Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:13 pm
[quote]HOw so? Ethiopian army units (much much smaller in numbers than the exaggerated figures mentioned in the media) are IN Somalia right now[/quote]
And Eritreans are in the country too. You can't say the TFG can't have Ethiopian assistance and that THE ICU CAN HAVE ERITREAN, PAKI, OROMO AND THE JIHADI WORLD.
[quote]Melez is on record saying he'll fight Islamists and terrorists (euphemisms for ICU) germinating from Southern Somalia. What's more, the TFG is feeble government... a government that was either encamped in 1 city or another or working from abroad since it's inception.[/quote]
Yes and what would you say when somebody declares jihad on you. Regardless of Who ethiopia is, If somebody says they will attack you... YOU WILL DEFEND YOUR SELF OR CUT THEM OFF BEFORE THEY CAN GET AT YOU. The TFg is in in one town because thats the quagmire of the situation. If they were forceful in nature it would be a clan aggresion (atleast persumably because Hawiyes would think this "DAROD DAWLAD is coming to get them).
"They've been categorically trounced everytime they went head-to-head with the ICU up until now"
When was the tfg trounced? They've only fought them with their allied forces in Southen mudug and Bay. No were have they been trounced. They have actually done the karbaashing lately
[quote]Lo and behold, news comes today telling us they are able to fend off ICU attach. How? THere are no miracles in warfare... wars are won by the side with suprior artillary. What changed between THEN and NOW?[/quote]
How did they get superior artillery to beat the JVA isbaheysiga dagaalanka etc Remember alls fair in LOVE AND WAR. Somalinimo ma jiro. THE ICU got weaponry from the Arab league and Iran and eritrea according to reliable watch groups. The TFG from Yemen Ethiopia and Uganda.
[quote]Supposing Ethiopian aid to TFG is confirmed beyond dispute, wouldn't the TFG then be proxy of Ethiopia? If so, by definition the war is between Ethiopia and ICU[/quote]
Supposing Eritrean aid to the ICU is confirmed beyond dispute, wouldn't the ICU then be proxy of Eritrea? If so, by definition the war is between Eritrea and the TFG
[quote]What about Eritrean meddling? Eritrean involvement is insignificant for whole host of reasons most eminent being they don't have a border with somalia, coupled with the fact they don't have the means to extend their powers beyond their borders... they're imporvished nation whose best demonstrable ability in modern combat is WW1 style trench warfare.
[/quote]
Borders or not Eritrea is on the ground. There are roughly 2000 eritrean soldiers in Somalia. Roughly 8 thousane ethiopians at there border and some few in Baydhabo. How can Ethiopia a poorer nation the even eritrea combat any differently then WW1 style trenches if I may ask?
[quote]Lastly, not even the most fanatical partisan in this whole rigamarole would claim Eritrean involvement is anywhere near Ethiopian involvement... so the comparison is misplaced.[/quote]
Even though Eritrea's numbers are alot smaller then Ethiopia don't you agree that they've contributed alot for such a small nation? What are they like 1/15 of ethiopia? But have a quarter the amount of troops.
Even in this case the Oromo and Paki freedom fighters and Arab petro dollars give this scale equality if not tip the balance to the ICU
And Eritreans are in the country too. You can't say the TFG can't have Ethiopian assistance and that THE ICU CAN HAVE ERITREAN, PAKI, OROMO AND THE JIHADI WORLD.

[quote]Melez is on record saying he'll fight Islamists and terrorists (euphemisms for ICU) germinating from Southern Somalia. What's more, the TFG is feeble government... a government that was either encamped in 1 city or another or working from abroad since it's inception.[/quote]
Yes and what would you say when somebody declares jihad on you. Regardless of Who ethiopia is, If somebody says they will attack you... YOU WILL DEFEND YOUR SELF OR CUT THEM OFF BEFORE THEY CAN GET AT YOU. The TFg is in in one town because thats the quagmire of the situation. If they were forceful in nature it would be a clan aggresion (atleast persumably because Hawiyes would think this "DAROD DAWLAD is coming to get them).
"They've been categorically trounced everytime they went head-to-head with the ICU up until now"
When was the tfg trounced? They've only fought them with their allied forces in Southen mudug and Bay. No were have they been trounced. They have actually done the karbaashing lately

[quote]Lo and behold, news comes today telling us they are able to fend off ICU attach. How? THere are no miracles in warfare... wars are won by the side with suprior artillary. What changed between THEN and NOW?[/quote]
How did they get superior artillery to beat the JVA isbaheysiga dagaalanka etc Remember alls fair in LOVE AND WAR. Somalinimo ma jiro. THE ICU got weaponry from the Arab league and Iran and eritrea according to reliable watch groups. The TFG from Yemen Ethiopia and Uganda.
[quote]Supposing Ethiopian aid to TFG is confirmed beyond dispute, wouldn't the TFG then be proxy of Ethiopia? If so, by definition the war is between Ethiopia and ICU[/quote]
Supposing Eritrean aid to the ICU is confirmed beyond dispute, wouldn't the ICU then be proxy of Eritrea? If so, by definition the war is between Eritrea and the TFG

[quote]What about Eritrean meddling? Eritrean involvement is insignificant for whole host of reasons most eminent being they don't have a border with somalia, coupled with the fact they don't have the means to extend their powers beyond their borders... they're imporvished nation whose best demonstrable ability in modern combat is WW1 style trench warfare.
[/quote]
Borders or not Eritrea is on the ground. There are roughly 2000 eritrean soldiers in Somalia. Roughly 8 thousane ethiopians at there border and some few in Baydhabo. How can Ethiopia a poorer nation the even eritrea combat any differently then WW1 style trenches if I may ask?
[quote]Lastly, not even the most fanatical partisan in this whole rigamarole would claim Eritrean involvement is anywhere near Ethiopian involvement... so the comparison is misplaced.[/quote]
Even though Eritrea's numbers are alot smaller then Ethiopia don't you agree that they've contributed alot for such a small nation? What are they like 1/15 of ethiopia? But have a quarter the amount of troops.
Even in this case the Oromo and Paki freedom fighters and Arab petro dollars give this scale equality if not tip the balance to the ICU