Sheikh Addou To me, I'd go as far as kissing her

[Liibaan]

Somalia's President Sharif Ahmed addresses a news conference inside the presidential palace in the capital, Mogadishu, Aug.4, 2009. (Str - Reuters)

 

In Somalia, a Twist on 'Handshake Diplomacy'[The Washington Post]

 

 

The former spokesman for the ousted Islamist courts movement, Abdirahim Issa Addou, said that in his view, Sharif is no longer interested in appeasing the Shabab and that "we need to show the Americans we're different."

 

Following that line of reasoning, he said, Sharif should not just offer Clinton a hearty handshake. "To me, I'd go as far as kissing her," Addou joked. "But really, Sheikh Sharif is in a difficult position. "You know," he said with a sigh, "that Sharif has a lot of problems."

 

 

In Somalia, a Twist on 'Handshake Diplomacy'

 

By Stephanie McCrummen

Washington Post Foreign Service

Thursday, August 6, 2009

 

 

NAIROBI, Aug. 5 -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Somali President Sharif Ahmed are expected to discuss weighty security issues when they meet in this city Thursday. But many Somalis will be paying close attention to a more delicate, but highly symbolic, matter of diplomacy: whether the two will shake hands.

 

"The talk is everywhere," said Abdirhaman Mumin, a Somali sugar exporter who is hoping for the handshake. "Will he or won't he? For many people, whether he's loyal to Islam or not depends on the handshake."

 

Somalia is a traditionally moderate Muslim country. Music and poetry are treasured, and handshaking between men and women -- taboo according to some conservative readings of Islam -- has long been considered normal. But since the collapse of the last central government in 1991, a more conservative strain of Islam has taken hold, with Somalis depending more on Islamic law to establish order.

 

Ahmed, a former geography teacher and Islamic scholar, was the widely respected leader of a movement of Islamist courts that briefly took power in 2006 and imposed a more strict interpretation of Islamic law. The movement was soon ousted in a U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion fueled by accusations that the movement's military wing, known as al-Shabab, had ties to al-Qaeda.

 

These days, a more resolutely moderate Ahmed is back in power and battling the Shabab, which broke with him and now controls much of southern Somalia.

 

Increasingly, though, its members are rebels without a cause. They lost one of their main battle cries when the Ethiopian army withdrew from Somalia. They lost another recently, when Ahmed heeded a popular call and adopted Islamic law for the country. And so, at the moment, the Shabab is relying heavily on portraying Ahmed as an "impure" Muslim, a puppet of the West, a turncoat.

 

Last week, pro-Shabab Web sites were speculating about a possible shake between Ahmed and Clinton, arguing that, were it to come to fruition, it would prove that Ahmed had lost credibility with Islamists. Some Somalis have argued that Sharif should refrain from pressing palms, if only to keep the Shabab from scoring a public relations victory.

 

"If they shake hands, they'll definitely use it as propaganda," said one Somali analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Shabab is known to target critics.

 

But in recent interviews with Somali exiles -- a generally moderate bunch -- most said they are in favor of the handshake, a view that reflects their cautious optimism about U.S. support for Ahmed, usually referred to as Sheikh Sharif. The United States recently shipped 40 tons of ammunition to help the government fight the rebels.

 

The pro-shake crowd also reflects a deep-seated desire among many Somalis to shed their image as citizens of one of the most dysfunctional and anarchic countries in the world.

 

"I think it's good for him to shake hands," said Abdi Ibrahim, who was discussing the issue with friends at a cafe in Nairobi's bustling Eastleigh neighborhood. "Sheikh Sharif has to show Somalis that this is normal. Everyone shakes hands. Why should Somalis be different? Why the big deal? We need to join the world."

 

"But," he added somewhat gloomily, "the insurgents will use it to say he has changed a lot -- maybe he shouldn't. I cannot say 100 percent."

 

The former spokesman for the ousted Islamist courts movement, Abdirahim Issa Addou, said that in his view, Sharif is no longer interested in appeasing the Shabab and that "we need to show the Americans we're different."

