The strategy did not work. The house of cards built in a hurry and with deception has to come down. Isayas knows the score. Thats why eritrea was included in the parliament resolution. Unless President Abdullahi Yusuf sees that Isayas is way down from his league, some payback in the future can be expected.

Kismayo was taken for the sole use of Alqaeda and Eritrea/OLF. There was no other reason. That means now the terrorists have given up having a base in east africa.

bp

There was news the day before. Kismayo is ready. ICU called for reinforcement to Bur Hakobo from Kismayo. All the OLF, Pakistani Eritrea were loaded on their way. TFG knew already they are all terrorists, called airstrike and the convoy never made it. Did not go back to Kismayo either. I don't think pictures of this will be released unless TFG decides to make it a lesson for foreigners coming as mercenaries or terrorists.

Prime Minister Meles mentioned it in his interview, but I thought he was only talking of the first one, when eritrea, OLF Pakistani terrorists came in to Kismayo.

PM Meles indicated how astute the TFG is in part of his answer to a third question. Ethiopian forces do not enter towns or cities, they do the fighting out of population areas. In some places only commanders have entered with their Somlaia* (the ethiopian commander can be somali) TFG commanders just to see the condition of the people for themselves and were very pleased. SOL nomads you need to give credit to the TFG more than some of you are willing.

I will try to post here what I was able to jot down: q. How is the operations going so far PMMZ: We are pleased q. How is the population in south somalia reacting to ethiopian forces: PMMZ: As a rule ethiopian forces do not enter towns or cities. Only TFG does. Ethiopian forces bypass towns or cities. On occassions commanders may go with their TFG counterparts to see the condition of the people and their reaction for themselves, but its to be avoided. Thats the method the TFG handles everything with the public. The TFG was prepared with police officers, public administration officials so there is no issue on that regard. From what I heard the people are enthusiastic to see their government officials and knowing that the war will be over in their area at the very least.

Originally posted by peacenow: Somali_Friend. You may or may not know, my thoughts on the ICU. Ihave said here before what I think of them. But this is where my Somali patroit comes in. II don't want them to be defeated either. Just hurt enough, cause I dont agree with a taliban state. Anyway, I dont think in the long term Ethiopia will win either, there will be many battles ahead. Somalis are hardened now to fighting. Please don't misunderstand me. Humiliating the vanguished is not our culture and the TFG is more astute than you folks give it credit. I will post PM Meles interview and you will see why. Don't forget that when it comes to somali pride president Abdullahi Yusuf will stand behind no body. Please learn how the military operations are being conducted. Not the battles, but the strategy and handling of the public is absolutely high culture. Never forget that about 10% of ethiopia's population is ethnic somali. The people in somalia south can speak their language. Actually its ICU soldiers most of them that don't know somalia.

The speed is beathtaking. The TFG must have one secret weapon. Special operations deep deep in ICU territory. Thats the only way such speed can be attained and make the ICU dumbfounded.

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: The Islamic Courts had their largest retreat today and abandoned Burhaka in Bay province and Bulo-Burte in Hiran. In the course of the last two days, the courts left completely Mudug, Galgadud, Hiran, Bay, and Bakool provinces. They are now clinging on to Middle Shabelle which may fall in the next one or two days. In other words, the courts lost over ninety percent of the land they occupied a week ago. News Category: Somalia

Sumaya3, I don't suffer from qabil, but maybe worst or better, in our case is ethnic. I am an ethiopian. The TFG was called weak because Bay and Bakool is not presented as a state. Most ICU did not want it known that 70% of somalia has orderly governments that are better and more democratic than many african countiries. Puntland was not added to TFG column. No journalist knew Gedo provinces there existed and they are on TFG column.... Do you see the reaity on the ground and the BBC somali section difference?

