700 AU Force head for Somalia (despite INSURGENTS vowing to target them)

[NASSIR]

700 AU Force head for Somalia

Nov 14, 2007 ( Global Media via COMTEX) -- Nigeria is preparing to send troops to Somalia as part of a peacekeeping force. A battalion of 700 troops is ready to fly into the volatile Horn of African state when the president gives the order, the army said yesterday.

 

The plans were revealed by US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte before he returned home from a visit to Abuja yesterday morning. He had been in discussions with the Defence Ministry.

 

The Director of Army Public Relations Col U.S.A Giwa-Amu said: "We are preparing vigorously for that. There is a battalion ready for the direction of the Commander in Chief on when they are going to be deployed." The battalion is currently training in a north-east Nigerian state, the spokesman said.

 

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte revealed he discussed the possibility of sending Nigerian troops to Somalia for a peacekeeping mission there. Speaking to journalists at Abuja airport he said: "We agreed on the need to deploy peacekeeping forces to Sudan as soon as possible.

 

We also discussed how Nigeria can contribute to the African Union's peacekeeping efforts in Somalia. Nigeria is an important friend and strategic partner of the U.S, as well as a leader on the continent. The U.S is committed to sustaining a robust bilateral partnership with Nigeria which advances our mutual interests. We welcome Nigeria's leadership role in Africa".

 

Somalia has been without a fully-functioning government for much of the last 15 years. US forces pulled out from a peacekeeping task-force in 1993 after 18 US soldiers were killed.

 

In 2006 the Islamic Courts Union defeated warlords in control of Mogadishu since the collapse of the state in the early 1990s. The ICU accused the US of funding and arming the warlords against them. The US government accused the ICU's leadership of being in league with the ideology of Al-Qaeda. The Transitional Federal Government, backed by Ethiopian troops, drove the ICU out of the capital in December 2006.

 

Secretary Negroponte yesterday reaffirmed US support for reform, increased transparency, and principles of good governance. He urged the Nigerian government to implement electoral reforms to fix the problems of the last election. He also applauded the president for the commitment to strengthen rule of law and fighting corruption.

 

The US deputy secretary said "The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a key in promoting good governance and democracy in Nigeria by pursuing corruption wherever it is found. Transparency is one of the most powerful tools available to fight corruption".

 

"We discussed the government's effort to address longstanding issues in the Niger Delta. We support Nigeria's efforts to stabilize and improve governance in the Niger Delta. I assured both the national security advisor and the defence minister that the United States would do what it could to help Nigeria stamp out criminality in the Niger basin," he said.

 

He expressed sadness over the deaths of Nigerian troops in Darfur, and commended the Nigerian armed forces for their support of the peacekeeping effort there. Secretary Negroponte added that Nigeria has played an important role in international peacekeeping. He said there is no country that has done more in trying to give assistance to people of Darfur. The Sudanese government has agreed to allow a UN force made up of troops from African nations to enter the region and help the African Union maintain the peace.

 

Mr Negroponte said one of the difficulties is that Sudan government has refused to accept AU and EU forces in certain units and there are certain issues that need to be sorted out by the government of Sudan and the secretary general of the U.N, he also urged government of Sudan to formally accept forces that have been offered as soon as possible.

 

Somalia has been torn apart by war since 1991. Since last year the Transitional Federal Government of interim president Abdullahi Yusuf has been fighting rebel clan militia groups for control of the capital Mogadishu. Currently 1,600 Ugandan troops are stationed in Mogadishu under the banner of the African Union. An AU force of 8000 had been agreed with the Interim Government but no other country has put forward its troops.

 

Yesterday interim president Yusuf said the mainly Ethiopian military was cracking down on rebel groups in the capital. At least 70 people have been killed in the last.

 

Source: Global Media Via Comtex

[Faarax-Brawn]

A battalion of 700 troops is ready to fly into the volatile Horn of African state

when the president gives the order

I will revive this thread the day the president of Nigeria gives the orders to his troops to deploy in Xamar.

[General Duke]

Nigeria: 700 u direysa Somalia

14 Nov 14, 2007 - 5:25:34 PM

 

Dowlada Nigeria ayaa diyaarineysa in ciidan nabad ilalin ah u dirto dalka Somalia.

 

Cutub ka kooban 700 Askari aya diyaar u ah in loo duuliyo Somalia marka madaxweynaha uu bixiyo amar, sidaas waxaa yiri sarkaal u hadley ciidanka Nigeria.

 

Qorshahaan ayaa waxaa shaaca ka qaadey ku xigeenka xoghayaha arrimaha dibada Mareykanka John Negroponte kadib markii uu ka soo noqdey safar uu ku tagay wadanka Nigeria.

 

Afhayen u hadley ciidanka Nigeria Col. A Giwa-Amu ayaa saxaafada u sheegey in ciidanka Nigeria diyaar u yihiin in ay u ambabaxan Somalia kadib markii ay dhameystan tababar uu xusey in uu uga socda Woqooyiga wadanka Nigeria.

 

John Negroponte oo ka hadlayey ciidamada Nigeria direyso ayaa sheegey in dowlada wadankaas kala xajoodey sidii ay ciidamo ugu diri laheyd wadanka Sudan iyo Somalia isaga oo xusey in Nigeria tahay saxiibka dowlada Mareykanka.

