Somali Empire (Vision to Reality)

[Thierry.]

This is a dedication for those that hail from my School of thought Xiin, Paragon and a brother who recently (just over a year ago) started working with the TFG.

 

 

Somali Empire (Vision to Reality)

 

Like many Somali students Hassan is an idealist he vividly sees the coming of the second (Ahmed Gurey’s Empire Part 2), to him Somalia is not a war ravaged, corrupt, warlord infested, and famine struck nation. The way most westerners and sorry for an excuse political commentators describe it. He is annoyed by the almost always negative connotation is his country carries in others eyes. What do they know he says all they see is warped statistics that doesn’t tell the complete story (A normal man sees a brick and thinks of it as a brick a visionary sees a brick and thinks skyscrapers). Hassan fumingly says what they know about Somalia, what do they know of our business men who even with the absence of a government defiantly defeated the odds and economically perform better than our “peaceful” neighbours

What do they know about our women who show patience in the face hardship, mothers who find it hard to feed their children yet strive every day to find work.

What do they know about our faith we worship our Lord 5 times a day together, yet they perceive us as weak and divided not knowing that the lion of unity is within our grasp.

Although at times it looks grim and dark the wise one sees this as a preparation for the future, Hassan knows that once this chapter of conflict and instability ends Somalis will cherish unity, peace and stability.

While some see our predicament as a curse he sees it as opportunity to practise patience and elevate our status in the eye of our Lord.

 

Hassan has a vision he has a strategic goal one he clearly believe in and sees almost with the naked eye. He sees his nation as the most powerful Nation in the East of Africa a nation that is above all others in military, cultural and intellectual advancement. Hassan knows through historical precedent that his nation has all the ingredients to become a dominant force in the world, at times he even dares to believe that Somalia can become part of the Security Council Veto member and the 8th in G8 in the near future.

However unlike many of his patriotic yet idealist compatriots Hassan is also pragmatic he has found a way to exercise his plan.

 

He first lays all the cards on the table and analyses them shrewdly his aim is to find the righteous and easy way to reach his ultimate goal of forming the Somali Empire.

 

The Cards

 

• A corrupt unelected government & Parliament with a legitimate mandate

• A formerly successful opposition group that have now divided into moderates and more extreme.

• An occupying force

• Large displacement of people

• A region that has declared independence

• An ever increasing Intellectual Brain drainage

 

Although the task at hand seems daunting he knows that great men in the past have overcome greater obstacles, Prophet Mohammed (saw) united the whole Arabian Peninsula, and the Righteous Caliphs after him brought down the giant Persians and Byzantines. Attila the Hun came from a much divided small tribe yet managed to unite his people and overcame the great empire of Rome. Genghis Khan belonged to another small nomadic tribe yet in his reign his empire reached from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic ocean of Europe. The Nomadic Turkmen went from horse riders to the Kingdom of Ottomans whose power brought shivers down Western Europe. Napoleon went from a small soldier from Corsica to the Emperor of Europe’s most powerful nation.

 

 

Looking at the daunting task a head Hassan remembers two quotes

 

The Future belongs to those who plan today

To emphasis the urgent need to plan today to succeed tomorrow.

 

And the statement his teacher you used to make before embarking on every academic year.

You eat an elephant by taking a small bit every single day

To overcome the size of this overwhelming task.

[Thierry.]

Task 1

Hassan has two options here (his short term goal is to form a coalition government consisting of both government and opposition):

A: to join the moderate wing of the opposition or

B: to join the TFG.

 

Scenario A: he joins the opposition and persuades them to continue the negotiations, he shows his plan to the leaders and explains to them sincerely the wisdom behind negotiating, he tells them the people want peace and they need leadership that pursues this goal.

 

Scenario B: He joins the TFG he swallows his anger and pride, knowing that his goal is more important than the short term collaboration of those who brought the enemy into our midst. Here he explains again the wisdom of negotiating with the popular opposition, he despises the short sightedness of the old men at the helm of the government, but knows that his nation is in need of a political evolution rather than a bloody revolution, so he pats them on the back telling them this is the best course of action.

 

Task 2

Hassan sees an ideologically minded group that spurned off from the moderate opposition and a merciless Occupation force, who have both contributed to the death and displacement of his people. For this he proposes a solution to the newly formed coalition government.

Tell the occupying forces that Somalia posses no threat to Ethiopia and that they should withdraw their forces to non residential areas and starts incrementally reducing their forces in Somali soil. He rallies unanimous support from the coalition government and warns the Ethiopians that a failure to this is an act of war against the whole nation. (Ethiopia knowing that they cannot tame a small district in Mogadishu should abide the orders of the new government).

