Duke's advice to President Sharif Ahmed

[General Duke]

President Sharif needs a break.

 

The President and PM of the TFG are facing the same old problems that have crippled every attempt at creating a central government for Somalia since the defeat of the Barre regime.

 

1. Lack of funds, the government does not have any cash, or controls the important revenue generating centers of the country.

 

2. Armed militias: it is opposed by the numerous armed clan militia and extremist groups who see a functioning government as a threat.

 

3. A desperate population of the capital who have high expectations of the Sharif and who want to see dramatic results in a short period of time.

Now what should the Sharif do? In my opinion he should not rush into anything nor make any dramatic statements. He should take direct control of the revenue of the port and airport and use it to pay his new armed forces. He should continue to use the Ulema to negotiate with his new rivals, and he should recruit more young men to his side by offering them a salary.

 

A high level team of ministers needs to be dispatched to the AU, and relay to that organization his views that he needs their support to train and equip the new Somali troops rather than send more peace keepers.

 

The President should also concentrate on streamlining his message to the general public and work to reduce the corruption that has so often defeated other Somali governments.

 

He has a difficult task and most of what's happening is not his doing but the realities on the ground.

 

Mr President try to overcome much of these issues with time, give your rivals enough rope to hang themselves, learn from the mistakes of both President Yusuf and Abdiqasin Salad, you do not need to be too hawkish nor a complete dove. Be tough, but fair. Mr President you can not please everyone thus chose carefully who you can do without, who gets the carrot and which ones will end up with the stick.

[Emperor]

^Give your rivals enough rope to hang you say, LOool ... Are you for real here Duke, Saxib his greatest opposition are Alshabaab and Hizbul Islam and these guys never shy, no matter how much time you take or how long a rope you trigger... He has to deal with them and immediately, hadii kale it will catch up to him, having said that, I don't think he can defeat them with war but through dialogue and using the Somali Ulema and to also give them what they want which is to rule Somali under the Islamic Sharia law, should that be the case his government will make progress otherwise he will fail....

[General Duke]

Emperor he has to give them time, as long as he can secure the capital he has a fighting chance. The problem is this is his base and its not secure he needs to keep the Upper Shabbele and Banadir as his ground and then through dialogue and offering incentives divide the opposition. I am not saying fight them, but they are the ones coming, organized and motivated.

[NASSIR]

Duke penned some good advisory points but as Emperor said, there's no need to get rid of them through the divide and rule scheme. Implement Sharia and force AU troops out. If I had to choose between the U.S and its regional ally and my people, I will duly respect the latter.

[General Duke]

^^^Brother one must always choose his people regardless. The President needs to be open with the opposition he knows them and once was their leader. However are the fighters independent? Can they make peace on their own or is there a hidden power that dicattes their actions?