The maturity of Puntland and the speed of it is absolutely amazing. In addition to the airport agreement, which in a very short time will make Puntland a hub, considering ethiopian airlines is the most financially healthy and technically computent for the third year, Puntland is also making the exact arrangement with ethiopia as that of Sudan. Sudan has built and handed a dry port to ethiopia in Port Sudan. half of Tigray, half of Amara and Benshngul states in the north west are best served by Port Sudan than even Assab. Puntland is laying the ground work for specialized ethiopian imports that the convenience and facility incentives can make up the difference of distance with Djibuti and Somaliland. If for example Puntland corners the state imports of ethiopia, that in itself is enough to pull other businesses. Security wise they both know and are open of what they expect from each other. The ethiopian side will not allow its border to be used for destabilizing the security of Puntland and Puntland territory will not be used to destabilize ethiopia. In this Djibuti, Somaliland are also doing now the same. The maturity of Puntland is that: 1. It has to deal with all countries including Yemen, but never undermining the republic of somalia. 2. It even invites the TFG and explains the projects and their implications and obtains agreement from the federal government of somalia. The speaker was very impressed by this, but I hope he keeps that in mind as he sits in Mugadishu. I hope the TFG realizes that Puntland can only carry so much and have only so much patience. Another federalist state must start functioning soon. It will be unstopable federal domino then to Mugadishu.

He is an avowed enemy of Soomaaliya and anything Soomaali. [/QB] without getting into specifics and regions, at least to be modest for you, half of all somalis don't agree with your statement. I am writing not of whats on the internet, but on the ground as expressed by governments, elders, organizations, representatives..etc.

I would hate to be France at this moment. When you see the Chinese and Russians who both probably would send peacekeepers and technical assistance to somalia before any other major powers pre-empting EU where France and Germany have some voice, the world has changed. Yemen must be the one that convinced US that the TFG must be helped otherwise the international community can expect 3 or 4 reps for UN from "old" somalia. TFG of course had already China and Russia on side.

Originally posted by mystic: your tribalistic hatred will only make you insane. I am a regionalist and in ethiopia that makes me Ethnicist or ethnic. How does that sit with your kind of classification?

Originally posted by Jimcaale: What is plausible is your paranoia and need for a new brain. Get checked in at the SICU of your local hospital. The doctors may prefer the psych. I like the 'some' argument tho. You must have stolen it from FOX News. I don't have FOX channel. All I get is other channels making comments about FOX. So now you also have fake doctors too. I thought the fakery was only limited to nationalism and religion.

This is one place where it didn't make sense politically or startegically except the place has documented use of Alqaeda operatives in the past. Some are suggesting that the Kismayo area was captured on Alqaeda's specific demand to have separate free area towards Kenya and Tanzania away from Djibuti, Somaliland, Puntland and Ethiopian border. One of SICU leaders also wanted to reconcile with Alqaeda, for he had proposed to kill Bin Laden when the latter was in Sudan, for being to moderate. Now the reconciliation is done by gifting of Kismayo and vicinity. Is there plausibility to this?

Che-Guevara, May I suggest that, for a change you look at things from the other side. What I mean is look at things first from what the Somali(a) wants, needs. Then place foreigners in positions relative to it. You have done enough looking at somalia from what ethiopia may or maynot want. That can lead you to so many mistakes. One of them is that you think ethiopia has the power of independent action in somalia proper. Thats absolutely false. Let alone the TFG, a single state of Puntland or Somaliland determines what foreigners can do or not do in the territory they control or represent. The TFG is much much stronger and influential than some of you folks give it credit. Ethiopia and Uganda are totally committed and doing every little or big thing based on TFG. example. The warlord in Jowhar could not do anything with ethiopia, even though he was friendly before his conflict with TFG. If you can't see the relation of TFG to ethiopia, uganda or kenya in this example, I would say you have been too much influenced by the fakery in mugadishu. First define what the Somali needs are and don't be afraid if the Somali and ethiopian interests coincide. Either one or both of these countries have changed and are going through major changes. You may be witnessing a wholesale historical change in the horn of Africa, but regardless how its shaped the Somali will be prominent in it. Of course he has to share and give and take with other peoples or countries, but he will be very significant.