With the ideologically minded group he reads how such groups have been dealt with in the past by leaders, he realises that some will never come to a negotiation and agreement unless their goal is achieved. He shrewdly architects a plan to drain the source of support they have. He knows that the people and merchants of Mogadishu are their main allies. He sets up initially unconditional incentives to help the people displaced and those who need shelter and assistance in the capital and surrounding areas. He gives the merchants tax breaks, builds infrastructure of markets and provides them necessary security and investment. His aim is to win hearts and minds to isolate the few extreme. After building goodwill he asks the people and merchants sincerely for their support in asking the young extreme men to take part in the political process (many will abandon their extreme ways), the few left he asks again for the peoples support in arresting them and rehabilitating them or if need be putting them to death.

 

Task 3

He knows that the majority of politicians in the country do not have the right attributes to help him build the great nation that he dreams of. His aim is to recruit men who know the Faith of Islam as well how to govern a nation in the 21st century.

He starts the great repatriation project. Hassan’s predicament is that the intellectual Diaspora have successful businesses, jobs and security abroad and that Somalia is relatively unstable and economically under-developed. So in order to convince them Hassan needs to compensate them.

His proposal is to reach their emotional attachment to the motherland and asks them to become investors who receives all the rewards for hard work put in today. He also provides them small government funds to assist with their livelihood.

 

Task 4

With the new found peace and stability as well the intellectual brain gain Hassan and Somalia new Human assets starts work in setting up institutions that makes a modern government successful.

 

The set up:

 

• Independent Islamic Legal system

• Shariah based Banking and financial system

• Chambers of Commerce

• Department of Agriculture

• Educational institutions (Focusing on the key skills needed)

• A Health system

• Oil & Gas exploration

• Exporting of other minerals

• Military (Forming a system of training all men over 18 effectively making at least a quarter of the population reserves)

• Using revenues from oil and gas to fund other economic generating projects

• Etc

[Thierry.]

Task 5

Hassan proposes negotiations with our brothers in the North-West. The aim of these negotiations is to put across our idea of a regional Islamic power, again Hassan starts of with building goodwill by improving trade and forming many collaborative tasks such as the formation of inter-university scholarship, tax free zones on trade between the two regions.

 

Task 6

Improve relationship with Western and eastern super powers, knowing that a negative and hostile relationship can halt our strategic goal at this early stage. Give them economic incentives, use their institutions of higher education and improve goodwill as their collaboration is vital for the next step in our strategic goal.

 

Task 7

With a strong Military option, improved relationship with western and eastern super powers we ask the UN formally to acknowledge the plight of O-G-A-D-E-N region we ask Ethiopia to stop their aggression against the Somali Ethiopian region and ask for the immediate deployment of peace keeping forces in to the region.

In the mean time our newly sophisticated NSA secretly supports militarily O-G-A-D-E-N and other disgruntled Ethiopian groups (Oromo etc). We prepare for war but do not instigate war, if need be Addis will burn.

 

Task 8

Turns his attention to Kenya’s Somali region, knowing that this fragile nation is the West’s golden boy Hassan opts to make military intervention as a last resort, he instead proposes that the two nations govern the region together and help the people there.

 

Hassans Strategic goal is in full swing and he gracefully retires as the bags in his eyes and grey hair are a testiment of hard work and wisdom of a man who saw his people great even when they doubted it themselves.

[Kashafa]

After building goodwill he asks the people and merchants sincerely for their support in asking the young extreme men to take part in the political process (many will abandon their extreme ways), the few left he asks again for the peoples support

in arresting them and rehabilitating them or if need be putting them to death

^^ . Xoog badanaa ninku. You and what xaninyo ? Perhaps you have not heard the recent cabaad ka yeeraayo Ahmed Dirie(oh snap) ? Perhaps you are blind to the b!tchslap dharbaaxo oo ku dhacthay Barre Hiiraale(one which will be duplicated and reverberate all across Somalia) ? Perhaps you are deaf to the cheering of the Somali people as they welcome liberation and the ascension of Islamic governance, from Baardheere to Beled-weyne to Burhakabo and beyond. Perhaps you are so far gone in your Is-Qancis trance that you have lost the ability to reason objectively and recognize reality ? Perhaps you got a bit queasy when you read this lil gem and saw your make-believe 'Somali empire' crumble to dust. Some choice excerpts:

SOMALIA'S FRAGILE government appears to be on the brink of collapse. Islamist insurgents now controls large parts of southern and central Somalia - and are continuing to launch attacks inside the capital, Mogadishu

Ethiopia, which launched a US-backed military intervention in Somalia in December 2006 in an effort to drive out an Islamist authority in Mogadishu, is now pulling out its troops.

