago, you were distancing them as outsiders... Kenyans... nothing to do with us. When that attempt is rejected and shown for the ruse it is, it's back to accepting them as part of the 'resurgent block'..... Slippery, slippery......

Oodka, This is the usual double-speak we've grown so used to... On one hand, Xiin and co. will throw up the 'Big Tent' theory in the naked power grab for the Jubbas, but when component parts of the Big Tent are publicly found to be engaging in nefarious activities, then a quick distancing from the caught perpetrators is enacted: "They hold foreign passports and are broadcasting from a foreign country. They're not one of us!". Well, you can't have it both ways. Kenyans ku lahaa... Classic Well, it didn't matter that they were Kenyans or Ethiopians by passport when they were crossing the border on their way to the Jubbas, so why should it matter now??

As they say on the North American side of the oceans: 'The jig is up!'. The world has caught on. The Somali Wikileaks Cables are quite illuminating when you read the analysis of American diplomats: Abdullahi Yusuf is referred to as pushing a 'pure' clan-agenda, Gaandhi is accused of the same, Faroole rounds out the list as pushing naked clan interests(recently posted on this Forum). If the Western diplomat who will only work on the Somali portfolio for a few years before moving on to greener pastures(more significant postings) can figure this out in a half-hour meeting, why the assumption that the rest of the Somali people are gullible?? It's interesting that this accusation of being purely driven by 'clan-interest' is only used to describe their meetings(referring here to the Americans) with a group of leaders hailing from one particular constituency in the Somali landscape. I don't believe the rest of Somalis are free from the clan-bug, but rather that other groups have accepted that in order to get something, they must give something to the other sides. This is what's missing from the collective leadership of 'said' group..... Maybe, the problem is the adoration of the 'Aabo Siyaad' model as the platinum standard for a future Somalia in certain people's minds. Wishful thinking, indeed.....

Before you all cry foul, remember diplomats do not stay at a post forever but routinely get changed. This list from what I can gather seems to be towards the very end when the regime felt totally cornered and felt safe relying only on close kin. Gen. Aideed had already left India to join the SNM and then later to lead his 'armed' wing of the USC. Some of the Ambassadorial postings MMA refers to as missing from the list where from earlier years before the last few years. The period this list refers to seems to be the last 3 years when Barre was referred to as the 'Mayor of Mogadishu' by the international news media (due to the central gov't having effective control of only the capital and a few garrisoned cities). So what's the uproar about? That Barre's gov't was a pure clan-based regime, a fact the rest of the world accepts and repeated by every historical summary written by every major Foreign Ministry(I can post the links to the State Dept and British Foreign Service, but I know facts hold no sway among certain people)? 'Those who don't learn from history are bound to repeat it'

What's more interesting is that certain accomplishments/positions are omitted from the CV. For example, that he was the reigning Chief-of-Staff for A. Williams when Williams became mayor of the U.S. capital city. Abdisalam is a good guy, even though he's been ardently anti-SL from the beginning But overall, a gentleman...

Carafaat;941642 wrote: Mintid and Oodweyne, please do keep us common people updated on the insight dealings of the players and powerful in Somalia. P.S. Mintid, may I suggest to open a seperate thread to share your scoop with us? Carafaat, sxb, Are you trying to get me banned from the Forum? Already the Mintid-phobia is at sky-high levels....

Carafaat;941610 wrote: Mintid, What Xiin, Ilyria and other co-pirates are actually saying when they say why are you discussing Kismayo. Baliis, naga joojiya qarxiska siyasadeena afduubka Somalia. Sidaan ya wax ku afduubi kara. I'm glad you get the jist of the complaint, Carafaat They've even given us supernatural powers of being the brains behind the Mogadishu community... Cajiib.... While we've given one warning after another to them, in charity, saying "This Culusow is not like the previous office-holder! This man knows how to play the game..." But unfortunately, they have a childishly low opinion of the Mogadishu constituency and feel that whenever this community effectively challenges their machinations for Somalia there has to be a Northerner behind it. Deja vu all over again...

Gentlemen, Let some live with the A. Yusuf fantasies. The man brought momentary relief to some when he convinced them(for a brief few years) that the good, old days were just around the corner for a second time! And then, they rudely awoke from the blissful dream to face the painful reality of the current situation....

Talk about paranoia at its highest peak Why are the Northerners discussing Kismayo?? Why won't they mind their business? We discuss it b/c it's current news. No one is praying for war to break out. What we're commenting on is the political tussle behind the scenes between those who are in a hurry to set up a Jubbaland entity (in order to create irreversible facts on the ground, before the FG can modify the current constitution) and a FG determined to put a stop to this project. Overall, a very interesting contest to watch. We discuss it just like we discuss all things Somali-related in this Forum... just like we've been discussing whether Siilaanyo will attend London 2 or not. You never heard us screaming "Why are you discussing SL issues?". That would be juvenile, to say the least. So, a deep breath is warranted in certain corners. Meanwhile, Mintid will stretch out on his lawn chair, with his masala chai in his hand, to watch the action, round by round, while enthusiastically commenting on the score, point by point

Wadani, Welcome home! We were all raised believing in the pan-Somali dream but interaction with certain elements of the 'defeated lot' helps one see the true light. Long live SL and Allah's blessings for those who sacrificed their lives so we could live free! Note: Now we're just waiting for Carafaat, how long will that take?