A proposal that came out in our chitchat among friends here. There is one friend among us who used to be active, but now reduced only to sympatizing with ONLF. Someone from the Somali Democratic League in the past, but now member of SPDP (the governing party in somali state and all the federal parliament members) proposed the following: The TFG propose to Djibuti, Ethiopia and Kenya that they demilitarize 25km on each side of their borders and have joint patrol. TFG assures Somaliland and Puntland as well as other states as they come along that, they are allowed only state police within 25km of the neighboring countries, so does ethiopia does with Oromia, Somali and Southern states. Anyone found armed in these zones without permission of the joint patrols and beyond the arms of police of the regional states is to be captured arrested and if resisted killed. What do you think? The 5 persons chitchating this have approved of the wording of the conversation. Some are laughing and some have long faces afraid such a thing might actually happen.

Originally posted by Lieutenant Xalane: Somalifriend,Hassan dahir is a Captain in rank,and a former Warden.He quit serving while awaiting to be promoted to a Major.The colonel bliss came about by folk using his age instead of his actual rank.Its foul. Thats interesting. Its amazing in this internet age how a falshood can be repeated and sometimes it sticks. I see two lies being repeated again and again: "The strong SICU that controls most of somalia including the capital Mugadishu" "The weak TFG that is limited to only one town of Baydhoa" I laugh at these two lies, but its not a laughing matter when I see ethiopians who are he-ll bent against their current government parrot it as real. This will be the last time I will use "colonel" hassan tahir.lol

The fakery in Mugadishu is completely misinformed about Tigray and Ethiopia. In ethiopia today almost every ethnic has its own sandbox. There is one sandbox labeled Somali. The O has to play in this sandbox for now. The level of federal autonomy just started. It has not got down to provinces or clan level yet. As it progresses provinces can also have their own sandboxes. A lot of the O is playing in the somali sandbox. Thats the first misinformation or I am afraid to accuse self appointed shieks as liers. If the people of Somalia do not accept one as their ruler, in this case the SICU, it cannot fully use Somali nationalism. The leadership has to be an embodiment of the nationalism. If the TFG "that controls only a small town of Baydoa" lol another white lie, called against ethiopia or kenya you would immediately see the country up in arms. SICU has a completely wrong image or they are trying to hide 2/3 of the country like everything else of their fakery. The Somali has no historical, economic or religious reason to hate Tigray. On the contrary they are close friends in ethiopia and friends with most of somalia including regions outside of Somaliland and Puntland. Those who hate Tigray in ethiopia are: 1. Those who ruled the centralized ethiopia and want it back, but have no way of getting it back 2. The liberation fronts that had agreed to the federal arrangement, but lost out in their states. OLF lost in its bid to represent the Oromo except for small provinces and ONLF failed to represent the Somali Ethiopian even in its own "backyard". The fakery in Mugadishu is getting its information from the wrong and defeated side of old ethiopia or the fakery doen't like the reality and is trying to bombard the airwaves with lies. I have felt sorry for Shiek Ahmed a few times, as he is the face the fakery uses to announce their biggest lies and when they are about to be exposed.

me, I fully agree with your conclusions regarding your hopes of achieving peace and stopping ourselves becoming the playing toys of europe, america or arabs. Your information in the beginning is mostly wrong. SPLM was in eritrea, thats why sudan and eritrea were antagonists and still don't have embassies rstored. Ethiopia on the other hand is praised by Sudan in regards to the peace agreement. The pain and grief somalia and ethiopia dispensed on each other in the service of european and arab interests is a lot, but hopefully is coming to an end. Since we are all poor and underdeveloped, I hope the chinese or russians come and moderate the game of the big, rich and developed powers play. Eritrea had war with yemen, djibuti, ethiopia and sudan, but the ethiopia side you have squeezed too much in one aspect. The current regime in ethiopia is different very different from all the past for bad or good, thus you need to see it that way. Somalia is also very different just like ethiopia. Even the somali has learned now that speaking the same language, being of same anscestry or having the same religion and almost same culture is no guarantee in living in one country or having harmonious system. Ethiopia is a 1000 times more complicated. If it can work in ethiopia the new federal system would be still difficult, but much easier in somalia.

