| I give it a 95 for the solid beat, clear melodic and butt-thumpin' lines of demarcation. |
| Lol. Note who's where. |
For 15 years Somalia has been kept in near-constant anarchy by warlords intent on carving their own personal fiefdoms. Now the powerful Somali Islamic Courts Council, which restored a transient peace to the capital and seized much of the south of the country, is on a collision course with the near-impotent official interim government and its Ethiopian backers that could suck the entire Horn of Africa into conflict.
| The Classic African Shithole™ converted into the Classic Islamic Shithole™. A very short trip. |
Residents say foreign fighters have been arriving at the airport, while diplomatic sources in neighbouring Kenya say the Islamist movement is equipping itself with anti-aircraft missiles to combat EthiopiaÂ’s helicopter gunships.
Residents fear the onslaught of Ethiopia’s military might. Maryan Elmi, who has a seven-year-old daughter, spoke for many mothers when she said: “Our civil war was fought on the ground but this war will bring the Ethiopian air force. People want to flee but to where nobody knows. I am worried for my daughter.”
Tensions between the Islamic council and the countryÂ’s
| "The Islamic leadership, accused by the United States of being in league with Al-Qaeda, has set an ultimatum of Tuesday for the Ethiopians to leave Somalia or face attack." |
| That'll make for a short meeting. |
| Let's see. Iran is sorta central in Asia. So's Pakistan. |
| And from where does Eritrea get its weapons? |
The United States has pitched itself firmly behind the interim government as the best way of halting the spread of militant Islam. Jendayi Frazer, the US assistant secretary of state, spelt out the position last week: “The top layer of the courts is extremist to the core. They are terrorists and they are creating this logic of war.”
Sheikh Abdurahim Ali Muddey, a spokesman for the Islamic council, said America’s accusations were an attempt to divide the group. “I assure you that we have only one motive and that is we need our country safe and at peace,” he said.
This month America secured backing for a UN security council resolution to deploy African peacekeepers in defence of the government, despite concerns by Britain that the move could provoke a pre-emptive strike by the Islamists. The fear is that war could engulf the region because Ethiopia and Eritrea have lined up on opposing sides. Syria, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been named by the UN as sending military or financial aid to the Islamist movement.
Matt Bryden, a consultant with the International Crisis Group, said diplomacy was running out of time. “If we don’t make the Khartoum talks work then I don’t think we have much chance of avoiding all-out confrontation,” he added.
| Are you Ready to Rrruuuummmmmbbbblllleeee? |
The Werld just needs lots more Big Hugs.