Celebrating the victory that is not yours!

[TZ Somali]

By now we are all aware about the escalation of fighting between the UIC and T.F.G and off course the Ethiopian arm force. The irony of this military escalation is that it was neither the T.F.G initiative although they has welcomed it throughout the inception and subsequent rise of UIC to save its marginal power-hold city of Baidoa, nor has this initiative been that of the Ethiopia government for Ethiopian people. The fact this escalation in SomaliaÂ’s long protracted war was conceived, design and formulated in USA and its part of AmericaÂ’s disastrous foreign policy that has always been characterized by the desire to outsource responsibility to neighboring countries, rather than engaging UIC through its political influence; the first thing that United state has done was to condemn UIC as terrorist fringe linked to the Al Qaeda global enterprise not noting the true essence of this entity and the much support enjoyed from majority of all Somalis of all tribe and background.

The fact is the EthiopiaÂ’s involve and escalation in this war neither served the interest of the common man in Addis Ababa nor the interest of T.FG, I know my assertion my sound alarming but the reality is if you look on the big picture there is much greater political force behind the scene and far away in the comfort of western setting that this victory against the UIC will mean a lot to them, at the end Ethiopia will celebrate a victory that is not their and the T.F.G by now have already loose any credibility and influence from most if not all Somalis.

The sad part of this tragic saga is the war is between two most poor nations on earth, ones is poverty has been exacerbated by almost two decades of constant bickering and war, and Eritrea a small nation just emerging from shackle of its neighbor has choose to fight its war with long time foe in someone elseÂ’s backyard; while EthiopiaÂ’s poverty is intractably linked with the constant drought and famine that this nation is much known for, yet Ethiopia and its arch enemy thus Eritrea have spend substantial amount its G.D.P to sort weapons from the former soviet nations such as Poland and Bulgaria amongst others to wage wars against each other in their respective border and off course now in Somalia. ItÂ’s a political charade and game that is played on the expenses of the life and the interest of both the citizens of these poverty ridden three nations, who all have same common interest in mind thus to live in peaceful coexistence and their worry is not to fight wars but to make end meat and live life amidst the man made famine and the political tragedy that has for long held this region captive.


The other aspect of this tragedy that has surprised if not baffled me are the blessing of the so called OAU to the Ethiopia regime to mount war against the UIC under the pretext that there fighting a conglomerate of jihadis from within and outside Somalia, the fact is UIC is to occupy on its own dealing with the warlords that SomaliaÂ’s known for and has no any political power to destabilized Ethiopia through any means thus include military or political. The irony is the green light has been issued by an organization that is insignificant to all African today, and organization that has outlived it purpose and its spirit of its early days has long gone to grave with likes of Kwame Nkurma of Ghana and Julius Nyerere the late president of Tanzania.


OAU today is characterized by its failings in dealing the political crisis and the civil wars that has befallen Africa, from Somalia to Dafur in Sudan, the OAUÂ’s meddling has fail to meet the hope and aspiration of many Africans, the OAU soldiers in Dafur have not been paid now for months they lack the necessary motivations and mandate to protect the refuges and there only equipped with note book to take note of the slaying and rape of women and children, they have long been indifference to their plight, so why should they care about the SomaliaÂ’s women and children?

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

TZ
The road to peace and prosperity runs to America. If you fight America, you will be poor and suffer. If you work with America and the West, you will prosper, slowly but surely. That's the secret. Do not antogonize the big dog, or it will bite you. If he becomes your friend, he'll help you.

Now, the OAUs position is simple. Africas borders are artificial, but they are the only borders Africa has ever had. There are over 1,000 distinct ethnic groups in Africa. So trying to establish borders along "tribal lines" is an effort in futility. Therefore, as a matter of principal, Africa does not want to reward insurgent and violent actors by recognizing new borders.

[TZ Somali]

Mad mac to some extent that hold true..i can see the usa interest in this matter, but i see no reason for the death of a single Ethiopian soldier

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Let me give you a reason in one word: Ogaden.