 

Diplomats and analysts in neighbouring Nairobi believe the government will fall once Ethiopia completes its withdrawal, and secret plans have been made to

evacuate government ministers to neighbouring Kenya

(whopsy daisy, there goes the 'Somali Empire') .

That may happen sooner rather than later. A shipment of Ethiopian weapons, including tanks, left Mogadishu port last month as part of the withdrawal. Bringing the equipment back to Ethiopia by land would have been impossible - analysts believe Ethiopian troops and their Somali government allies control

just three small areas

(it's ok, u can cry) in Mogadishu

and a few streets

(really, feel free to sniffle, nobody can hear u cry in cyberspace) in Baidoa, the seat of parliament. There are now estimated to be just 2500 Ethiopian soldiers left inside Somalia, down from 15,000-18,000 at the height of the war.

Few Somalis will weep if the government falls

(except the dhabo******s and their bosom buddies, the peaceniks; who will shed bitter tears of what could have been). In most respects it is a government in name only. Few ministries have offices, let alone civil servants to fill them. There are no real policies - and no real way to implement any.

 

Worst of all, this government, which is backed by the United Nations and funded by Western donors including Britain and the EU, has been accused of committing a

litany of war crimes

. Its police force, many of whom were trained under a UN programme part-funded by Britain, has carried out

extrajudicial killings, raped women and fired indiscriminately on crowds

at markets. Militias aligned to the government have

killed journalists

and

attacked aid workers

.

The government's fall would mark the end of a disastrous US-backed intervention.

For six months in 2006, Somalia was relatively calm

(why ? because of space monkeys, that's why). A semblance of peace and security had returned to Mogadishu.

The reason was

(for the first time in Somali history(barring a few occasions), Men of Honour stood up and FOUGHT against the forces of qabyaalad, treason, and oppression) the rise of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), a loose coalition of Islamist leaders who had driven out Mogadishu's warlords

The US viewed the UIC has an "al-Qaeda cell" - a

belief not shared

by the majority of analysts and diplomats.(take note: The Bush administration along with their Somali underlings(dhabod.h.i.l.i.f.s, peaceniks) call them extremists/terrorists; the rest of the non-IsQancis world begs to differ. Theirry, Inc = in the same bed as Dick Cheney, laughingstock of the world.)

Theirry, I pity you(and ppl who think like u), a genuine pity borne out of walaaltinimo. It's evident that you mean well and have good intentions, but the ideas and policies in your write-up are sophomoric, naive and downright embarrassing. The article I quoted was written by Steve Bloomfield, a British, non-Somali, non-Muslim. But he gets it. You and your fellow peacniks simply do not. And you possibly never will. Reality, my friend, is a cold mofo. Reality does not care about the 'Somali Empire' or the Somalia u grew up in, under the 'benevolent' rule of Jalle Aabo Siad. Waxa aad meesha ku soo qortay waa a sentimental delusion of grandeur. Don Quixote charging, full-speed, at a windmill, swearing he'll rescue the fair maiden(Somalia) held captive by the Ogre(extremists).

 

Hordatha ka kac, abti. Riyo culus aa ku jirtaa, kulana tagtay. Open ur maryoolay eyes and see what I see, what Steve Bloomfield sees, what Dr. Michael A. Weinstein sees, what the rest of the non-dhabodlif, non-peacenik, non-IsQancis, non-qabalisto world sees: The only force capable of putting back Humpty Dumpty together is Islam and Islam alone. That force is represented today by Islamist thoroughbreds on the ground. They have the support, the respect, and admiration of Umada Soomaliyeed. You may not agree with them all the time.(i sure don't, airport fiasco and the church destruction indicate they have not fully digested the lessons of the past two years), but they are the only feasible option for the return of a Somali state.

 

 

On September 8, in an interview with the BBC Somali Service, Sheikh Hassan al-Turki, the self-described “elder” of al-Shabaab, endorsed the new administration in Kismayo,

particularly the appointment of a mayor from Somaliland, arguing that the administration is founded on “Islam” rather than the clan-based formula of the T.F.G

. He added that the local clans in Kismayo “

would fight among each other” were clan representation to be applied

If you cannot bring yourself to acknowledge this basic, stark reality, then you, my friend, are hopeless. One upside tho: You'll have plenty of company.

[Thierry.]

Salamu Alaikum Brother Kashafa

 

I always like your contribution Inshallah I will reply back tonight when I have more time.