 

Following that line of reasoning, he said, Sharif should not just offer Clinton a hearty handshake. "To me, I'd go as far as kissing her," Addou joked. "But really, Sheikh Sharif is in a difficult position. "You know," he said with a sigh, "that Sharif has a lot of problems."

[Fabregas]

rubbish article. sometimes i think these papers don't do any research when they write about somalis. they just repeat things they read on other articles, stuff like, " most Somalis follow the moderate sufi Islam and reject the fundamentalists".

[NGONGE]

^^ Sounds like Stephanie has been scouring Somali sites for information and reactions. Bah! Now even she knows JB is going to Garowe!

[Malika]

^The thought of someone using the rubbish we exchange here as a source of information is worrying really..LOL

[NGONGE]

This place, Somalinet and Somali life seem to be the only three places with enough Somalis "discussing" Somali issues. Can you blame the poor "researchers" if our best efforts are this bad?

 

Ps

I have checked the other two places and got an idea how SOL would be if the baby (admin) happened to fall asleep one of those days. Car crash discussions.

(Then again, I already think we have that here).

[Liibaan]

President, Clinton in handshake diplomacy

 

 

President, Clinton in handshake diplomacy

 

Agence France-Presse

August 07, 2009 01:49am

Text size

+ - Print Email Share Add to MySpace Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Fark Post to Facebook Add to Kwoff What are these? FOR the top US diplomat, handshakes are usually a mere formality but when it comes to meeting Somalia's leader, it certainly seemed meaningful.

After widespread speculation, Somalia's Islamist but pro-US President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed accepted US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's hand in front of the cameras today.

 

Mrs Clinton appeared to initiate the contact, giving him a robust handshake as she left the podium at a joint news conference at the US embassy in neighbouring Kenya.

 

Pressed later by a Somali reporter about the handshake, Mr Sharif said, "I don't think it's a problem."

 

Many devout Muslims believe it is improper for men and women to appear in each other's company outside wedlock, let alone touch.

 

Mr Sharif, a young Islamist cleric, was at the forefront of the armed resistance against the 2006 military invasion of Somalia by Ethiopia but has since joined a UN-sponsored reconciliation process and is perceived to be occupying the country's political middle ground.

 

Mrs Clinton and President Barack Obama have made reaching out to Muslims and respecting their sensitivities a key priority after taking over from president George W Bush, who was widely unpopular in the Islamic world.

 

 

But Mrs Clinton is also a staunch advocate of a more assertive role for women.

[Fabregas]

 

would luv to hear kashafas commentary on this.

[Kool_Kat]

He cleaned up pretty quickly...Iyaah, dhalaalkii xataa waa yaraaday...

[wacdaraha_aduunka]

Kool kat oo uma jeedid okiyaalaha lagu taagey shariif sakiin,,,,, Miskiin duqa sii khalad aa wax laga fahamsiiyey

[MZanzi]

wale Layzie Girl shariifka been been uguma riyoon ....shariifka wuu labis bartay wale

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

As harmless as a handshake may seem to many “normal people” (to borrow NGONGE’s sketch), the unfortunate outcome of this inconsequential handshake is that the enduring imagery of it will forever be a dent on Shariif’s credibility within conservative circles. Not a helpful moment me thinks.

[Liibaan]

VIDEO: Sharif and Hillary Clinton

 

 

[Liibaan]

kismaayonews.com: Coowro Geed!!

 

Coowro Geed!!

Published: 6 August 2009

 

KN: Wuu salaamay, salaan gacanqaad ah, Shariifka madaxweynaha DKMG waxa uu jabiyey rikoorkii ugu dambeeyey oo si rasmi ah isaga siibey shaarkii Sheekhnimada, kullankii Shariifka iyo Hillary Clinton wuxuu ahaa hilfaha u laabay sharaftii Shariifka, waa hadiiba uu inaba wax u laabnaayeen

 

 

Su'aal uu weeydiiyey wariye ajnabi ah ayaa ahayd "maxaad u salaantey haweeney kiristaan ah", wuxuuna ku jawaabay "waa su'aal raqiis ah",

 

Kullankii Shariifka iyo Hillary Clinton wuxuu ahaa mid yeeshey xiisihii ugu badnaa aduunka oo dhan, iyadoo wax ka kasta ay ka xiiso badnaayeen isgacanqaadka Shariifka iyo haweeneydani caariyaadka ah ee masiixiyada ah.

