Somalia Needs Foreign Troops: The Warlords Shouldn't Set the Agenda

By: Abdirizak Muse (California, USA)
gedi_3@hotmail.com

In this 21st century, the modern world is developing so rapidly technologically and
economically. Unfortunately Somalia is at the bottom of the family of nations in every
aspect and is currently in a state of failed nation. It is sad to watch Somalia?s
downfall as it ceases to exist as a nation.Now it is the time for the Somalis to think seriously about their future and initiate how to put the country back on track and reject those warlords who have become a road block on Somalia?s long march towards peace and harmony.

Somali warlords had held numerous peace talks during the past 14 years but failed to make any tangible concession to one another and reach any meaningful agreement. However, the last peace talk that was held in Kenya had brought back the hope that Somali's would finally achieve their goal of reconstituting their nation.

This culminated in the birth of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the
election of President Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed and his Prime Minister Ali M. Geedi.
Although, Mr. Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed was not my favorite among the leaders who
participated in the Somali peace conference but when the wish of the parliamentarians has surfaced, I did not have choice but to accept the outcome. Similarly I gave my support to the TNG of Mr. Abdikasim Salad Hassan and Ali Kh. Galleydh based on the same reasons in which I am for the newly formed Government of Mr. Ahmed.
It is about time we should say enough is enough and come up with some sort of a plan to
end the chaos, disorder, wanton killing of innocent and all the horrific daily acts that
has engulfed the nation and Mogadishu in particular.

Currently there are consultations among Somali elites and warlords about the issue of
dispatching foreign troops to Somalia. In my humble opinion, I am inclined to this
enterprise, in which I believe that this venture can bring back peace to Somalia.
We must address the harmful weapons and guns in the hands of Mogadishu?s militia as they are the core problem. As have been said by many, the solution is to encamp these militias and prepare them for recruitment in military, police and national guards for the FTG and move them away from the clan badge of honor that they carry now.

However, the big question is which countries will the foreign troops coming from?
The Neighbors that We Scare Apparently, the sponsors and organizers of the Somali peace conference were the IGAD member States and their approach of deploying peacekeepers to Somalia was the centerpiece of their discussion. Africans, excluding Somali neighbors, and Arab troops were preferable to many of the Somali paticipants of the conference. However, that was simply a wishful thinking and was not forthcoming.
Africa has yet to deliver any meaningful number of troops to Darfur of Sudan, despite the horrible ethnic cleansing which the whole world collectively condemned. Africa, unless there is a regional interest, has a bad track record in intervention on behalf of a
sister country.

Therefore, TFG had run out of alternatives and was obligated to reassess its previous
position and accept neighbor countries' contribution to the peacekeeping mission in
Somalia.
Warlords are first and foremost problematic for any Government since 1991. These thugs want to keep the status quo regardless. They are destructive elements of our society who do nothing good but rather nonsense killings of their fellow countrymen. These monsters are responsible for the despair that Somalis endured for the past 14 years, and the abuse of the nation's natural resource. As a result our coastlines have become nuclear waste disposal as reported recently.

Currently some of these warlods are using Ethiopia as a scapegaot and are coming out
against the deployment of the troops from the front line states inorder to continue their
business of enriching themselves at the expense of the people. They have no alternative
other than prolong the dismemberment of the country.
Ethiopia has its own problems and does not have the capacity now to occupy Somalia.
Ethiopia is a poor country run on foreign assistance. The country has primitive economy; its society is bitterly divided on an ethnic lines such as; (Oromo, Amhara, Somali, Tigray and Afar). The contending views of the various groups can explode at any moment and when that happens, Ethiopia may become a replica of the former USSR and Yugoslavia.

Moreover, Ethiopia is landlocked state surrounded by unfriendly neighbors and therefore
it is interest lies with a stable Somalia.Somali circumstance in this era is in a very terrifying stage in its history, which needs a systematic, well thought way of undoing the turmoil and chaos which impeded Somali daily life. The warlord's mentality should be crystal clear to every Somali by now, needless to say that it is essential to gain back the law and order for the country. Therefore, if Arab nations and non-neighbor Africans are not ready of being part of this operation, then we have no choice but to accept the offer of the IGAD member states including Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is already deeply involved in the Somali affairs. For example, they do have a
huge influence on the administrations of Somaliland, Puntland and other regions in the
country (Bay, Bakool, and Gedo). So does Ethiopia literally control Hussien Aidid
factions, Jawhar and all the border areas of the country? It is also, reported that
Ethiopians have great influence on Berbera Port. If so: why suddenly the fuss now? What is sad though is Yalaxow and Caato have set the Agenda for a lot of Somalis with good intent. We now appear as the people who accused the troops of peacekeepers from neighboring country as to quote Yalaxow, ?carriers of the AIDS virus?.
Abdirizak Muse,
Gedi_3@hotmail.com, California, USA