Xiin, we'll give you a few days of respite regarding the Kismayo issue since you, continuously, go into hysteria whenever it's brought up, like a middle-aged woman who's menapause is mentioned publicly But we await the next round in this Jubba saga. We fear the likes of you are leading the 'cagdheer' community down the wrong path of confrontation with the FG, when their goals for their project could've more easily been attained through accomodation with the FG. But we shall see, till the next interesting development... P.S. we hope the conclusion to this saga doesn't turn into the same type of disappointment for 'certain corners' as the Ankara and London meetings ended up being...

Haatu;941359 wrote: (Also, I can only think of one reason why F Macalin wouldn't support Gaandhi ) ^^ ;) Now don't quote Ngonge again I see you know your neck of the woods well

A_Khadar;941351 wrote: Ma waxaa la lahaabaa? Thought the Mitid is a bit smarter than XX and likes to refer waxaa lalahaa... ^^^ ;) Khadar, I would love for you to use the 'tol' grapevine and find out where exactly the 'good economist' was last July and who he met with officially (I'm sure you have your contacts among 'reerka'). Then, once you've ascertained that, we could continue this conversation in a more measured way ;)

^^^Khaatumo settled on a strategy early on after its 'formational shir'. The traditional 'odayaal' would concentrate on the internal structure within Taleex and surrounding villages, in order to hold back the feared encroachment of both Siilaanyo and Faroole, while Ali Khalif and Ali Isse would concentrate on the external game as the professional, intellectual heavyweights of the project. They further divided this task by having Ali Khalif work the Mogadishu angle through the FG structures, while Ali Isse(with professional 'diplomatic' experience as a long-term IMF official) would concentrate on the IC portfolio. The strategy/plan looked good in theory but then it hit the pavement. Things have not panned out as planned for the project thus far..... But SL, as ever, is waiting for its errant boys to come home.....

Oodka, In early July of last year, the former IMF economist, Ali Isse, of Khaatumo fame/infamy, went around Nairobi doing the 'Western Embassy talking circuit' to win sympathy for the Khaatumo project. While keeping details to a minimum, the sessions did not go so well for our Khaatumo architect. He found these Embassies were better informed on the happenings in his ancestral lands than he was. He also realized these same Embassies were well-clued up to the diaspora-based nature of this project. This contributed to the demoralization we detected recently on the Khaatumo front. Since the timing was before the Mogadishu elections for new FG leadership, Khaatumo strategy was quickly adapted to gain influence through influence-peddling within the FG parliamentary and presidential elections, and by aligning with the 'correct' presidential aspirant, open up a new front against SL. We all know that strategy didn't get very far. Currently, the Khaatumo project finds itself in difficult circumstances. On the one hand, they need a solid, positive relationship with the FG in Mogadishu to politically pressure SL, yet on the other hand, certain 'cousins' are pressuring the Khaatumo 'party' to support the Jubba project in clan-solidarity, a move certain to alienate the Mogadishu-based FG. Hence, the demoralization and 'political silence' you've noticed recently from Khaatumo boosters on these Boards.... It should also explain Ali Khalif's sad demotion to 'Youtube' speeches as a platform to maintain what little relevance remains....

^^ You're absolutely correct That's why we saw a hologram of Ali Khalif, Faroole, and co. sitting next to Siilaanyo and Hassan Sheikh in Ankara

Sounds like it's a sad Monday at Cafe Calaacal(Minnesota Branch) from what I'm reading on the Board today. However, the attempt to falsely paint the meeting between Siilaanyo and Hassan Sheikh as an exercise in which 'Siilaanyo got the upper hand' is simply the usual attempt to put Mogadishu at odds with Hargeisa. From what we know thus far, the two delegations decided to agree on their common positions and 'agree to disagree' on areas of contention (while maintaining the cordiality existant between the two leaderships). A win-win for both camps. It's a particular camp outside of these two parties that feels cornered & is busy seeking an exit out of the current 'box' they're in.... - whether it's by carrying water for certain regional states' Somali peninsula ambitions(http://www.somaliaonline.com/community/showthread.php/70828-Will-Djabouti-efforts-to-reconcile-Kenya-and-Ethiopia-with-Somalia-work) or if that fails to start acrimony between Mogadishu and Hargeisa(a tactic often used in the past by the usual denizens of Cafe Calaacal).

;) Waa wakhtigii maryaha la dhigi jirey

Faroole is a good man as far as I'm concerned However, it's not Mintid or Oodweyne that's asking why the Turks are absent from Garowe. It's your leader, Faroole, who gives speeches on the matter. Personally, outside of the 'significant' humanitarian aid the Turks have donated to Somalia in the past year or so, I don't see much signs of any serious developmental aid the Turks have given thus far. But Faroole seems to feel otherwise! So one should take up the issue with one's own leadership, rather than attempting to circle the 'clan' wagon with cries of 'why are the Reer Waqooyi concerned with these affairs'. Me thinks....

Well, the Italians are attempting to work their way into the Somali create-your-own-client game. Not only a new Puntland government radio station, but a fleet of police vehicles was donated by the Italians. Here's an overshot of the vehicles:) And here is Faroole claiming the first vehicle for himself as a gift for a job well-done in postponing the May 15 local elections

Che, I'm a supporter of Faroole's continued Presidency as attested to by many of my posts: http://www.somaliaonline.com/community/showthread.php/70776-Introducing-Pirate-Elections-Puntland-s-quot-No-IDs-No-registration-quot-Polls.?p=940423#post940423 Ace, Presenting direct proof from the horse's mouth seems to have no effect in separating those 'mentioned' gentlemen from their delusions and crystal balls.

Che -Guevara;940994 wrote: Sheekada waa xiran tahay marka. Yes, let's get back to Faroole! I think Faroole should pay 'xaal' too