Posted on 12/27/2006 4:23:54 PM PST by Popman
Ethiopia has emerged as the only nation willing to directly confront the al-Qaeda franchise Islamic Courts Union in Somalia, driving into the east African nation with tanks and pushing the Islamists and their fighters - including foreign terrorists poured in from around the Middle East - back to the eastern shores of Mogadishu.
After rolling though Somalia and driving the ICU out of Somali cities and towns along the way, Ethipian forces have pulled up and surrounded Mogadishu. A siege strategy like that once employed by the ICU on the last remaining Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) stronghold of Baidoa is being employed by Ethiopian forces. The stated intent is to avoid civilian losses.
But the Telegraph’s Mike Pflanz notes the likely futility of such a move “as Mogadishu sits on the Indian Ocean, allowing sympathetic foreign fighting forces to land on the beach to reinforce and re-arm” the Islamist forces via their al-Qaeda lifeline. An American-led naval blockade would greatly assist by sealing the fourth side of a three-sided Ethiopian siege effort.
But the United States is calling for a return to negotiations in Somalia, and it remains to be seen whether American naval forces will be ordered to assist the forward-leaning Ethiopian government and its unapologetic engagement of the Islamists seeking an al-Qaeda foothold on the Horn of Africa.
While noting American support of Ethiopian actions, State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos also signaled a less than forward-leaning American approach to action on the Horn by also saying, “We’ve instructed our ambassadors in the region to meet with governments to urge them to pressure Somalis to return to the negotiating table. We do not believe this can be resolved on the battlefield.” The African Union has demanded an outright withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Somalia.
Speaking to the UN Security Council Tuesday, Kofi Annan’s special representative to Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, echoed such demands and calls. “Unless a political settlement is reached through negotiations, Somalia, I am afraid, will face a period of deepening conflict and heightened instability, which would be disastrous for the long-suffering people of Somalia, and could also have serious consequences for the entire region,’’ he said.
But the long-suffering people of Somalia face even greater long-term perils – as does the rest of the region and the world – through resumed inaction that would allow the Islamic Courts Union and its al-Qaeda ‘management’ to continue its progress, allowing an al-Qaeda terrorist foothold and Taliban-style Islamist rule over the whole of Somalia.
It must be recognized by Western leaders – most notably the United States – that the coveted ‘negotiation process’ is what permitted the ICU to harvest Somali territory for al-Qaeda in the first place. Negotiation must take place after the Islamists will has been broken in Somalia by force alone, not beforehand. For force is the language they speak with and the only language they have an ear for.
"If you can't party with the big boys, don't show up". Related, from October:
Mogadishu, Somalia - Somali Islamists declare 'jihad' against Ethiopia
Reuters (excerpt) | October 9, 2006
Posted on 10/09/2006 5:15:51 PM EDT by HAL9000
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1716440/posts
Hopefully, the Ethiopians won't go all wussy about wantonly killing these guys. Putting their heads on sticks and ear necklaces would send the right message [in this case].
This must be right out of the Jihad field manual.
Rice has no stage presence, hence she appears to be a very weak leader, which she might very well be. Her performance in the 9-11 hearings was deplorable. I thought she was going to have a breakdown in front of the committee.
Perhaps she just 'went native' dwon there in Foggy Bottom. All her advisors are probably the lefty wimps that proliferate at State.
This war is a media war. The old cloak and dagger Cold War crap doesn't work in this century against this enemy.
I disagree. But that's what makes this forum interesting.
Look, there's no media in Somalia. So if you want to believe what they're reporting about it, be my guest.
But don't think you're getting informed.
Whether the story is true or not, looks like 5th Century and earlier Christian morality in the British Isles was a tad rugged.
Can you imagine the Leftwing whimpering we will hear if the Ethiopian soldiers put ladies' underwear on the heads of the AlQaida terrorists.
It's a small percentage for sure, but it is a huge mystery.
Oh, and black Americans are not being chided for practicing Islam. They're being considered odd for overlooking the role of Islam and Arabs in the slave trade that went on long after the 1850's and is still alive in some places today.
The word "slave" comes from the word "slav." No doubt there were slaves by other names long before our English word "slave" and in other places where Slavs never existed and long before this word became the word we most associate with black African slavery in the Western Hemisphere. I still find it interesting.
Let's see how it ends first, before handing out pats on the back. It appears the US State Department is trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
The MSM sure didn't care.
Then, the action shifted to Darfur, and it was Moslem on Moslem. Now, all of us are supposed to care according to the MSM.
Let's encourage all of'em go to to Darfur, get out in the field, and tell us real life stories about it.
They should do that as soon as possible too.
Usually, it works like this. Muslims can kill lots of Muslims without it being a crime or news. Muslims can kill lots of Jews and it's the Jews fault. Muslims can kill lots of Christians and it's Bush's fault. Jews and Christians cannot defend themselves against Muslim attacks because that would be persecution and unfair. That's the PC template.
another link...
http://www.shabelle.net/news/ne1953.htm
Do you suppose that she is smart enough to be "laying low?"
"I've never understood why American blacks are so fond of Islam."
I'm no expert, but my opinion is that they hear people say that Christianity is the "White Man's" or "Slave Owner's" religion, or that they think they're getting in touch with their African roots by converting to Islam. I don't know the exact statistics, but I think that most of the black African slaves imported to America were Animist (i.e. pagan)
Rob Low? I doubt it.
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