 

Dhinaca kale Brundi ayaa diyaar u ah in ay ciidan u soo dirto wadanka Somalia

taas oo qeyb ka ah ciidamda 8000 ah oo la filayo in Au u soo dirto wadanka dagaalada halakeeyeen.

 

Garowe Online+Wakaaladaha

[General Duke]

Frax brown you now know the intentions of the Nigerian president?

 

Again how funny people are, Ethiopia and Uganda have troops in Somalia and they are much weaker than that Elephant Nigeria which has a record of going into African countries and helping..

[Faarax-Brawn]

Originally posted by General Duke:

Frax brown you now know the intentions of the Nigerian president?

 

Again how funny people are, Ethiopia and Uganda have troops in Somalia and they are much weaker than that Elephant Nigeria which has a record of going into African countries and helping..

*Sigh*. I have no choice but to proof you wrong again,Yaa Duke. You have forced me to go back to my "special" Duke archives in SOL just to proof something to you. But,anyway,i am not in that corrupt inept Nigerians head,but i know damn too well the likes of the TFG supporters in here.

 

Do these posts here mean anything to you?

 

OCT.14:1700 AU troops to arrive in MOG.

 

NOV 10: Burundi troops coming

 

May 23: More AU troops!

 

April27:More AU troops to arrive Somalia

 

March 10: 4000(ghost) AU troops in MOG

 

More coming..Server too slow,but these were the first one. If i were you,i will wait till these troops deploy,then you should come back.

[General Duke]

^^^Adeer there are many reasons why the AU troops have yet to arrive and its not fear. The peace they will contain is being created.

 

As for thr AU their vanguard arrived months ago, in the form of the Ethiopian and Ugandan forces.

 

Burundi and Nigeria are on their way, do you dispute it or are you like dayniile.com living in fantasy.

[SomaliThinker]

Burundi lool, those hutus that killed tutis, who happen to look like somalis are coming their, good luck.

[NASSIR]

It is a matter of time when member AU countries fulfill their pledge of sending troops to Somalia. I know they are committed to their pledges but it is the financial side of this operation that is missing due to International Community's insistance on getting the TFG to negotiate with the good elements of the Insurgents.

 

And the answer for the legitimate question has been these blood thirsty Islamist will stop at nothing to continue the mayhem and displacement they perpetrate. But this mindless approach of resistance in the hope of replacing the TFG will only work against them and rather bolster the position of the interim Somali government.

 

Thanks Duke for the update.

[General Duke]

Look if france and Germany can agree, Somalia and Ethiopia can be more than neighbours at each others throats.

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

we have few hundred years to go before we think like the French and the Germans.

[NASSIR]

Duke, the historical antagonism has been blown out of proportion.

[-Nomadique-]

LooL you guys crack me up.

 

If anything the situation is similar to France/Germany 1942. The occupiers and their collaboraters aka the Vichy inspired TFG must go, that's the first step.

 

Exactly which part of the historical antagonism between Somalia and Ethiopia was overblown caamir?

 

Not the fact they carpet bomb innocent somalis inside Somali Galbeed?

The fact they intentionally cut off much needed humanitarian assistance to the same people?

The fact that they were responsible for using starvation as a tool against Somalis?

The fact that they are responsible along with their collaborators for the 'biggest humanitarian crisis in Africa'?

The fact that Ethiopian soldiers rape Somali women both inside Somali Galbeed and Somalia.

How about the fact that there are hundreds of Somalis rotting in their jails today?

 

Hmm...

[Castro]

^^^^^ Stop blowing things out of proportion. Ethiopia is our friend. It is here by the invitation of our legitimate and duly elected government. They are here to bring us the peace we obviously couldn't find on our own.

 

How is Ethiopia doing this, you may ask? Well, for one, they're clearing Muqdisho of any terrorists. Using heavy artillery, half the population of Muqdisho, mostly women and children, the most vicious kind of terrorists, has been cleared of the city . Their terrorist counterparts in Somali Galbeed are also being cleared of their villages using war planes followed up by rapes and hangings.

 

How will this bring us peace, you wonder? It will do so because when Ethiopia is done with us no one will be left and Somalis will all be resting in peace.

 

Get it.

[ElPunto]

The collapse of Somali society began in the late 80s and accelerated in the 90s. Clearly it predates Ethiopia and its involvement in Somali affairs. And that is the root of the problem - Somalis unable to share power. If folks want to reach genuine peace in Somalia, they should take up offers to talk and negotiate and involve non-partisan actors like the UN etc. Preconditions and red lines are indicative only of a desire for power and its trappings and not a real desire for peace.

[Baashi]

Originally posted by ThePoint:

The collapse of Somali society began in the late 80s and accelerated in the 90s. Clearly it predates Ethiopia and its involvement in Somali affairs. And that is the root of the problem - Somalis unable to share power. If folks want to reach genuine peace in Somalia, they should take up offers to talk and negotiate and involve non-partisan actors like the UN etc. Preconditions and red lines are indicative only of a desire for power and its trappings and not a real desire for peace.

Simple logic ain't it. It is like two plus two equation eh. Even toddlers can figure that much. The tragedy of course is animosity between folks are so toxic so much so any1 who proposes negotiation is seen as well to put it mildly bias. Come to think of it all the pseudo nationalists seem to want is baroor diiq.