At this point, It doesn't even matter when such a thing is passed. The news that US, Egypt and Djibuti are in a mad dash to reconcile and negotiate with TFG has done wonders and magic of diplomacy work out for SICU. Djibuti and Egypt are now doing a lot of coaching in short order. I still hate to be France at this moment. Even with thousands of soldiers right there is considered so insignificant.

Somalia Islamists join terror networks Somalia's Islamist movement, which controls most of the country, is becoming increasingly present on foreign websites propagating jihad against the non-believers and presenting the war in Somalia as part of a global confrontation. In unofficial videos from the Islamists secret training camps, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is praised. The Mogadishu-based Islamic Court Union and its Islamist militias are getting stronger present in the Internet, using a two-faced strategy. Official statements from court leaders, also available from the Union's website, demonstrate moderate viewpoints. The "unofficial" web campaign, however, is much wider and links the Islamists closely to the world's most radical jihadist groups. A new Somali jihadist video is doing the rounds in Mogadishu and on radical websites used to propagate the messages of al Qaeda. It shows Islamist fighters training for war at a secret camp and specifically glorifies Osama bin Laden. Although not officially endorsed by the Islamic Courts, the militia's video features some of their key figures, such as Mogadishu security chief Abdullahi Maalim Ali - also know as Abu Utayba. "We are the new Afghanistan," it is stated on the propaganda video, directed at jihadists all over the world. The propaganda piece invites potential martyrs from any place to come to Somalia and join the fight against non-believers. This is not the first recruitment campaign among foreign jihadists made by the new rulers of Mogadishu. For years, the Somali Islamist movement has made sure to feature regularly on the most radical Islamist websites, next to messages from Mr bin Laden. Even al Qaeda has made sure to demonstrate its utmost sympathy and on several occasions has mentioned Somalia as one of its war-scenes. Latest in January this year, Mr bin Laden in a video appeal directed himself "to Somali in particular" and on 11 September this year, al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri urged all Muslims to "fight US allies in Somalia." This constant recruitment for the Somali Islamists - first for the defeated al Qaeda allied al-Itihaad al-Islaami, later for its heirs in the Islamic Court Union - has led to results. Already in the earliest phase of the Islamist militia's armed advance, foreign jihadists were among the frontline fighters. From each new battle, there is documentation of their growing numbers. According to consultant Matt Bryden of the think-tank International Crisis Group (ICG), it is a conscious policy of the Mogadishu Islamists to try to associate themselves with global jihadists, creating an image of their struggle as being "part of a global confrontation between Islam and non-believers. Their propaganda emulates that of al Qaeda and other jihadist groups around the world," Mr Bryden told afrol News in a recent interview. The political analyst however warns against believing in the image the warring Somali parties like to propagate. "I think it is important not to succumb to this kind of logic. The Courts are just one of several groups waging a struggle for political control of Somalia, all of whom have at times turned to foreign powers for support," said Mr Bryden. The Islamic Courts were attempting "to portray this as a jihad is an attempt to legitimise their struggle in global terms," just as the Baidoa-based transitional government was seeking to "portray itself as a partner in the American-led 'Global War on Terror'," he explained. Mr Bryden however holds there are far more realistic ways to distinguish the two parties. "In reality, many Somalis perceive the Courts as a ****** clan movement and the transitional government as a *****-led faction. Neither of these characterisations is entirely accurate, but they are certainly closer to the truth than the portrayal of the conflict as a clash between Muslims and infidels," he emphasises. But in addition to this sought association to the "global war against the infidels", there is growing evidence that the Islamist militias waving the Somali war for the Islamic courts are indeed getting - or staying - involved in global terror networks. Only last week, Yemeni authorities detained seven al Qaeda suspects involved in arms smuggling to Somalia. Many Court leaders also were part of al-Itihaad, which now figures on a UN list of terrorist organisations put in contact with al Qaeda. There is much evidence indicating it was al-Itihaad that stood behind the bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi that killed more than 200 persons in August 1998. Islamic Court chairman Hassan Dahir Aweys is associated to this group and figures on a US list of wanted terrorists. A controversial UN report from last week did not ease scepticism about the Islamists' foreign ties. The reports claims to document that Syria, Iran, Eritrea, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya and Saudi Arabia have all sent military personnel, weapons or military supplies to the Mogadishu Islamists. In addition, the UN claims to have proof that the Somalis had sent hundreds of fighters to support Lebanon's Hezbollah in its recent war against Israel. While all this is denied when speaking to the Western press or when reacting to UN reports, the Somali Islamist movement's Internet presence however proves that it plays closely along al Qaeda lines. Or at least, it wants to give this impression to potential martyrs outside the country. By staff writers