[Endowed_Man]

Mad Mac, the Big Dog, as you call them, are behind all conflicts in Africa. From Chad to Sudan to Somalia. it is all in Americas interests that these wars happen so that they may reap the fruits of it - crude oil which has been discovered in large quantities in all the aforementioned countries. Ethiopia is merely a means for this

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

They are not about oil. More about resources in general........but don't blame the Americans. The Americans don't foment these wars. Wars do not facillitate the exploitation of natural resources. America makes the best out of the situation. We don't create the conflicts - you guys don't need help with that.

The problem is, in this case, fundamentally people here don't want to recognize that Islam is the problem.

[fagash_killer]

[quote="TZ Somali"]By now we are all aware about the escalation of fighting between the UIC and T.F.G and off course the Ethiopian arm force. The irony of this military escalation is that it was neither the T.F.G initiative although they has welcomed it throughout the inception and subsequent rise of UIC to save its marginal power-hold city of Baidoa, nor has this initiative been that of the Ethiopia government for Ethiopian people. The fact this escalation in SomaliaÂ’s long protracted war was conceived, design and formulated in USA and its part of AmericaÂ’s disastrous foreign policy that has always been characterized by the desire to outsource responsibility to neighboring countries, rather than engaging UIC through its political influence; the first thing that United state has done was to condemn UIC as terrorist fringe linked to the Al Qaeda global enterprise not noting the true essence of this entity and the much support enjoyed from majority of all Somalis of all tribe and background.

The fact is the EthiopiaÂ’s involve and escalation in this war neither served the interest of the common man in Addis Ababa nor the interest of T.FG, I know my assertion my sound alarming but the reality is if you look on the big picture there is much greater political force behind the scene and far away in the comfort of western setting that this victory against the UIC will mean a lot to them, at the end Ethiopia will celebrate a victory that is not their and the T.F.G by now have already loose any credibility and influence from most if not all Somalis.

The sad part of this tragic saga is the war is between two most poor nations on earth, ones is poverty has been exacerbated by almost two decades of constant bickering and war, and Eritrea a small nation just emerging from shackle of its neighbor has choose to fight its war with long time foe in someone elseÂ’s backyard; while EthiopiaÂ’s poverty is intractably linked with the constant drought and famine that this nation is much known for, yet Ethiopia and its arch enemy thus Eritrea have spend substantial amount its G.D.P to sort weapons from the former soviet nations such as Poland and Bulgaria amongst others to wage wars against each other in their respective border and off course now in Somalia. ItÂ’s a political charade and game that is played on the expenses of the life and the interest of both the citizens of these poverty ridden three nations, who all have same common interest in mind thus to live in peaceful coexistence and their worry is not to fight wars but to make end meat and live life amidst the man made famine and the political tragedy that has for long held this region captive.


The other aspect of this tragedy that has surprised if not baffled me are the blessing of the so called OAU to the Ethiopia regime to mount war against the UIC under the pretext that there fighting a conglomerate of jihadis from within and outside Somalia, the fact is UIC is to occupy on its own dealing with the warlords that SomaliaÂ’s known for and has no any political power to destabilized Ethiopia through any means thus include military or political. The irony is the green light has been issued by an organization that is insignificant to all African today, and organization that has outlived it purpose and its spirit of its early days has long gone to grave with likes of Kwame Nkurma of Ghana and Julius Nyerere the late president of Tanzania.


OAU today is characterized by its failings in dealing the political crisis and the civil wars that has befallen Africa, from Somalia to Dafur in Sudan, the OAUÂ’s meddling has fail to meet the hope and aspiration of many Africans, the OAU soldiers in Dafur have not been paid now for months they lack the necessary motivations and mandate to protect the refuges and there only equipped with note book to take note of the slaying and rape of women and children, they have long been indifference to their plight, so why should they care about the SomaliaÂ’s women and children?[/quote]

i couldnt agree more. this is only a victory for ethiopia and the west

[Endowed_Man]

Mac, the problem has never been with Islam. Islam is simply a means of igniting the war - it has never been about Islam. America has learnt its lesson and does not inted to get its hands dirty and hereby sends another dumb nation to the nitty gritty stuff, whilst remaining at bay. funny thing is that even yemen and Sudan support them!

