Ethiopians militant but nervous over Somali crisis -They can capture Muqdisho :)

[Xoogsade]

By Andrew Cawthorne

 

ADDIS ABABA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Tensions between Ethiopia's government and Mogadishu's new Islamist rulers have sparked fear among Addis Ababa citizens of a new conflict, but has also inflamed nationalist passions against traditional rival Somalia.

 

Having taken a swathe of south Somalia in June, the Islamists accuse Ethiopia of sending troops across Somalia's border, have declared jihad against Addis Ababa, and are now threatening to execute two Ethiopians they accuse of spying.

 

For its part, the Ethiopian government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi calls the Islamist leaders terrorists, admits sending military trainers to help the interim Somali government, and has warned it will "crush" any Islamist incursion.

 

The mutually bellicose postures and the build-up of military forces on both sides have raised the spectre of yet another devastating conflict in the Horn of Africa.

 

"We can clean them out," 22-year-old Addis resident Sisay Assefa enthused. "Our air force is the second biggest in Africa. We can control Mogadishu in hours."

 

Nationalism runs strong in Ethiopia, where residents take pride in never having been colonised like other African states.

 

That and its centuries-old rivalry with Somalia -- which has boiled over into war before -- easily arouses the kind of excitement that can overwhelm the reluctance of Addis residents to speak to journalists on the street despite a pervasive state security apparatus.

 

"Of course we are worried about war. Everyone is," said 25-year-old history student Salomon Berhea. "The Somalis are getting more and more powerful. They will attack Ethiopia, and Eritrea will attack on the other side."

 

Eritrea -- Ethiopia's other arch-enemy in the region with whom it fought a border war in 1998-2000 -- has been accused by the United Nations, United States and others of sending arms to the Islamists to spite Addis Ababa.

 

Ethiopia makes no secret of backing President Abdullahi Yusuf's interim Somali government, which has been isolated and rendered virtually powerless by this year's rise of the Islamists and their increasing territorial control.

 

"These people are fanatics, they are close to al Qaeda. They think if they kill a Christian, they will go to heaven," said tour guide Tewodrose, who gave only his first name.

 

"But if they kill these two Ethiopians they have arrested, there will be trouble ... Addis Ababa is the headquarters of the African Union, so we are the capital of continent. Ethiopia has to stand up for the peace of Africa."

 

U.S. INFLUENCE?

 

Random chats with Ethiopians in cafes and streets round Addis Ababa's central Meskel Square found similarly militant anti-Islamist views among the majority -- even those who oppose the Meles government.

 

But some, lowering their voices, had more cynical interpretations of why their nation, the world's seventh-poorest, appeared to be spoiling for another costly war.

 

"We all know the government is doing this for the Americans," said office worker Tadele. "We need their dollars, and they need us to do their dirty work."

 

While Washington has publicly exhorted both Ethiopia and Eritrea to show restraint and not turn Somalia into a proxy war, some analysts have said they believe Addis Ababa has tacit U.S. support to restrain the Islamists' rise, by force if necessary.

 

Traditionally Christian Ethiopia is a key anti-terrorism ally for Washington, which fears Somalia under Islamist rule may become a haven for Islamist extremists.

 

But memories of the recent war with Eritrea, a 1977-78 conflict with Somalia, and the violent 1991 overthrow of former dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, are still fresh here.

 

"The last thing we need is more war cripples and more diversion of money to military fronts that should be spent on milk and schools," said a female Ethiopian teacher, who asked not to be named. "I pray it doesn't come to that again."

 

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L23789076.htm

[General Duke]

Nervous are we. Start selling the assets in lower shabbele.

[Xoogsade]

 

If Muqdisho falls to Ethiopians(which will never happen as long as a single somali with faith lives), it will be as much a defeat to you as it is to other somalis you consider your enemies. May be you haven't read what the average Amxaar is saying above and how upbeat and confident they are in fighting somalis if it comes down to it. They are not singling you and your uncle out as friends obviously. The good thing about Amxaaro is how they hate those who carry their portable toilets or buckets and boots for them more than they hate those who face them in a war. It is well known that they look down on traitors and usually kill them in the end or jail them as they did time and again after they find no use for them.

[General Duke]

^^^Mogadishu is but a town, if as your logic goes Somaliland, Puntland and Baidoa are full of Amxaro. Then so will Mogadishu. Since the people of Mogadishu are no more faithful and Muslim than the people of those other Somali regions.