Originally posted by Ahmed_Guree: quote: You know that Tigray has the least interest or motive for fiefdoms, through out history and today If thats the case why didnt your folks vote for article 39. The other thing that makes Tigray a regime is basically it got Ethiopia on a silver plate Handed to them by Eriteans no wonder they dont value Life & freedom. :confused: Everything is just a game coz they never sweat in a day to fight for tigray all their rebels did was bask in the rock like Lizards waiting for the next move the Eritreans made. Then what they did best is to plagiarise and Edit History. I think you have forgotten that this is a Somali forum. The Ethiopians have forums for children of king menelik or the nostalgic of haileslassie or mengistu ethiopia. You would be perfectly at home there. All I wanted to tell you are two things. 1. The somali ethiopian did not wait for tigray and the somali did not rebel because Tigray told him. Everything is the opposite. 2. Every foreign power or entity that has interest in what happens in Somalia is either on side of TFG or against TFG. Those on side of TFG play by the rules set by TFG. Even the most powerful country US is slowly, but surely falling to this column. The white house or state department know about Baydoa now more than they ever thought they would. You cannot say the same of those on the side of the Mugadishu fakery. Even Alqaeda does what it wants, wether its burning flag or taking Kismayo. The Ethiopia or Tigray that you demonize here is actually the best guest and knows his place and role if he goes to Somalia. The TFG is the driver and controller of the vehicle. The most ethiopia what you call Tigray can do is be a good helper.

Ahmed_Guree, I think you are revealing yourself more and more with every post. You are against regional states and self government, but my advise to you is, if the peoples of ethiopia cannot have self government and control of their own lives, you can kiss ethiopia goodbye. The somali ethiopian was a rebel tigray or no tigray, the Afar was a rebel tigray or no tigray. Tigray may have contributed more than its share of the population in the country, being the most organized and united, but Tigray did not need to lecture others that they are opressed, dispossessed and their heritage, culture or language was being driven to extinction. You also are crying of fiefdom of Addis Ababa. You know that Tigray has the least interest or motive for fiefdoms, through out history and today. The one thing Tigray stands for is self government and respect of peoples. Thats being achieved, not by force of Tigray, but it was everyones wish and interest. The old ethiopia, is gone and everyday that passes under the federal system, the chance of the old system coming back is diming. Do not expect or waste your time, hoping that the fakery of Mugadishu will bring your old system back. I am not from Tigray, but from what I know, they are the last people on earth to be seen with hate as you seem to do insesantly. Don't hate people, even when you want to fight them. The hate will make you make mistakes detrimental to your wishes.

Originally posted by Ahmed_Guree: quote: Such tough talk for someone no where near the fighting. Those soldiers are already welcomed on Somali Soil; they are massing there daily. There's no protest in Gaalkayo or Baidoa, Do you know when Foreigners come to a land they are welcomed by the local and the locals usually revolt when it is too late? Why are you talking down the Somali so much as to make him like someone who never participated in history? Take one example: US helped warlords against the wish of TFG, look where US ended. US is now in high gear to reconcile with TFG and be on side. The Jowhar warlord would definitely have gotten help from Ethiopia. Ethiopia cannot do anything in somalia thats not allowed by TFG. The Jowhar guy had to go, eat his tongue, and beg TFG for forgiveness. I don't think he was completely forgiven, otherwise he would have been first one to attempt a comeback. Yemen would have considered it easier to use others in Mugadishu against SICU, but cannot afford to disappoint the TFG, thus completely fell in line on TFG side. so much for your demeaning of the somali. You have no idea how influential the somali is in today's ethiopia, let alone in Somalia. Puntland as a state in somalia can pressure ethiopia more than Kenya does as a county. Don't even start gossip and name calling. I am talking about agreements between Puntland and Ethiopia that are public, presented to parliament in Puntland, Agreed by TFG not even by the president, but by the TFG speaker and the deputy prime minister (minister of interior). Puntland may soon have the busiest airport in the horn. Do not demean the Somali, and specially with untruth and white lie. What happens in Somalia is primarily a Somali doing, even the US or China know this now if they didn't know before. What happens in ethiopia is also greatly influenced by the Somali. Kenya is also heading in this direction now. In a few years you will see the Somali becoming prominent player there. Friendship is a two way street. Do not blind yourself of the other direction. Stand on the side of the highway for a moment and watch traffic in both directions.