 

Ps: Me and you are not to far apart in our ideas

[Kashafa]

Wa-Salaams Theirry, now that i read my post again, i could've been, um, more diplomatic. I was reacting to ur ideas, not ur person. no offence. I took a bit of creative license regarding ur proposal(slightly exaggerated for comic effect) to show you how it comes off:

 

 

(movie'trailer guy voice on): In a cold world, where justice is an orphan and power-hungry wadaads run amok, an outnumbered band of heroic Somalis, across the political spectrum, will join their meagre forces and stand off against the Face of Evil and the greatest threat the World of Mankind has ever known: The Wadaads.

 

In the fight of their lives and in the heat of battle, they will forge the bonds of brotherhood. They will learn to forget what they are, whether dhabo.dhlif, peacenik, or qabalisto, and learn what they have become: Patriotic Somalis.

 

In these soul-wrenching times and in the face of a thousand bullets, one man will guide them, nurture them, pick them up when they fall, and be a father to them all. His identity ? highly secretive. His name? only a chosen few know. But the world will come to call him: Theirry/Xasan of SOL.

 

He, together with his newly-found allies, Shaykh Sharif, Nur Cade, Abdullahi Yusuf, Ahmed Diries, will lead the defiant charge for 'peace & stability', for 'dowladnimo & qarannimo', for love, malab, iyo caano. And at long last, when the struggle is over and the hard victory has been won, he will carry out his last oath and put all the wadaads to death. With grey hair and baggy eyes, and an entire country grateful for his leadership, he will then gracefully retire, a hero for mankind to revere for all of eternity.

 

, good enough for Hollywood ?

[Che -Guevara]

^Just a monopoly to righteousness

 

 

Thiery...Your story sounds like girly march to the creation of "Third Reich"-a case of mild supremist tendency.

[Abtigiis]

Enough! for heaven sake CHE, suggest something positive one single day. It is not enough to critique whatever one dreams of. By the way, speaking of the Third Reich as a thing of the past, has it occurred to you that, infact, the defeat of Nazism in Europe has meant the construction of a counter-myth of semitic infallibility?

 

Or in the broader sense, that anger and hatred have always been purposeful, in fact from bibilical days, in forming and developing identities and nations. Hassen's quest (not his method -joining the TFG or whatever) is not in vain! The Somali Empire will come out of shared fear, interest and hate! hate to all those who have abused what it stands for.

----------------------

 

Kashafa

 

Welcome brother! been long and lonely days for me here. Welcome again, the leading voice of hope and valour!

[xiinfaniin]

Mar haddaad aragtid Kashafa maciinsaday Micheal & John waxay qoreen, waxay caddayn u tahay that the man is ripe for in peace caravanku ride siiyaan!

 

Waa in Che kurisaga laga kiciyyaa si Kashafa u fariisto. And that would leave Aw Tusbaxle to be the only odd man in the larger somali discussion. The notion of hala-kala-adkaado eey ay cunay!

[xiinfaniin]

Theiry, your noble pulses and nice sentiments are noble!

 

edit:

 

Truth is that when peaceful settlement is attained, and a complete withdrawal of Ethiopian forces is achieved, majority of alshabaab fighters will join the Somali forces. Those who dwell in a non-existent, idealized world of perfect symmetry between politics and religion will in the end have to adjust (not give up on their ideals and drive to achieve the better and promised state) and strategize accordingly. The fundamental truth of Somali conflict is that it’s tribal in nature, not religious. And when that rude truth intrudes, those who are asking the scalps of the perpetrators of civil war crimes would insha Allah realize the irony of their war efforts!

[Paragon]

Theirry, brother it's brilliant to see ideas forming into concrete foundations. And Insha-Allah we'll get the brother all help possible. Insha-Allah, I have been entertaining some thoughts myself and will post them here soon as. Also, will call you.

 

PS: I haven't got enough time to read all your posts but will do so later Insha-Allah.

[Che -Guevara]

A&T...Is it me or hardly anybody addresses the interests of the parties involved in the Somali mess. Even they themselves don't articulate what's it that they want. The conflict in my opinion Somalia is about power over state, access to meager resources and primordial ethnic tensions. While we all want a peaceful Somalia, everybody wants a share of pie and primary post in the power structure, somehow people don't wanna come and state that. Of course, this is all complicated by greedy men who though claiming different political entities just there to fatten their own pockets.

 

If someone may clearly state what are the TFG and the Courts interests?

 

Please don't say they want reconstitute the Somali State, we all do!!

[Thierry.]