 

Waxaa dadka kasii yaabiyey waxay ahaayeen labiska Sheekha oo xirnaa Koofiyad, wuxuu inyar u jirsaday in uu hab siiyo, taasoo aanan la ogaan karin in uu siiyey iyo inkale intii ay qolka gaarka ah ku jireen

 

Sida la wada xasuusto mid ka mid ah asbaabihii dowlada reer galbeedka ay ku diideen dowladii Cabdiqaasim Salaad Xassan waxay ahayd habeenkii Carte lagu doortey in uu salaanta la garab maray haweeney safiir u ahay Maraykanka oo salaan usoo taagtay iyadoo aduunka oo dhan uu daawanayo. taageero badan ayuu Cabdiqaasim arrintaasi kaga heley shacabweynaha islaamka ah ee Soomaaliyeed iyo bwaliba dunida islaamka oo dhan

 

Dhacdadani waa muujintii ugu dambeeyesey ee Shariifka uu ku raali galiyo Maraykanka, isagoo waliba fariin qaldan u direy aduunka islaamka ah oo dhan taasoo ah in nimanka islaamka ahi ay qsalaan qacan qaadi karaan dumarka, waliba iyagoo leh darajo sheekhnimo.

 

Kullanka waxa uu ku biloowdey kullan gaar ah oo fool ka fool ah oo ay si qaas ah u galeen Shariifka iyo Clinton, kadibna waxaa ay yimaadeen qol loogu talogalay shir jaraa'id oo ay kaga faaloodeen wixii ay ka wada hadleen, Hillary Clinton waxay sheegtey in ay isla garteen in la taageero DKMG ah, waxay intaasi ku dartay in ay labolaabeyso kaalmadii gaar ahaan xagga ciidamada.

 

waxay sheegtey in 150 milyan oo doolar ay ku Maraykanka ku bixiyeen taageerada DKMG ah iyadoo loosoo mariyey ciidamada AMISOM, waxay eed culus dusha uga tuureen dowlada Eritrea oo ay ku sheegeen in ay caqabad ku tahay nabada Soomaaliya.

 

waxay si wada jir ah u cambaareeyeen Xarakada Mujaahidiinta Al-Shabaab iyo isbahaysigooda ay yihiin argagixiso, isla markaasina ay tahay in laga wada hortago.

 

Hillary Clinton waa mas'uulkii ugu heerka sareeyey ee ebed la kulma madaxda Dowladihii isaga dambeeyey Soomaaliye ee kumeelgaarka ah laga soo bilaabi tii Cabsiqaasim nSalaad Xassan

 

Dadka qaar waxay u arkaan in kullankani uu DKMG ah u keeney qasaaro lixaad leh halkii laga doonayay in uu ahaado mid kaalmeeya, sababto ah waxay ku sheegeen mid lumiyey kalsoonidiii ugu dambeeysey ee dadka ay u hayeen madaxnimada Shaarifka oo lagu taageersanaa kaalinta diinta.

 

Waxay u muuqataa in salaantani gacan qaadka ah iyo kullanka uu ahaa mid istaraatiiji ah oo uu Maraykanku qorsheeyey si loo tijaabiyo daacadnimada hogaanka Shariifka ee Maraykanka ku wajahan, waxaa lasoo dirrey haweeney.

 

Shariifka waxaa wehliyey Shariif Sakiin, Maxamed Cali Ameriko, Maxamed Cabdullaahi Oomaar, Casho Axmed Cabdalle

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

Somalis never fail to amaze me, wale xaaladu ma sahlana hadii ay marayso gacanqaad

[Chocolate and Honey]

Sheekha quruxlow uu noqday,yaah. He's come long ways from his gurilla days. ME LIKE IT!!