Originally posted by Caamir: I'm sorry I didn't heed to this thread. It is now certain that Ethiopia is bound for war but the question that rings in our minds is will the military undertaking of Ethiopia plausible enough to achieve its ends? Time will tell Caamir, I think you are mistaken to conclude that ethiopia is bound for war. Ethiopia actually would like to avoid war more than anyone thats fiddling in southern somalia, somalis or foreigners. The Jihadists came there expecting the American and British from Djibuti will come jumping to Mugadishu. It didn't happen. If Ethiopia was wanting war, it would have reconciled with one or two of the warlords and preempted the ICU in Mugadishu. Thats actually a very clear sign that Ethiopia would not do anything that displeases the TFG in Somalia affairs, even something America was deeply involved. You can be sure that the warlord in Jowhar has asked for help, but was turned down, because of what he did to the TFG. Ethiopia will not do anything that TFG cannot allow. Yemen is also more important country in addition to TFG that Ethiopia has to thread very carefully. On top of that you have Puntland and Somaliland that watch every Ethiopian move. The government in Ethiopia today is the most knowledgable of Somalia than any government of ethiopia ever. First you have all the ex-WSLF folks everywhere and other ministers also have familiarity with somalia including the PM. You can rest assured that for anything anti-ICU the TFG decides for allies or friends. Soon the US also will listen to TFG, since US has run out of options, just like what they did in ethiopia in 1991 in siding with the current government. The last thing Ethiopia wants now is war, because if it gets into war it has to go to Eritrea and make a regime change. The Djibuti guy is smart enough to stay out of it, knowing full well that an the smallest Ethiopian stone would break his glass house so easily and faster than he can call arabs. Believe it or not, Uganda is actually more motivated than ethiopia. Uganda wants to pay back the Eritreans what they did to her with LRA.

Originally posted by xox ogaal: Somali_Friend vs David_Letterman I don't do late nights and wacky things that are for adults only.lol

Originally posted by Axmad_Gurey: they should stop relying on foreign guys to lead a political movments. let them pursue a pro somalia agenda all these countries supporting then have a different goals and they are all opposed to each other although i harbor a grave reservations on the tfg, i can't help but think that the courts played right into the hands of the tfg and they will remain largely to blame why? the continuing plan of invading regions even when they were acting like negotiating if the ethiopians did not invade and there was no mention of the arms embargo i strongly feel the icu would have attacked puntland and western regions and eventually waqooyiga because they already attacked places outside of xamar without provocatiions and on unfounded pretenses The SSICU has hit a wall. They cannot stay where they are. They either have to give up their ambition of ruling somalia or expand the territory they control. They were hoping to scare the government and push it to go to Puntland, but that didn't happen. Next they hoped by making skirmishes in villages around in Bay and Bakool can get the population with them and expel the TFG. That also failed. If they simply sit in Mugadishu, the people will start asking them "where is our government", where is somalia and since the answer to those will be TFG, the ICU folks do not want to give the people any time to think. They have to flood the airwaves with pronouncements, news of battles that never happened, decapitated colonel that never was captured....whatever to occupy the news. As for Egypt ICU should know better that Egypt cannot afford to throw away a 2.2 billion dollar cheque every year for unknown and warlords as shiekies. Saudi Arabia is not pleased with the Iran connection or the Alqaeda connection. Yemen of course sees ICU as threat to its own security and Yemen friendship with Puntland and also Ethiopia is good. Actually the Tigray in ethiopia are joked about as the Yemen oromo mix thus Habesha means mixed race. ICU cannot rest from making wars in any direction. The minute they rest the questions will start coming and people will see how fake they are to abuse and misuse the religion. The ethiopian government is a thousand times moslem friendly government than the one in eritrea. The simple reason is that moslems participated from ordinary fighters to leaders in all the main organizations that brought downfall of the old regimes in ethiopia. Tigray, Afar, Somali, Amara (I know somalis have a slightly misunderstanding of Amara due to menelik, haileslassie or mengistu all acting as Amara), Oromo and others.