http://www.aminarts.com/pages/nov_29_06.htm

Originally posted by Abdi2005: You are day dreaming, we have only TFGs claim that it was 300 but in reality it was max 15 militia as Abu Mansuur said other wise you would see pictures if it was true like when many TFG troops joint the courts. TFG are only trying to take back what they have lost previously which is over 600 solders in total. As for Diinsoor its still under the control of islamic courts. To you and general i only say talking is cheep so talk as much as you want (which is to much lately). I know you two are trying cheer each other up with your nonsense, because things are going bad for yeey and melezenawi many scholars/mujahidin from puntland have joint the courts, diinsoor has fallen to the courts, somalilanders are joining the war against melezanawi... Do you realize how many colonel fartaag staff you went through in your paragraph. Guess what it says : You are frustrated, you have been frustrated. Thats all one can glean from your balderdash about the whole planet, but Bar Hakubo. That you do not want it mentioned. I don't blame you for that. How come you made declarations about every place in the planet, but you forgot Jowhar?

Lucky he didn't meet the fate of Somali Journalists, Somali intellectuals and military officers, other foreign Journalists at the hands of Alqaeda.

ROME,Dec 3 (Reuters) - Islamist militants in Somalia detained an Italian journalist this weekend over reports of his they said were incorrect, but eventually allowed him to leave the country after pressure from moderates, the reporter said. Massimo Alberizzi of Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper said he was stopped at his hotel in Mogadishu. Armed militants then drove him to an empty airstrip where he was questioned about his reporting, including about reports on support Eritrea may have given the Islamists. "They had read my stories, they said... 'You wrote something incorrect. Do you remember which? Do you remember how? When?," Alberizzi said. "I tried to explain that I wrote a dozen, a hundred, stories a year about Somalia." He was later taken back to a hotel under armed guard and said more moderate Islamist forces had prevailed in their calls to release him. He left the country on Sunday on a U.N. flight for Nairobi. The Islamists have been steadily expanding their reach and influence in Somalia after seizing the capital of Mogadishu in June. The United States says they are harbouring al Qaeda operatives who pose a threat in the region and elsewhere. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L03231721.htm

Originally posted by Juje: On the other hand , now that the UN is trying to step up its efforts to assist and alleviate the problem from the people and regions affected by the severe flooding. The ICU ironically has attached conditions, laughable ones indeed. Conditions such as not to use Ethiopian Cargo planes for relief supply, and to make it worse the accusation that the Ethiopians intelligent agents and the UN in Nairobi are planning to send contaminatedc and harmfull items to areas controlled by the ICU m,ilitias in attempt to ease the capture of the country b y Ethiopian forces. This is absurd to say the least if not a bad joke. It is dangerous factor which proves the ICU having seen they have captivated the minds of many can now utter any irrational excuse and still believed by the many. A stage where one individual organisation or charecter can have such an influence on a whole people is scaring. Its customery and traditional in any conflict to find ways to help the victims that are not comabatants. I am amazed how much Arab culture of false rumours has taken over the Mugadishu gang. If the Germans and Canadians in WWII can negotiate while fighting inorder to bring food to the Dutch civilians...what makes it impossible for these ICU who claim to be more moslems than anyone else to declare all this areas to be only under local elders and withdraw their forces and ask the TFG not to move in? Wouldn't that have been the most Islamic thing to do, thus the most humaine, the most diplomatic and the best propaganda....all in one deal? I can only conclude what has been already proven. The ICU are fake. They are just as cruel warlords in arab garbs and religious cover.