 

Maybe you are claiming to be something special my son?

[Juje]

As history tells us,when the famous SYL delegation led by Abdullahi Isse went to the UN in seek of independent , there was a parallel Somali Committe among who were prominet Somali elders at that time who were demnding to the UN to delay the hand over of independence to the Somalis and appealing for a continuationation of Italian protectorate for at least another ten years. These latter group were famously called pro-Italian. I was just wondering Duke whether you are by any chance related to any of them.

just a thought.

[General Duke]

^^^No I am related distant though to Abdullahi Isse [may Allah have mercy on the marxum] though.

[NASSIR]

I have already said that I am against this whole unapplicable fear of Ethiopia as a design to perpetuate hate towards the TFG and garner unsuspecting support from the public. But the public is not as gullible as they may thought to be. It will take time for them to recognize the real threat of their existance, whether it be a TFG supported by Ethiopia or the one-clan Courts supported by a host of countries from Middle East and Eritrea.

[General Duke]

^^^You put it nicely.

[NASSIR]

Duke, Waxan la yaabanahey maxaa dadka dagaal aysan diyaar u aheyn loogu wadaa. It is the courts that declared war on Ethiopia for crossing the border and publicly, like demogagues do, incited its citizens to take arms against the "unpopular minority rule" in Ethiopia.

[General Duke]

^^^I think the leadership of the courts is ignorant to the truth around them. Maybe they think the Arabs will support them, or maybe they think Ethiopia is like Mohamed Qaynyare Afrax.

 

I belive they are playing into the TFG's hand. Ethiopia never wanted to tip the balance in the Somali conflict, but now has to bring all its might on the side of the TFG because of the silly threats of Eritria and the clan courts.

 

The courts dont undertsand the mindset of the Adis regime.

[Xoogsade]

I am sorry to say this but Mr.Duke, you lack faith in your own kind and because of clan sentiments, you have stepped outside nobility by placing much faith in Amxaaro's aid to your uncle so he can massacre somalis to rule them.

 

The fact is, people choose a dignified death than being ruled by someone who declared his contempt for them by seeking support from Amxaaro. A/Y has no dignity so are his supporters. There is nothing dignified that can be said about them except they will be buried defaced and assured to perdition if they go to war.

 

Dullinimo waxay u tallaa ninka mooday in Amxaaro kursi saari doonto, laakiin waa la isu joogaa, in wait for you ad your amxaro masters are valiant men who chose death over ignoble leadership.

[General Duke]

^^^lol. You and I have gotten to know each other over time. I know you are not a bad person but hold the clan courts dear because of the interest of your clan. If it was a bout faith then you would criticise the likes of adeer IndaCADE and Co.

 

Leadership you say, all I see is the rule of the gun, you bring no new Ideas aoart from we are Muslim you are not, we are Somalia you are not. Quite childish really.

[Allamagan]

^^ Ma arkinoo!

 

Originally posted by Caamir:

Duke, Waxan la yaabanahey maxaa dadka dagaal aysan diyaar u aheyn loogu wadaa. It is the courts that declared war on Ethiopia for crossing the border and publicly, like demogagues do, incited its citizens to take arms against the "unpopular minority rule" in Ethiopia.

Adeer waa waxaanu ka hadlaynay marwalba. I believe the whole this Amxaari thing is something normally preventable but unfortunately, they UIC are inviting amxaaro to Somalia instead.

 

Bunch of macallin dugsi who really need to take a crash course in politics before anything else!

[Kashafa]

^^ 'Bunch of macalin dugsi' will clean-sweep the ground with the secularists, the tribalists, and the anarchists(mooriyaan), inshallah.

 

Sayyid-ka was also opposed by some Somali tribes who signed treaties with the British(read: Ethiopia today). You know what happened to them: Dhuli & disgrace(that will live on as long as Somalis exist thanks to Sayyid's poems). And you know what happened to him: Honour & Martyrdom.

 

Cry and yell and scream: 'Clan Courts', all you want. Their cosmoplitan nature and the fact that their leadership, both political and military is represented by different tribes is known to all.

 

Raadmir,

 

The beginning of the end of the Ethiopian empire will begin the second it invades Somalia.

[raadamiir]

"We can clean them out," 22-year-old Addis resident Sisay Assefa enthused. "Our air force is the second biggest in Africa. We can control Mogadishu in hours."

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