Originally posted by Northerner: It seems that any school leaver can write an article on the Somali situation today dont you think? Source? It depends what school you leave and how you leave it. Actually the certificate you are given for completing high school in ethiopia was called the school leaving certificate.lol source. It was actually linked even here on SOL the egyptians and ethiopians talking in china. In the press conference it was given as general statement that egypt and ethiopia will work together for peace in somalia. Ethiopians of course see it as the cruel joke egypt plays by the palestinians and is doing the same in somalia. As for sudan read sudan.net if you have time and interest to know.

Egypt and Ethiopia are talking in overtime. The issue is not directly Somalia and ICU, since Egyt has never made any official statement that its in support of ICU, but the issue is Sudan, South Sudan to be specific. The Year 2011 is referendum time, if south sudanese vote to separate they have their own country. This is an agreement that is being monitored by UN, but for all intent and purposes its by NATO/America and its close friends. 10,000 soldiers. Ethiopia has been for Sudan unity so far and has helped a great deal in setting federal system which gives enough autonomy to the south, but prevents dismemberment of the country. Khartoum so far has been happy and has sided with ethiopia in the approval and consent of all the hydro electric dams being built in ethiopia for the first time on the rivers flowing to sudan and egypt. The world bank, IMF for the first time ever have participated. Egypt seems to feel that SICU has gone out of control. It also will be very dangerus for Yemen first and Egypt itself after. Whatever Egypt has come up with will be seen first on Eritrea's behaviour and changes. Eritrea has now an excuse that its soldiers cannot fight side by side with Jihadists from Arab or Asean countries, without bringing down the house itself at home. Eritreans have already started the murmur and seeing the hipocrisy that a man who opresses moslems at home is helping not just moslems but terrorists abroad. Will be an interesting week. The way Egypt goes, so goes Saudi Arabia, which the regime is not supportive of ICU for the Iran connection. Egypt and Ethiopia talks started in China of all places. It was made public then in the media.

The invitation for international terrorists is to cover all that are already there. SSICU is trying to be smarter than everybody and saying all came after you lifted the embargo, not before, but what they didn't realize is I am not sure who it was, probably Queybdeed whose folks have taken pictures in mugadishu clearly showing: 1. Eritreans whose positive identification was confirmed, one of them to the level of village he was born, let alone the units he belongs in the eritrean army. 2. OLF soldiers manning check points immediately after the war lords was defeated and the check points were not removed yet for security check. 3. OLF and Pakistanis were seen and spoken to in Kismayo. This is something any ordinary person can confirm if they have someone locally to talk to. The secret services of different countries of course will have much more information. The thing I can never understand is in ethiopia if a person is called a shiek by his village and all, white lie is one thing thats alien to him. I probably would see some exaggeration maybe they are at war, but white lie and a shiek never mix.

Originally posted by Nistisa: And what is wrong with AQ? Believe it or not, thats not the point. The point is that the mugadishu supremos are unique. All Islamic organizations and leaders have always done one thing thats common to all of them, from china, afghanistan, iran, iraq or lebanon. I never heard from any of these organizations or their supreme leaderships talking about battle that never happened. I never heard from any of these organizations or their supreme leaderships talking about colonels captured and beheaded when the capture never happened in the first place. I never heard from any of these organizations or their supreme leaderships talking How many they killed and how many they lost or technicals they captured that has been proven patently a lie by the locals. I never heard from any of these organizations or their supreme leaderships talking about hate of people as I hear of the Mugadishu hate propaganda of poor Negash thats thousands of miles away from them, but yet praise president Isayas of eritrea who inprisons and tortures moslems. The Ayatollahs in Iran have designated parliament space for Jewish, which many people don't know. Unless a new sect has touched down in Mugadishu, if these supremos are talking of the same Islam that has been in east africa longer than anywhere else, they should admit that they have eritrean christians, oromo from OLF and Pakistanis and others with them. Thats the minimum expected from someone who claims hollier than others.