Lets see if SICU captures another village in the territory it controls. lol The domino effect of this will be felt soon in Mugadishu. Somalis should be thankful to Puntland for staying on its state borders and not go on to retaliate and punish SICU for its adventure. That saved Somalia from a civil war that no one would have been able to stop. The TFG was not ready to put its forces between and separate the two, Puntland and SICU.

The TFG has outsmarted SICU internationally. Egypt and Djibuti are two countries now in a mad dash to come to Baydhoa in hiding. One of the questions asked in the Ethiopian parliament was djibuti stance? It was noted that the party leaders of all the parties including the ones that voted against the resolution were satisfied by the briefing they got behind closed doors. Its not far fetched to guess, there may have been Djibuti officials explaining. Thank you Yemen is all one can say for now.

Thanx to frustrated SICU places like Dinsoor are having their 15 minute of fame competing with New York, Moscow and London for the news. Dinsoor was done, for the simple reason that SICU is soon to be expeled by the locals in BarHakubo. If just half the families of the more than 300 militia that went to TFG support them...its easy to see the domino effect. ICU wanted to hide this badly. Lets wait wich village around Mugadishu will be captured next by ICU.lol

Originally posted by General Duke: ^^Now they are claiming to have Somaliland defectors, so now they are at war with Somaliland as well.. SICU has been frastrated. Any news is good news for them. Expect them to have a lot of "colonel fartaag moments" from here on. The Ethiopian invasion is no where to be seen, the TFG has frustrated Aweye by just not responding to the lies, Puntland did not invade in retaliation which ICU was hoping to achieve.....everywhere ICU wanted for war to start has been on the losing end. There is nothing that frustrates more to a belligerent, than his supposed enemy be capable to defend, be capable for an offensive, but chooses to out wait. What ICU thought a great asset of declaring Jihad on Negash has come to bite them in the islamic world and has exposed their fakery in somalia. Ethiopian moslems are very angry at the very words of Jihad against them, even though they know that somalis would not buy into this fakery and fraud from Mugadishu's new warlords.

Since SICU forward movement stopped in all directions, supreme leader Aweye is having difficulty dealing with slow news days. It was funny the way SICU came up with Dinsoor which is twice the distance from Baydoa as BarHakuba to try and burry the more than 300 Militia that went to TFG. From now on every hamlet or village around Mugadishu will have its 15 minutes of fame of being captured by SICU. Any village has the chance to be the New York city of Somalia.

Again, on the 16th of October, the prime minister of Ethiopia has nominated his new cabinet, which consisted of 45 members (Ministers and Deputy-Ministers). Only 1 out of 45 is from our region, making our share 0.45%, while we represent about 8% of the Ethiopian population and the second largest region in the country. On the other hand, the Ethiopian House of people’s representatives has 547 members, mostly handpicked by the Central government in Addis Abeba. Of these 547 members, the Somali region has 22 members (4%), While the Tigray region with a population of about 2.5 million (3.9%) has 40 members (7.3%). Again of these 547 members, 481 (87.9%) belong to the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) party and there are only 35 (6.4%) opposition members, who are not handpicked by EPRDF. The discrepancies are quite clear in each of the above-mentioned examples, and our region’s share in the central government, where the real power lies, is not there at all. What kind of justice or democracy is that? Sincerely, we would have appreciated much had this regime fulfilled only 10% of the above 5 years plan in our region but for sure won’t, since it has already prepared a different plan of oppression, destruction, and death for our people. I wonder why people make mistakes (to put it lol) when either they call themselves Shiek, or call themselves representatives of peoples, or even they call themselves researchers. If one counts Cabinet Ministers and state ministers together and puts 45 to show only one of them is somali, shouldn't he add also the somali state ministers as well? Mahmud Dirir.……………...... .Minister of Culture and Tourism State Minister of Women’s Affairs- Uboh Mohammed Hussein State Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs- Mohammed Maadin Ali Just to give you a small example of what is publicly available and not much searching needed. Its when people put outright untruth that makes the legitimate grevience and demands of the somali loose or lack credibility. There is no need to lie over something thats so elementary, except to hinder legitimate struggle. There is no need what so ever to tell any somali that the current regime is worst than the mengistu regime for the somali. Its patently false. Listen to Muhammad Dirir speak in Parliament Yesterday and that is the other side of the equation. If the producers of the paper are talking just of the O provinces, then the population percentage and zone system also need to be reflected properly. Its very demeaning for the somali when so called reserarchers, representatives, shieks..etc put out staff that any child can correct. The kind of blatant untruths that are on this paper makes it difficult for the fight to peace and development of the somali.