There is also a slight hint of triabl conflict too...

[Lord Diplock]

[quote="MAD MAC"]Let me give you a reason in one word: Ogaden.[/quote]

What is the real interest of the Ethiopian gov't in the Ogaden? is it a resouces-based one or a more psychological one (losing territories)? I might be naive, but why would any reasonable gov't want to rule people that do not want them?

However long it might take, Ethiopia will have to relinquish its claim on somaliland of Ogaden be it through a referendum or another war with a powerful somali state (maybe in the next 50 yrs)

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Lord
A changing of that boundary is not inevitable, as you seem to suggest.

Ethiopia has two reasons for maintaining the Ogaden:

Maintaining the state is first. Ethiopia is a country made up of some 80 ethnic groups. If it allows one to break off because of armed resistance, as it did Eritrea, it is on the road to disolusionment. It knows it. Therefore, it will resist that.

The second is natural resources. Natural gas, and other yet to be discovered.

Ethiopia really invests little military manpower to maintain control of the Ogaden. So it is worth it financially.

Endowed
You are correct on the issues of power and ethnic conflict, but now Islam in a bid to become a political power player as an ideology, has set a course of conflict directly with the West and America. It is a conflict Islam can't win and a conflict that shades all others.

[Basra-]

[quote="MAD MAC"]TZ
The road to peace and prosperity runs to America. If you fight America, you will be poor and suffer. If you work with America and the West, you will prosper, slowly but surely. That's the secret. quote]







Maddy--u are an IDIOT for saying this--but it doesn't mean you are lying.The truth surely hurts.

[Lord Diplock]

So, there is a limit to the Western based freedom of conscience and liberty? and that is, even if the Somalis in Ogaden dont like their predicament, there is nothing they can do (be it politically or through arm struggle) and have to accept their fate and became part of the alien Ethiopian culture and way of life for good.

You have been there (or u claim u have ), do u think the current level of slow-burning conflict is sustainable? or is the Ethiopian gov't happy to see the ONLF existence so that it can get more help from the West on the pretext that it is fighting an 'Islamic' insurgency?

Unlike more stable countries like Kenya, presumably, the Ethiopian gov't is spending most of its income on military, while other basic needs like food and health are neglected as far as the public are concern.

The problem with the situation in the Ethiopian controlled Ogaden is the sheer lack of the rule of law, the Ethiopians have committed appalling human righst violations there over the years and have got away with it.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Doesn't hurt me. Welcome to Pax Americana.

[AbdiWahab252]

Mad... Which will give way to Pax Chinois in 100 years.

[TZ Somali]

Mad i wish to discredit your assumption that America only takes advantage of war thought out the world, however it true you cannot dispute there wars that America have engineered throughout it the course of existence as formidable modern state, the current political quagmire in Iraq isn't that had to remember, wars have always been fought for resource through out the existence of man kind. surely America is interest in Somalia today might not be driven by resource but by the innate sense of paranoia of anything Islam.

The very country that lectures humanity on the daily basis about the trapping of democracy, have always act politically and military otherwise against the true essence of democracy across the world, I assume your older enough to recall the America's foreign policy for Latin America that resulted in the tragedy and deaths of millions people in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Paraguay e.t.c. How about America's support for the racist apartheid regime that held hostage the freedom of millions of blacks an colored in South Africa? How about the protracted war in Angola design by none else but the big dog you candidly refer to, that resulted of death of innocent souls ? after all that was the essence of democracy in the nutshell, American style isn't ? the democracy that is now exported by M16 in Iraq amongst other place in middle east, after all in the mind of America leadership humanity has always been dumb and ignorant to recall that and now you will have free hands, but that assumption is far divorced from reality, we Africans, Latin Americans and middle eastern we might be poor to contain America's power but lest be assured we are intellectually rich enough not to be fooled.