Originally posted by me: So how do you justify the war against Somalia? If you want to move forward. First of all its not a war against somalia, unless your somalia is only ICU. The war in a small part of somalia is being waged by imposters who claimed and misused Islam when they are simply warlords. They are worst than the warlords in one aspect. The warlords were somali and their soldiers were somali. ICU leaders maybe somali, but most of their forces are foreigners. Somalia is being reconstituted and reconciled. The TFG is the choice of somali of somalia for this process. So the war is ICU vs. TFG ICU as cheaters wanted first to use Islam, when that didn't work tried nationalism and when that didn't work maybe they will start clan or sub-clan names and propaganda. Ethiopia's policy to all our neighbors is clear and simple: We all live in glass houses, lets not play with stones. Sudan got it in a decade we never have a single incident. Kenya got it, Djibuti got it, Most of somalia got it. We are willing to do our part and everyone that want peaceful neighborhood should do their part.

Originally posted by Centurion: The AU is an absolute farce, full stop. To prevent an Islamic entity taking over the country, Ethiopia has waged this war and used the pretext of Jihad to justify it. The UIC has neither the weaponry or the expertise at this point to be a significant terrorist threat to Ethiopia. the Ethiopian army (ENDF), consist of 150 000 experienced soldiers, whilst the UIC currently has but 10 000 active soldiers. The UIC claims not to be harbouring terrorists, and until proven otherwise, this cannot be a justification for invading the country. Whatever the AU is thats what we have. We don' have like EU or ASEAN...because our countries are not like european countries or Aseans. BTW the AU is better than Arab League. ICU had 2000 eritreans alone, without counting OLF and others. Forget the UN report if you so choose. There were more than a thousand reinfocement ICU from Kismayo supposed to defend BurHakubo. TFG already knew before they left kismayo, who they are. Air strike was called and the convoy didn't make it and ICU lost Bur Hakobo with much less fight ahead of it. You may see pictures of the convoy if TFG decides to release it as a lesson for would be terrorists from foreign lands. Didn't IndaCadde issue call for terrorists of the globe? Didn't he say he will march on Addis Ababa? Didn't he say he will march on Jijiga. BTW Qeybdiid has all the information about foreigners in Mugadishu from early days of ICU. Some of it may have been sent to Asmara already for warning. We are beyond retraction on this. How about a month from now in AU meeting President Abdullahi Yusuf committ to send 1000 soldiers to Darfur? I love to see that one. He has all the capability to do so even at this moment. That would be a signal Somalia is back at the world scene.

Originally posted by me: No one is defending Aweys, This is a war for Somalia, not for Aweys. Ethiopia is bombing omali towns and killing Somalis and not Aweys. Here we go another Fartaag, another helicopter. Air strikes are only allowed where the TFG has identified the presence of foreigners. It looks too many for you, because most of ICU fighters are foreigners. On TFG side, there has never been more ethiopian forces than the somalia National Forces in any of the battles waged so far since ethiopia joined the war.

me, I am raising serious questions from experience. In 1991 in almost same situation the Transitional government led by Meles was called so many names by the DERG Mengistus. Still to this day, in the parliament debate, an opposition party leader, accused Meles of being pro somali broadcast on TV and seen everywhere. This kind of politics is politics of the weak. The best thing for Aweye to do and say to President Abdullahi would be: I thought to reconstitute somalia my way, but you defeated me, you are the president, show me lead the way and lets build our country.

Aweye has never learned from the 90s. Its now clear that the TFG special operations forces are deep deep in ICU territory. They are identifying wether the forces of ICU are somali or foreign terrorists. Ethiopian airforce is only allowed by TFG to strike where foreign terrosrists have been identified by TFG. Here is statement by the Defence ministry of Ethiopia: "The Defense Forces have also inflicted heavy damages on institutions controlled by the fundamentalists’ group through air strikes launched on selected targets with the consent of the TFG. The Mogadishu airport was also hit with machine gun fired from the air."