Originally posted by Caamir: Your conspiracy theoricies are beyond disbelief. You are fomenting a major proxy war in Somalia so the whole country could be damaged beyond repair. I don't know why EU would support the Islamic Courts. That idea is flawed simply it is like saying the EU will support the Insurgents in Iraq against U.S and British troops. Caamir, Please accuse or blame me for anything else, but ill will should be out of the list. I don't have any bad wish to anyone. What I posted is my read of the diplomatic scrummble I see happening. EU is trying to rescue something through Djibuti. You can see that from miles, because EU working through Kenya has hit a wall and has come to a dead end. EU is financing the upgrade to the railroad djibuti-ethiopia and after some long very long negotiations, suddenly it was signed yesterday and the EU representative was there talking as usual about EU wishes. China is in. There is no doubt about it. From Khartoum to Bassaso it will be connected. The chinese are new, they have very different culture that suits the nomad (free minded) very well.Yemen will also prefer them to counter balance US. US of course will not go away. If there is a federal government for all united somalia, the US might even move with its luggage to somalia. Somalia has everything all the powers need. Natural resources, ports (both east and also the suez channel), Its in a corner without other countries looking whats coming and going. US would love to go back to Somalia just like the few years of the Ziad Barre regime days. N.B. In ethiopia the US became friend to current government only at the last moment. US always believed Addis Ababa is the only one that can govern ethiopia. It is doing the same in Somalia. US thought Mugadishu is the only one that can rule Somalia. Now US is in a mad dash to Baydhoa. But Somalia is not enough to all three. One has to go. Nobody can stop the chinese from coming in, which means one of the old folks has to be evicted. I say EU should be evicted and EU is the weakest. what do you say?

Nomads, First of all this is khat, coffee..etc gathering talk. Some real life Nomads in North East and Northwest (not in Sland) have seen enough Chinese now to talk about them. My bet is EU will be kicked out very soon from this area. The british are sharing Kenya with US. Djibuti is now more US than France, Ethiopia is battle ground as ever and now between Chinese and US. Sudan is on the Chinese column. Somalia Just started and is already heated up. EU is with ICU (weither they like it or not, since US has now completely shifted to Baydhoa)China is with TFG. US just jumped on board the TFG train and has not seated yet, hanging on the rails and surveying for the seat. Who do the nomads here think will be evicted first? (not survivor game, but close).

Originally posted by HornAfrique: Who would have thought a year a half ago Oromo Liberation Front and Pakistani merceneries would be in control of Kismaayo airport? The whole purpose of S-ICU going to Kismaayo was for Alqaeda. There is no other reason what so ever.

Originally posted by Pi: Man, I actually would rather have an islamic government (ICU being the closest thing to it in Somalia? although listenting to the arguments of some, maybe the islamic shirt is expedient?) rather than the TFG. But you gotta be a pragmatist. With the international support that the TFG is getting, the ICU are sitting ducks. Ducks who for some reason dont want to negotiate, but would rather threaten and intimidate. The ICU should do everything and anything rather than fight. But maybe that's all too late now. Time will tell. Jihad on Negash exposed the fakery more than anything else. The egyptians, Saudis and Iran all competing heavily at this time, cannot stomach this one. Its only Alqaeda that can declare Jihad on Negash. Only an imposter can say the word Jihad and Negash in the same sentence. Even Hassan Al Turabi thinks the ICU is persons that have gone off their rocker. They can fight against ethiopia if they feel agrieved or harmed, but Jihad is not one of them.