Kashafa saxiib the movie had me in stitches although it depicts the Wadaads in bad light hence why a Somali audience would not entertain it.

 

I have to tell you as a fellow player in the SOL game you and Labo X are arguably the two most difficult people to refute, strong arguments coupled with creative words makes it difficult to check you in this game of chess.

 

Before I proceed operating your argument I will like to make a statement commending Al Shabaab for their fearless fighting in defence of our nation’s honour and dignity which without Somalis including the oppositions in Asmara and Djibouty would be handicapped bystanders and have no bargaining chips. I also acknowledge that regions which they have controlled prior and post invasion has seen peace and stability.

 

However here my argument begins, they say insanity to be doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Adeer peace and stability was achieved in the summer of 2006 yet we know unfortunately due outside interference it was short lived. Now the forces that ousted the benevolent ICU my friend are lurking around the corridors of Nairobi hotels and setting up bases of all places in Berbera. Waiting for an opportunity to declare a threat when need be.

Perhaps you believe the current credit crunch will force the giant to focus on other matters, naively forgetting that like a woman the force can multi task.

It is not out of fear that one decided to operate below the radar until the nation becomes strong. Muslims nations more powerful than Somalia have chosen Tasfiya & Tarbiya until a time they become strong and their people are ready yet you candidly think Al Shabaab will march with the black flag across whole of Africa.

 

Secondly Kashafa you make Al Shabaab a sophisticated and unified group yet we know that they are deeply fragmented and every other day a new group breaks off (Khalid Bin Waleed group is a testament to this argument).

 

Walaal Islam is not on the agenda here as both I and you as well most solers for that matter want to be completely governed by the law of our lord. What is in question is what is the right and easiest way of achieving the ultimate goal of an Islamic empire.

 

I commend Al Shabaabs bravery for Dal iyo Diin the same way the righteous Caliph Ali (ra) commended the Khawarij for their bravery, yet when the time came he marched against them.

Xiin pointed out truthfully that most of Al Shabaabs foot soldiers and leaders will align them self with future Somali armed forces, those that defiantly remain an obstacle will be quelled.

 

 

Ps: Do not think the author of the article you presented wrote it in vain, he is indirectly rallying the forces in the Berbera Docks yet you proudly read it as a victory.

[Member-sol-]

The biggest flaw I see in the view of those who support the current “negotiations” is the idea that somehow the Ethiopian government that currently controls the presidential palace will simply walk away, because sh. Sharif and Nur cade agreed that they are not needed anymore. What is more astounding, is to believe that the same international community that has been funding the AU contingent in Mogadishu, and the Ethiopia occupation of Somalia, will have a sudden “change” of heart, and begin bankrolling this supposedly new republic.

 

The flaw in this argument lies in the belief that the international community is

 

A.)Honest

B.)Has the best interest of the nation at heart

 

 

Honest in believing that Oud-abdullah’s currently led negotiations are sincere, even though American leaders (senators, Jenday) have said, they support and endorse the current round of talks, in an effort to “isolate” the extremist. They have clearly outlined their agenda, and anyone whose intellect is sound, can see that this current fiasco in Djibouti is nothing but a ploy to fracture the Islamic forces on the ground.

 

 

You maybe led to believe that somehow the EU are any different than the U.S. in their foreign policy towards Somalia. The fact of the matter is, British forces have trained the current Uganda contingent in Mogadishu, and the French likewise have trained the current Brundi unit in the capital. The EU bankrolls the qhat chewing MPs in baidoa, and pay the salaries of the so-called “police” forces in the capital.

 

 

Those who align themselves and believe in this illusion, will, and have already lost all credibility amongst forces on the ground. You will come to see those whose names are mentioned along side war criminals, and puppets, drift into irrelevance. It has happened before, and it will inevitably happen again.

[Sir-Qalbi-Adeyg]

Somali empire? You're on some real good hallucinogenic substance sxb, that somali empire ship has sailed a long time ago, there is no such thing as somali unity, it's time we went our separate ways.

 

I like the optimism, but it's time we deal with reality, somali's don't like each other, they are natural born haters even islam is not a good enough to unify us. No form of big government is gonna work in somalia wether it's islamic or not, an no group in somalia al shabab or TFG has the strength to control the whole of somalia, the days of siade barre are long gone.

 

The only way forward is regional automony and a small government that operates from baidoa with representatives from each region, and we need to change the capital from the hellhole that is mogadisho to baidoa or possibly somewhere in the north.

 

I have no interest in the rest of somalia, just my region and my people in puntland, and that is the kind of mentality everyone should have instead of wasting time on some grand idea of empire.