Somalia: War bulletin for December 26, 2006 Tue. December 26, 2006 10:46 am. (SomaliNet) Federal government's deputy minister of defense said his forces are going to Mogadishu in an interview with BBC Somali section. Mr. Jelle was upbeat about the current situation and the Islamic Courts’ unprecedented fast retreat from all fronts of the war in central and southern parts of Somalia. A spokesman for the African Union told BBC Ethiopia has every right to defend its sovereignty and nodded Ethiopian military actions in Somalia. He blamed African Union of being slow on what was necessary to restrain Ethiopia from taking unilateral action. An Arab League spokesman told Al-Jazeera TV that his organization would like all hostilities to stop and warring parties to respect the binding agreements they signed before world community. He said Somalia doesn’t need outside intervention and Ethiopia must leave Somalia. The Islamic Courts had their largest retreat today and abandoned Burhaka in Bay province and Bulo-Burte in Hiran. In the course of the last two days, the courts left completely Mudug, Galgadud, Hiran, Bay, and Bakool provinces. They are now clinging on to Middle Shabelle which may fall in the next one or two days. In other words, the courts lost over ninety percent of the land they occupied a week ago. The government side says the courts are being cornered but defiant courts told the world that the real war which will last many years just begun and they are leaving cities and towns for important strategic tactics. Say hi to guerrilla war - Somalia version: The courts said repeatedly that their new form of Jihad will be hit and run and other guerrilla tactics like Afghanistan and Iraq. Afghani Talibans were chased from power more than five years ago. However, they are still strong and damaging. The Islamic Courts are adapting this strategy in hopes of defeating Somalia Ethiopia governments slowly. Time will tell if this formula will work in Somalia. News Category: Somalia

Originally posted by me: keep starting new threads everytime your lies are stopped. why don't you give us the reason why you like to lose to ethiopians instead of your own government, fellow countrymen and your national forces.

The TFG has everything any African government has. It has armed forces, police, special forces that are creating panic deep inside ICU and passing real time information of pakistani, eritrea OLF forces that are being pulled in all directions in disarray. Why some (few somali here in SOL) give the victory to ethiopian forces than to TFG? Is this some kind of ICU culture which is a very bad culture to have? Is this supposed to be some psychological war and poor excuse of ICU that they lost to ethiopia and not to their countries Government forces?

Shouldn't you know more of whats happening in Somalia southern than I am expected to know? You can tell me if there are fartaag "news" from the usual source ICU.

Originally posted by GoldCoast: quote:Originally posted by Somali_Friend: Particularly, the public in Adede locality have taken arms to rally behind the Ethiopian Defense forces and the forces of the TFG to fight against the fundamentalist group. From the news release by the Defence Minstry in Ethiopia. You cannot be serious. How on earth are you going to post a direct link from the Ethiopian Defence Minstry and present it as fact. With every post you make the more credibility you lose. They are on the ground and can report what they observe how the people recieve their government. do you want me to quote then aweye and indaCadde are in Addis Ababa or the Fartaag or the Helicopter lies?

Shouldn't you first put your house in order. Are you sure you can manage all this under the genius military strategists aweye and indacadde?

The people of Somalia in towns liberated from the control of fundamentalists have been expressing their support through rallies to the TFG, the statement said. Particularly, the public in Adede locality have taken arms to rally behind the Ethiopian Defense forces and the forces of the TFG to fight against the fundamentalist group. From the news release by the Defence Minstry in Ethiopia.

Originally posted by Somali_Friend: we’ve just read how the last plan had ended, now let us see how the other plan from Sheikh Aweys, and his lieutenants’ might take to us. Mass murderer MussoliniThe Al-Itihad group believes that they are making Somalis to be good Muslims. “This is stranger than fiction” By all accounts its becoming the fiction that it was. Aweye/IndaCadde is not coming to Jijiga or Addis Ababa as they declared. Al Itihad terrorists are collapsing under the somali of somalia. We will have peace in the neighborhood as we have never had in over a century.

Originally posted by me: This is not a war for Aweys/Indhacade etc etc, this is a war for Somalia and the Somalis. This is a war forsaving the oppressed Ethiopians against Meles Zenawi's dictatorship. lol thank you for your generousity.