Ethiopia invades Somalia

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/9f5deb00-1854-11db-99a6-0000779e2340.html

Eh, someone has to deal with those Islamists. Better to put an end to this now athan let it spread more instability through the region. Maybe they can even get the country a working government.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

So we end up with a 3-way split. Ethopia and the Transititional Government control one part, the Islamists control another, and Somaliland is the rest.

If Ethiopia were to get Western support and air strikes on their side they could probably dislodge the Islamists.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Has that region ever been stable?

Yes, even though that period involved both Ethiopia and Somalia both being under two rival murderous regimes.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

So we end up with a 3-way split. Ethopia and the Transititional Government control one part, the Islamists control another, and Somaliland is the rest.

If Ethiopia were to get Western support and air strikes on their side they could probably dislodge the Islamists.

At least 3-ways - I'm not sure who controls 4-5 Regions of Somalia - it might be the usual Somalian pastiche of random warlords. And there's Puntland as well. So we have 4 big factions and an unknown number of smaller factions.

Indeed, I am fairly sure that until recently the "transitional" "government" controlled only the immediate vicinity of Baidoa and the road from there to Ethiopia, so if these areas are now Ethiopian-held, they now control, eh, well, zilch or nigh-on zilch.

Of course, anyone aware of Somali and Ethiopian recent history knows that no other news (well, except perhaps a Somali invasion of Ethiopia) could have possibly been worse.

The Islamists taking over the whole country certainly would be. After all, they killed peopel for watching the World Cup and have said they'll execute anyone who misses daily prayers.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

yeah, where'd he go?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

That's because those whackjobs they're fighting who killed people for watching the World Cup are FAR worse. I don't who does it, I just want them wiped out.