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Somali premier vows to take Mogadishu from Islamists
Middle East Times ^ | November 27, 2006 | Ali Musa Abdi

Posted on 11/27/2006 6:39:51 PM PST by SunkenCiv

Somalia's Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi vowed Monday that his government, backed by Ethiopia, would take Mogadishu from powerful Islamists now controlling the city, fueling fears of all-out war... Gedi gave no timeframe for the push on Mogadishu, which the Islamists seized from warlords in June after months of fierce fighting, but military build-ups around Baidoa have mounted in recent weeks since the failure of peace talks... Many diplomats and regional security experts fear all-out war in Somalia could engulf the Horn of Africa in conflict, drawing in Ethiopia, which backs the government, and its arch-foe Eritrea, accused of supporting the Islamists. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said last week that he had completed preparations for war with the Islamists and stressed at the weekend that his country would not wait for approval from anyone to attack. Mainly Christian Ethiopia, with a large and potentially restive Muslim minority, is wary of the rise on its border of the Islamists who have declared holy war on Ethiopian troops in Somalia protecting the government... Asked to comment on the Ethiopian presence in and around Baidoa, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Mogadishu, Gedi replied simply: "We were not the first ones to invite people in." The comment was a reference to allegations from UN arms experts and others that the Islamists are receiving weapons and military support from seven, mainly Arab, countries as well as Lebanon's radical Hezbollah movement. Meanwhile, three nations - Ethiopia, Uganda, and Yemen - are reportedly backing the Somali government, according to a UN-commissioned report.

(Excerpt) Read more at metimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: eritrea; ethiopia; mogadishu; somalia; yemen
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Somali premier vows to take Mogadishu from Islamists

1 posted on 11/27/2006 6:39:53 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: Convert from ECUSA; Alex Marko; Alouette; anotherview; dervish; JohnHuang2; kattracks; ...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=somalia


2 posted on 11/27/2006 6:40:24 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

I think this has the potential to become a real bloodbath.What will the UN ever do???


3 posted on 11/27/2006 6:42:04 PM PST by Farmer Dean (Every time a toilet flushes,another liberal gets his brains.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Kick their friggin asses!!!!!


4 posted on 11/27/2006 6:44:33 PM PST by Hammerhead
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To: SunkenCiv
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said last week that he had completed preparations for war with the Islamists and stressed at the weekend that his country would not wait for approval from anyone to attack.

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5 posted on 11/27/2006 6:44:43 PM PST by cripplecreek (If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?)
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To: Farmer Dean

Appoint the outgoing Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and his son, to run a relief program funded by the UN.


6 posted on 11/27/2006 7:13:41 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Hammerhead

This is going to get ugly. We should be offering all kinds of help to Ethiopia and Yemen, each of which is otherwise isolated, and attempting to walk a tightrope.

Oh yeah, and before I forget, Islam delenda est.


7 posted on 11/27/2006 7:15:08 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

Easy way to get rid of the muzzies:

Carpet bomb Mogadishu with pig s#!t!


8 posted on 11/27/2006 7:16:34 PM PST by rottndog (WOOF!!!)
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To: cripplecreek

Yeah, I like how he works. Of course, they're going to find out that they're badly outgunned, but chances are they'll prevail anyway, because the Islamists have pissed off a lot of people in their climb into power, and those who gave up and sided with them will now turn on them.


9 posted on 11/27/2006 7:16:36 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

Let's all hold our breaths waiting for the condemnations of 'human rights' violations when Somalia whoops the ever lov9ing stuffing out of Mogadishu and causes massive destructiuon. instead of being careful to avoid civilian casualties liek Israel did in their war, but which drew STRONG condemnations from the U.N! http://sacredscoop.com


10 posted on 11/27/2006 7:21:16 PM PST by CottShop
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To: SunkenCiv

Its really hard to say how outgunned Ethiopia really is at this point. I would like to think that we're giving them some help in the area of funding and arms.


11 posted on 11/27/2006 7:31:51 PM PST by cripplecreek (If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?)
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To: cripplecreek

If memory serves (and sometimes it's on vacation), Ethiopia has a wide variety of arms (fairly reliable stuff, just not all of it up to date) from manufacturers all over the world, and plenty of if. The al Qaeda and Hizzies specialize in a sort of "wall of sound" approach derived from Soviet tactics developed in WWII, as well as hit and run tactics against operationally superior foes (like the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Israel in Gaza and Lebanon).


12 posted on 11/27/2006 7:40:01 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

Got to wish Mr. Gedi luck!


13 posted on 11/27/2006 7:43:18 PM PST by FAA AandP
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To: SunkenCiv

I think Ethiopia's greatest weapon is the fact that they don't have a politically correct anchor around their throats. Clearly they recognize the threat they face and they aren't making any bones about it.

Really quite admirable.


14 posted on 11/27/2006 7:45:57 PM PST by cripplecreek (If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?)
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To: SunkenCiv

Yay! Now better get to it; chop, chop. :)


15 posted on 11/27/2006 8:02:26 PM PST by Constantine XI Palaeologus ("Vicisti, Galilaee")
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To: FAA AandP

Looks like Revenge of the Gedi is about to be released...


16 posted on 11/27/2006 8:05:38 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv
There's are Army Special Forces operating in Yeman.
17 posted on 11/27/2006 8:47:21 PM PST by Valin (Rick Santorum 08)
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To: SunkenCiv

I'm betting the CIA is working very closely with Ethiopia.


18 posted on 11/27/2006 9:27:38 PM PST by Mariner
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To: SunkenCiv

I remember reading somewhere, where the Ethopians ARE NOT to be taken for granted.


19 posted on 11/28/2006 3:50:27 PM PST by Hammerhead
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To: Hammerhead

They fought a protracted war with, hmm, Eritrea I believe (I just read this, but hey, my mind is goin' fast), and not that long ago, so they are bound to have experienced veterans both running things and doing the fighting. Should be interesting.


20 posted on 11/28/2006 9:23:45 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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