Ethiopian army faces Somali test

[Jacpher]

The war in Somalia has increased in intensity, with Ethiopian planes bombing the airport in the capital, Mogadishu.

 

The city is the stronghold of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), which are now confronting the Ethiopians in locations across 400km (250 miles) of Somalia.

 

The Ethiopian incursion, in support of the weak but internationally-recognised Somali transitional government, is using tanks and heavy artillery, as well as aircraft and is reported to be making significant gains against the lightly-armed Islamic forces.

 

Addis-Ababa has made it plain that it is determined to end what it sees as the threat from Somalia's Islamists once and for all.

 

In a televised address, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said: "Our patience was considered as weakness and we were forced to go to war and the alternative left to us is to speedily bring the war to a successful and victorious end in the shortest time possible."

 

Hostile territory

 

Ethiopia has one of Africa's largest, best-equipped and most experienced armed forces, with more than 100,000 trained personnel.

 

But the war they are now facing in Somalia will test their abilities to the full.

 

The eastern region of Ethiopia, through which its forces must travel, are remote and have few resources. Its supply lines and communications were stretched even before they crossed the Somali border.

 

It is also an area inhabited by Somali speakers, some of whom are sympathetic to the UIC now controlling Mogadishu.

 

Somali and Oromo rebels operate in the area, and there have been reports of skirmishes in recent weeks.

 

Inside Somalia the Ethiopians are likely to find few allies in the area they are now entering.

 

 

Many Somalis, who are united by nothing else, will be determined to resist Ethiopian forces, with whom they have fought two wars in the past 50 years.

 

Defections

 

But the greatest challenge for Ethiopia is that its army is now facing hostile forces on two fronts.

 

Somalia's Islamic militiamen have declared jihad against Ethiopia

Eritrea, with whom it fought a bitter border war, that ended just six years ago, is fully mobilised and heavily armed.

 

Ethiopia has to maintain a strong presence along its northern border, while fighting a hot war with Somali Islamists in the east.

 

This comes at a time when there has been some discontent within the Ethiopian army.

 

Several senior Ethiopian army officers have defected to the rebels based in Eritrea in the last few months.

 

None of this implies that Ethiopia is incapable of meeting the challenges posed by the war in Somalia. But there are risks for Prime Minister Meles that he will have contemplated before committing his forces to the conflict that is now under way.

BBC

[Thierry.]

is to speedily bring the war to a successful and victorious end in the shortest time possible."

 

This must be the funniest thing I have heard in months, if Meles thinks he will be out of Somalia anytime soon then I suggest he gets better advisors. Dubya bush is still in Iraq and Afghanistan 5 years down the line.

 

This will be a long and pain full war it easy bombing cities from the air try to keep

hold of them and we will really see what you are made of.

[Somali_Friend]

Originally posted by Thierry.:

is to speedily bring the war to a successful and victorious end in the shortest time possible."

 

This must be the funniest thing I have heard in months, if Meles thinks he will be out of Somalia anytime soon then I suggest he gets better advisors. Dubya bush is still in Iraq and Afghanistan 5 years down the line.

 

This will be a long and pain full war it easy bombing cities from the air try to keep

hold of them and we will really see what you are made of.

Aren't you forgeting one basic truth:

80% of Somalia accepts the TFG territorially, population wise lets not get into percentages

 

Puntland is 30% of somalia

Bay and Bakool and now Hiraan will constitute state governments and function in time just like Puntland.

The Gedo and other provinces will have to build states as ICU collapse.

 

People in regions will be self governing and since all have accepted the TFG including Mugadishu, its only a matter of time and effort, but not lack of will.

 

Ethiopia in Somalia cannot and will not move an inch without TFG request, and if ethiopia requests like destroying the terrorist collection in Kismayo, it will only be by TFG approval.

Barre Hiraale who is not probably a friend of ethiopia is the one that will approve military co-ordinations.

He accepts one fact: Either the terrorist collection in Kismayo has to be cleared by TFG or TFG have to ask for help of its choosing.

[me]

^^This boy is daydreaming. Dear Xabash, we will see, how many Ethiopians support Meles Zenawi.

 

The Xabash dictator is in big trouble, he took teh wrong turn, he is fighting ONLF, OLF, Eriteria, Somalia. He has trouble with Gambella, Amhara.More and more officers defect from his already weakend army. Hmmmmm, will there be a coup?

 

How many people did he kill? How many Ethiopians are in concentration camps as we speak? How many Ethiopians has he tortured? Do you think a man who isn't loved in his own country will be able to win this war?

 

The ICU has allot of popular support, in every Somali house today is supporting the ICU andthat alone is a victory.

[Somali_Friend]

Originally posted by me:

^^This boy is daydreaming. Dear Xabash, we will see, how many Ethiopians support Meles Zenawi.

me,

If only the city of Jijiga supports him, it is more than any support Aweye can ever get on the face of earth. Thats more than enough. I have seen it.

 

There are families who were victimized by Aweye terrorism who would like to see him face justice in Mugadishu or Baydhoa where the TFG chooses and these families can present their witness against the murderer.

 

I also hear that he is wanted in court in Somaliland.

[me]

^^The city of Jigjiga is an occupied city. The people of Muqdisho have more freedoms then the people of Jigjiga.

 

Whether Aweys or the ICU want courts in Somaliland is irrelevant, at the end of the day its about what the people want. Somalis wherever they are today are united behind the ICU in this struggle. It doesn't matter in what corner of the country we are from or where in the world we are, we are united in expelling these invaders from our country. There are millions of Ethiopians that agree with the Somalis today. This is a war of aggression and Ethiopia is the aggressor Meles zenawi and his government are bad for both our countries.

 

Now let me ask you a question, what people has the ICU victimized? There are enough UN reports, Amnesty International and Human rights reports on the Ethiopian state terror aginst its own civilians, the concentration camps and shooting down of protestors. This Ethiopian government is bad for Ethiopia, it oppresses its own people.

 

Come with prove, don't betalking BS here.

 

The ICU has brough law and order to the areas it controls, live has inproved in the areas in controls, now Meles Zenawi andhis xabash stooges want to bring back the warlord era and turn back the clock.

[Somali_Friend]

Originally posted by me:

 

Whether Aweys or the ICU want courts in Somaliland is irrelevant, at the end of the day its about what the people want.

Aren't Somalilanders people too? Don't they bleed when hit by terrorist, don't they feel sad when they lose one of them to terrorism........?

 

What are you saying. If you don't care about the beings of the rest, why do you expect me or anyone else to care if Aweye or IndaCadde are unhappy with the tactics they chose and the "unholy" choices they made.

 

At least Aweye/INdaCadde had a choice, wether to follow the right path or the wrong path they chose. Their victims in Jijiga or Somaliland didn't.

[me]

^^HUH? are you on crack? This whole post of yours is irrelevant. I will humor you though, what victims in Jigjiga? The victims of the bombs planted by the Ethiopian government? What victims in Somaliland? What terrorist has 'hit' them?

 

 

I asked you direct questions, you inability to answer them shows everyone here that you are full of hot air. You are evading the questions.

 

Answer the questions xabash, you evading the questions makes you look like a fool.