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| Africa Horn |
| Some™ in Æthiopia question war in Somalia (MSM Code) |
| 2007-01-01 |
| The MSM can always, ALWAYS find "some" to support their forthcoming meme and this is it. I learned this from James Taranto. Here is the LAT in it's glory. In a country divided evenly between Muslims and Christians, there are worries that the foray next door could lead to instability at home ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- The headline in an Ethiopian newspaper drew familiar, if unflattering, comparisons to another nation's faster-than-expected victory in a war abroad. Batter up! "Mission Accomplished," blared Addis Ababa's Daily Monitor in a story about Ethiopian forces' triumph over Somali Islamists last week. Sa--wiiiiiing! SMACK!!! In 2003, the same phrase adorned a banner behind President Bush as he declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq, though the battles and bloodshed proved far from over. MSM hits another anti-Bush Home Run! Let's tie Somalia to Bush so we can start the shred the Opians, just like they do the US and Western militaries. Lead us, al-Pelosi! Just as the Iraq invasion has divided Americans "brewing"? In freaking Somalia? Dude, get your metaphors right. After just a week of fighting, Ethiopian troops have enabled Somalia's transitional government to regain control of a vast swath of southern Somalia that had been seized by Somalia's Islamic Courts Union over the past six months. By Thursday morning, Ethiopian and Somalia government troops reached the outskirts of the capital city of Mogadishu, with Islamic forces appearing to have disappeared into the populace. Run, hide, kill from behind women and children. Ethiopian leaders are calling the military intervention a smart pre-emptive strike against the spread of religious extremism in the Horn of Africa. They say the world should thank Ethiopia for defeating a coalition of militant Islamists that U.S. officials accused of having links to terrorism, including al-Qaida. Of course! And the MSM, EU, AL, UN, AU will hate you for upsetting muzzies! Others worry the foray could backfire over time by stirring political instability at home or driving Islamic terrorists to set their sights on Ethiopia. Oooooh. The dreaded instablity. Mr. Baker, save us, please? Ethiopia has no opinion polling to measure public attitudes and recent government crackdowns against opposition leaders and journalists have made some afraid to express their views. Who can't even say "We can say no more". Fascist But nearly everyone, including Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, agrees that the issue has sparked debate. "It's natural to have disagreements on fundamental issues," Mr. Meles said Thursday. Yet he stressed that Ethiopian people overwhelmingly support the action in Somalia. Ya see, we have had the honor of muzzie depradations for over 1300 years and we don't like 'em. So Buzz off! Earlier this month Ethiopia's parliament voted in favor of a Somalia engagement by about 75 percent. Though the vote suggested a resounding endorsement, opposition leaders said it was the closest tally they've had in a legislative body heavily dominated by Mr. Meles' party. One parliament member who is part of Mr. Meles' political coalition abstained, a rare act of defiance. There are always some 'dissidents' Noting that Islamists have threatened to resort to guerrilla tactics against Ethiopians, opposition leader Beyene Petros said he was not convinced that the threat posed by the Islamic courts merited Ethiopia's declaration of war. Oooooooh. The muzzies might hurt you, I mean us. "Ethiopia should not be bogged down in a problem that is not ours," he said. "This is not Ethiopia's problem. It's all of Africa's." No. It is a problem for the neighbors first and foremost as they threatened us. He also expressed concern that the government might use the perceived threat of terrorism to crack down against political enemies. After last year's disputed election, Mr. Meles was criticized for his response to large student demonstrations. Nearly 200 were killed and many elected opposition leaders remain in prison awaiting trial for treason. No reference to Pinochet...yet? Supporters of the intervention in Somalia point to the Islamists' declaration of a "holy war" against Ethiopia. "See, they said they wanted to either kill us, make us slaves and rape our women, or become muzzies. We decided on the option of War to save the lives of our prople and future". "It's self-defense," said Amare Aregawi, editor of the newspaper The Reporter. "People always