Originally posted by Baashi: Blame this on UIC By Dheg-dheer ina Hawo Waxa-la-Yiri low down Arab brothers tried their best to convince the UIC leadership to support the dialogue with TFG. Arab League led by Egypt understood very well that if they don’t reign in the UIC, it will lose influence on Somali question in the US administration power halls. Its more than Washington that Egypt loses in this mistake. Wether its TFG side and in some cases like Somaliland which is not TFG side, Egypt has lost a great deal already. Djibuti now has no need of Egypt. It can go directly to Washington or Paris or Berlin and London as its doing. Egypt's life long need in Somalia is to have somebody there that can torment ethiopia and if needed through wars keep ethiopia occupied, poor and underdeveloped just not to use its waters. Egypt has already lost a lot to ethiopia. Ethiopia is already building dams that can generate 2.2 GW some of them are near completion already. For the first time in history egypt was left with no option, but to agree to WB and IMF to finance ethiopian water works, because Sudan has already agreed with Ethiopia (benefit to sudan is peace along the whole border with ethiopia and ethiopia to help with south sudan). Egypt is so much in a hurry now to change direction and come to the TFG camp. Of all places its getting the Chinese to reconcile Egypt with TFG. America has seen this move and is running to be first to come to TFG side before Russia and compete with the Chinese. For Ethiopia it has already made its choice long ago, its on TFG side and if its US or China, it doesn't make a big difference for ethiopia. They actually can benefit from the competition as TFG is benefitting. When all this is said and done, the people of Somalia will thank Yemen for standing up with them against the Arabs or US that has been working so hard to derail Federalist Somalia.

Originally posted by General Duke: Information Minister Ali Ahmed Jama Jengeli said Saturday that the American proposal — which would also threaten U.N. Security Council action against those who block peace efforts or attempt to overthrow the government — was a "a good step toward the stabilization of Somalia." [/QB] Thats the clincher. The warlords from Mugadishu could not go to Djibuti, Ethiopia or Kenya (those who went were expelled). That killed them more than anything else. I am sure Maumar Gaddafi is not looking forward to hosting SICU. Thats also the main reason Eritrea is lashing out at TFG openly, not even diplomatic words. The eritrean statemnt considers TFG as a rebel force and SICU the government of Somalia.

Originally posted by Fresh2Death: So they dumb because they are against Ethipoia and your uncle. Woow, sxb. Eritrean president is dumb in comparison to djibuti, as the thread shows, but now also in comparison to Somaliland, Puntland and Sudan. He has his port of Assab rusted and rendered useless just as Meles told him in 2000. "Assab will be watering hole for Camels" and it happened. Djibuti even agreed to privatize both the port and railroad, so that to assure ethiopia these facilities will run professionally and without political whim of leaders or ministers.

SICU has run into some quick sand. Their expansion and forward movement is all but stopped into a dead end road in all directions. The territory they think they control has a lot of holes thats federalist. Alqaeda is being inpatient and pressuring the SICU to move fast and take over the country. Eritrea cannot afford to send more soldiers, because ethiopia parliament included and specifically mentioned eritrea along with SICU in the resolution. The ethiopian government has all its options. Eritrea is afraid that ethiopia is faking somalia, but can change direction in a hurry and take demoralized eritrea suddenly. The options for ICU don't look good. ONLF distancing themselves from ICU was a good indication there is trouble in ICU empire. Ethiopian moslems are very angry that ICU is abusing the faith for politics and some individual financial benefits. The vote in the Ethiopian parliament was a clear indication of this.

Somalia: Islamist militia joins interim government in Baidoa Fri. December 01, 2006 09:56 am. Mohamed Abdi Farah (SomaliNet) Somali’s interim government top official said on Friday that troops defected from the Islamic Courts Union joined his government in Baidoa city, the capital Bay province in southwest Somalia. It is the first time militia from Islamic Courts joins the government since its rise in Somalia in early June. In a news conference held today in Baidoa city, the deputy minister of defense in the transitional federal government Salad Ali Jelle said that they had welcomed in Baidoa large number of defected militia from Islamic Courts after they could not stand with what he called ‘the extremism acts’. “We are here indicating that my government has welcomed the joining of about 350 militia from Islamic Courts to the government’ Mr. Ali Jelle said “they were the local militia who came from Bur-Hakaba area where it controlled by the terrorist group of Islamic Courts,” He told the reporters in Baidoa that the defection of the militia came after they faced difficulties from the Islamic Courts, which confiscated all the battlewagons they belonged. “The militia reached at Karkor village 20km of Baidia, where we have sent trucks to take them to the city,” Jele added. The Islamic Court official in Bur-Hakaba town 180km southwest of the capital admitted the defection of the local militia but their number is smaller than the claim by the government. Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, the leader of the Al-Bayan Islamic Court, confirmed the news on the defection but said they were about 13 militia who would not have an impact on the Islamic Courts. “There have been thirteen local militia who defected to the government and I think they do so for Khat reasons, because they were all Khat consumers and this would have nothing to do with our power,” Bilal said. “I am absolutely dismissing the remarks from Salad Ali Jelle in which he said the number of the defected militia were hundreds…he was lying and told untrue story to the reporters,” Three officers of the defected Islamist troops identified as Abdi Madey Ibrahim, Abdi Gaas Hussein and Barow Mohamed Hassan could be seen sitting beside where Mr. Jelle was speaking to the reporters in Baidoa.

