Somalia-1 vs Islamic Militants-0

Somalia's parliament will declare martial law on Saturday for a period of three months, said the country's prime minister.
Government and Ethiopian troops took control of the capital Mogadishu from Islamic militants yesterday.

"This country has experienced anarchy and in order to restore security we need a strong hand, especially with freelance militias," Ali Mohamed Gedi told reporters Thursday in Mundul Sharey, his home village, some 40 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu.

Gedi made the comments during his first visit to his village since 2002 and came hours after troops loyal to the interim government of Somalia, backed by members of the Ethiopian military, entered the outskirts of Mogadishu on Thursday in the wake of fleeing Islamic militants.

The Council of Islamic Courts, the Islamic insurgents who had controlled the city since June and planned to form a government based on the Qu'ran, withdrew from the city without a fight in anticipation of the troops' arrival.

Your "live from the front" scribe;
Allan W Janssen
(With thanks to the CBC)

Pope and Queen-1 vs Somalia-0

Queen Elizabeth delivered her annual Christmas message yesterday, calling for mutual respect between young and old and greater religious tolerance. She said; "It is very easy to concentrate on the differences between the religious faiths and to forget what they have in common. People of different faiths are bound together by the need to make this world a better place."

Pope Benedict, meanwhile, urged peacefull solutions to crises worldwide yesterday, singling out the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and violence in Africa in his annual Christmas day message.

At the same time violence continued to flare in Somalia as Ethiopia entered the war.

Somalia has had no effective national government since 1991, though there is an internationally recognized government in Baidoa. This government, called the Transitional National Government, controls only Baidoa and is not recognized by most Somalis to be legitimate.

The other half of the country, with the bulk of the population, is controlled by the Islamic Courts Union. (ICU)
They control the critically important cities of Mogadishu and, since September 24, 2006, Kismayo.
The Islamic Courts Union seeks to install Sharia law in Somalia.

Hassan Aweys, Leader;
Islamic Courts Union and The Somalia Dental Association

Social law changes, such as the prohibition against watching movies and soccer in public, have become recent movements by the ICU to change behaviors and impost strict social mores.

(On a side note here, this is the main beef I have with these religious assholes. If they don't want to watch movies or soccer, or listen to music, that's their business! But, where did they ever get the idea that they can tell you, or me, or my aunt Bertha, what we can or can't do!!!)

In December 2006, the Islamist Militia declared war on Ethiopia , and started to attack the Ethiopian forces - after which, large forces of the Ethiopian army entered into Somalia.

On Sunday, December 24, 2006, Ethiopian forces launched airstrikes against Islamist fighters across Somalia. Ethiopian Information Minister Berhan Hailu stated that targets included the town of Buur Hakaba, which is close to the administration's base in Baidoa.

This was the first use of airstrikes by Ethiopia and also it's first public admission of involvement in Somalia.

On Monday December 25, 2006 Ethopian Jet fighters bombed the International airport in Mogadishu.

(Not-so-covert C.I.A. involvement is suspected in the battle to oust the Islamists.)

Your "reporting from the front" scribe;
Allan W Janssen

Short and not so sweet.

Just to get this straight, I remind you once again that last week the Pope quoted some 6-700 year old documents that basically said that some of Muhhamads teachings were "evil and inhuman" because they "spread their faith by the sword."

The Pope had to apologize for those remarks this week but just to prove how wrong he was some Muslims in Palestine went out and burned churches while in Somalia they killed a nun at a childrens hospital!
So there, take that Infidel!

Now here is where it gets even stranger. Muslim spokesman in different parts of the world have condemed acts by what they call "extremist elements" of Islam........ while at the same time calling on mainstream Muslims to practice restraint and not engage in any acts of violence in reprisal for the comments made by the Pope.

I may be a bit naive here but If Islam is such a religion of peace why do they have to issue an appeal for restraint in the first place.

Even though I am not a great fan of the Catholic Church, (or any other mainstream religion) I can't recall a single instance in the last five hundred years where the Vatican has had to call for calm and non-violence amongst the faithfull in regards to a perceived insult to Catholicism.

Remember boys and girls: Sticks and Stones my break my bones - but names will never hurt me...... So play nice!

Your Dismayed Scribe;
Allan W Janssen