say, 'Don't touch the terrorists. You'll aggravate them,' " said Mr. Aregawi, a former rebel fighter. "What are we supposed to do? Flatter them?" How did that ever get by the LAT's editors. Pointing out the obvious to the oblivious. Others said the Islamists in Somalia were merely a front for international jihadists or other enemies of Ethiopia. Duh! "I believe this whole thing came from Eritrea," said Michael G. Kirstus, 29, a customs house worker. International experts said Eritrea dispatched 2,000 troops to aid the Islamists, though the government denied it. There, of course. And soddiland, and afshitistan, and egypt, and syria, and iran, and pakiland. Allegations of U.S. involvement have been another hot-button issue in Ethiopia. Many believe the United States used Ethiopia to launch a proxy war against the Islamists. Boooooosh! killing dark people! "This was an American-made war," said Akmel Negash, 22, a student. Akmel Don't even rate a real arab name, huh. Mr. Meles on Thursday denied American soldiers or weapons were used in any battles, though he noted that the United States and Ethiopia have a long-standing agreement to share intelligence. The US gave us no: "We are not fighting anybody's war," Mr. Meles said. "We are fighting to defend ourselves." Ya silly f**ks! Wake the f**k up! Mr. Meles said that during a visit this month by U.S. Gen. John Abizaid, the American commander advised against a Somalia invasion. "He shared his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan with us and he indicated that we have, to the maximum extent possible, to avoid direct military intervention in Somalia," Mr. Meles said. "And we told him that our RoE is simply "kill the enemy", so we did that and won, You should try it". The war against Somalia's Islamists has been a touchy topic in Ethiopia's Muslim community. The country is about evenly split between Christians and Muslims, though Christians have dominated the government and Muslims were often oppressed. Though the communities have largely coexisted in peace, earlier this year, Muslim and Christian villagers clashed in southwest Ethiopia over a conflict about religious holidays. More than a dozen were killed and churches were burned. Ooooooh, touchy muzzies ya say. How unusual. Only churches burned, huh? Never seen THAT before, eh? WOW, am I shocked..NOT "Muslims in Ethiopia are angry," said Isaac Eshetu, 25, a student. "For 2,000 years they've been living as strangers in their own motherland." So, muzzies were in Ethiopia in 100AD. Inreresting, as the big paedo Mo wasn't born for almost 400 years. LMAO. Muzzies: the new Whiners. He said he opposes violence or imposing his religion on others, but "as a Muslim, I would like to live under an Islamic government." "Then I could take the nice Christian's house and daughters as my own. Makes sense to me." Duh. LMAO. Somehow muzzies never seem to notice how shitty all the 'islamic' countries are. Other Ethiopian Muslims said they supported the war. "I'm Muslim, but I don't identify with them," said Mohammed Arab, 33, a waiter in Addis. "They believe in holy war. I don't." Love this! "Look, I just want to make a living, have a wife and kids and be happy, ok? I just want to pray to allan and hopefully get into the garden, 'cause it is soooo tough here. |
| Posted by:Brett |
| #5 I don't give a rat's ass who my neighbors are as long as they are good people. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2007-01-01 18:35 |
| #4 The LAT always lives down to expectations. Even up north in moonbat territory, its circulatiion continues to hemorrhage away. |
| Posted by: RWV 2007-01-01 18:26 |
| #3 As a Christian, I would be proud to have Trailing Wife as a neighbor. And I would be just as happy to have Taoists living over the fence on the other side and Hindus across the street. But my ecumenicism stops at the door of the man who would lock up all our daughters and make us bow and scrape toward some faceless demon. This far and no further. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-01-01 11:40 |
| #2 Nisely fisked indeed, Brett. He said he opposes violence or imposing his religion on others, but "as a Muslim, I would like to live under an Islamic government." Golly! As a Jew, I prefer to live under a secular government, where citizens of all religions are treated with scrupulous equality, including the Muslims. Why d'you suppose he's so insecure that he needs his religion to be legislated? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-01-01 11:09 |
| #1 Dang! Good inline work Brett. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-01-01 05:58 |