Somalia: Islamist militia joins interim government in Baidoa Fri. December 01, 2006 09:56 am. Mohamed Abdi Farah (SomaliNet) Somali’s interim government top official said on Friday that troops defected from the Islamic Courts Union joined his government in Baidoa city, the capital Bay province in southwest Somalia. It is the first time militia from Islamic Courts joins the government since its rise in Somalia in early June. In a news conference held today in Baidoa city, the deputy minister of defense in the transitional federal government Salad Ali Jelle said that they had welcomed in Baidoa large number of defected militia from Islamic Courts after they could not stand with what he called ‘the extremism acts’. “We are here indicating that my government has welcomed the joining of about 350 militia from Islamic Courts to the government’ Mr. Ali Jelle said “they were the local militia who came from Bur-Hakaba area where it controlled by the terrorist group of Islamic Courts,” He told the reporters in Baidoa that the defection of the militia came after they faced difficulties from the Islamic Courts, which confiscated all the battlewagons they belonged. “The militia reached at Karkor village 20km of Baidia, where we have sent trucks to take them to the city,” Jele added. The Islamic Court official in Bur-Hakaba town 180km southwest of the capital admitted the defection of the local militia but their number is smaller than the claim by the government. Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, the leader of the Al-Bayan Islamic Court, confirmed the news on the defection but said they were about 13 militia who would not have an impact on the Islamic Courts. “There have been thirteen local militia who defected to the government and I think they do so for Khat reasons, because they were all Khat consumers and this would have nothing to do with our power,” Bilal said. “I am absolutely dismissing the remarks from Salad Ali Jelle in which he said the number of the defected militia were hundreds…he was lying and told untrue story to the reporters,” Three officers of the defected Islamist troops identified as Abdi Madey Ibrahim, Abdi Gaas Hussein and Barow Mohamed Hassan could be seen sitting beside where Mr. Jelle was speaking to the reporters in Baidoa. ______________________________________ SICU forward movement has come to a dead end in all directions. North west southwest all to a grinding halt. Here comes the questions which have no answers. Ethiopia will wait even when being hit. Ethiopia is a big country, can take a lot of jabs. Thats how it frastrated eritrea. Eritrea would spend a lot to draw ethiopia into war, but ethiopia just kept taking the jabs. The TFG just has to out wait SICU who is in a hurry. Waiting will kill ICU not TFG.

David_Letterman, Ethiopia has good relations with: Sudan, Kenya, Somalia*, Djibuti. Eritrea is contained all dressed up with 300,000 army looking for jobs from arabs everywhere, where there is human suffering and misery LRA Uganda, Darfur, Eastern Sudan, Congo, Chad...whereever Gaddafi wants them. We have never had this much peace and we are making the best of it. Somalia* TFG, Somaliland, Puntland, no enmity with any places except some of these places are under SICU control for now.

Originally posted by Axmad_Gurey: puntland is moving good since when is establishing trade relations with your neighbors a negative thing btw i am not from puntland Any government that works hard to have peace in its immediate neighborhood before it jumps far has a much better chance of success. In Somalia the state of Puntland has friendly relations with other states and provinces, if there is no friendship, at the very least there is no war. Thats a big achievement. Puntland also have good relations with foreign countries that border its territories or sea. Good relations with both Yemen and Ethiopia. This will start paying off in development activities and commerce.