This is exactly what Radio Jijiga editorial pointed out sometime ago. Alqaeda is in Somalia, with SSICU. No ifs or buts about it. There is an ethiopian saying which roughly translates to: You cannot steal a camel and bend your knees not to be seen (to hide). http://www.somaliaonline.com/ One cannot conduct an operation, text book Alqaeda operation like the attempted assassination of president Abdullahi Yusuf and claim not having Alqaeda.

The world of east africa knows already who was guarding airport and areas in Kismayo. Eritreans have been seen in Mugadishu and also the first attempt by ICU under leadership of colonel Hassan Tahir in Central Somalia. The SSICU leadership members have admitted that they have fighters from a number of countries. Here comes now the genius of the Security chief (minister of the interior) trying to cover with no regard for the relation of cause and effect. Only in SSICU books does a specific effect give birth to its own cause. The son is effector of his father's birth. http://www.somaliaonline.com/

Originally posted by me: A Xabash wont tell me how to live in Somalia me, I can tell you that Ethiopia has no intention of anything beyond its borders. Somali is not the only country that borders ethiopia. Sudan has as long a border with ethiopia as Somalia does. Ever heard anything with the new ethiopia? How about kenya, Djibuti, even eritrea (who started the war but ethiopia stopped ones it got them out of its territory). Why don't you do a little bit of inquiry, before you demonize the Xabash, who doesn't deserve it. There are thousands of Somali who are not from Somali state ethiopia, Somaliland or Puntland in Addis Ababa. Why don't you find out how they live their lives in Addis Ababa. Until recently there was no government to represent them or assist them with basic travel needs. Ask them if they are forced to live like the Xabash "monster", dress like the Xabash "monster"...etc. If you want to go further ask the palestinians of their 1967 experience. When every arab and so called moslem country was avoiding them like a plague afraid that it will bring them Israeli followups, it was ethiopia that received 5,000 of them. The man who mentioned this when PLO was opening office in Addis Ababa was non other than Mr. Abbas himself. Xabash only sin is he is poor. If you want to blame him why he is not rich like the Saudis or Gulf mandarins, thats another story. Above all else, god help ethiopia thats working hard to feed its people and get out of the bottom of the world and provide peace for its citizens. I think you have the old ethiopia in mind just like the mugadishu fakery of somalia nationalism or religion. Both ethiopia and somalia have changed dramatically.

GoldCoast, Before you condemn me, for bringing the ONLF statement, which is a back breaking news to the fakery in Mugadishu, please understand that ONLF is doing its best not to lose the little support it has in the O provinces of Soamli state, ethiopia. Here is why: __________________________________________________ Jijjiga, November 26, 2006 (WIC) – The inhabitants of Somali State firmly stand by the government as the jihad declared against Ethiopia by the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) mainly targets the people of the state, Muslim clerics of the state underscored. Imams,representatives of sharia courts,Islamic affairs offices and mosques as well as elders drawn from the state said the war declared by the UIC against the country would above all victimize the people of Somali State. Somali State Sharia Courts President, Sherif Mohammed Sherif Abdi-Seid,said the war declared by Hassen Tahir Aweys and his cliques,former communists who fought hard to destroy Islam,is aimed at impeding the development of the inhabitants of the Somali State and undermine their peace. The declaration of the extremists to seize Somali State and reign on the people of the State whose constitutional rights have been respected is shameful,the President said, further calling on the brotherly people of Somalia to rise up against these forces. Islamic Affairs Office Head,Sheik Omar Farah Mohammed,said on his part that declaring jihad against Ethiopia,the country that welcomed Islam first and foremost,is illegal and unacceptable by the religion. Sheirf Abdulahi Sherif Aden Nur said though the extremist group led by Hassen Tahir Aweys failed to inflict serious damages during the past 15 years due to lack of capacity,it has been attacking Ethiopia and the people of Somali State in particular by blowing up hotels,recreation centers and killing civilians. He also stressed that the group which has declared war against Ethiopia taking advantage of the support of some countries should be contained once and for all before it causes serious damage. He further urged the state government and the muslim community in the state to stand by the government and repulse the invasion to preserve their unity and dignity. _____________________________________ That is the main reason, plus the split in the leadership, why ONLF is scrumbling to get out of what ever it might have had in Mugadishu.