galbeedi

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  3. Posted

    Many decades ago an American executive said " what is good for General Motors is good for America", referring to the importance of the car maker to the American economy. At that time, GM was producing 2% of the countries GDP. Imagine an industry that is almost 40% of national gross domestic product (GDP). Well, that is the Somali livestock industry. export could be better than black gold, literally. During the Hajj, the average goat sells around $75 dollars. That is the price individual sellers get from the exporters. The traders sell to the gulf buyers to an average of $90 dollars per goat. One of my close friends who went to Hajj in October of this year, told me that they paid between $150-200, to get a sheep or a goat for the ritual slaughter of the Hajj .

     

    In 2014, Somalia exported a record 5 million livestock to markets in the Gulf of Arabia. This is the highest number of live animals exported from Somalia in the last 20 years. The export data, collected by the FAO-managed Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU), indicates that Somalia exported 4.6 million goats and sheep, 340,000 cattle and 77,000 camels in 2014, worth an estimated $360 million. Among the major ports that exported these Livestock's are Berber and Bosaaso. in the north west of the country, Berbera is the leading port of all animal exports with 3.4 million heads and almost 70% of all Somali exports, while Bosaaso in the north east was second with 1.6 million heads of livestock. While couple of hundred thousand animals were exported from Mogadishu in late 2014, the FAO report did not include those numbers. The 2015 numbers could hit a record high when the Mogadishu and Kismayo port exports are added. Livestock is the mainstay of the Somali economy, contributing 40 percent to the country's Gross Domestic Product. According to FAO, the number of Somali livestock population is about 37 millions, which puts Somalia among the top ten producers of goat and camel.

     

    According to financial times , " There are few business areas in which a failed state might hope to challenge the developed world, but in recent years Somali livestock exports to the Middle East have overtaken those from Australia." "Including goats, cattle and camels, total livestock exports from the civil war afflicted territories rose to 4.8m in what is the world’s largest on-the-hoof movement in the live animal trade". “There’s no single time that they ever exported such large numbers before,” says Ernest Njoroge, livestock expert at the EU’s Somalia Unit. “If the ports in Berbera, Bosaso and Mogadishu become very, very efficient , then that will even increase". Matter of taste: Somali goat is said to be sweeter and less fatty .

     

     

    That is huge earning for a country recovering from a civil war, yet most of the profits end up in the pockets of the exporters and gulf buyers, and it doesn't improve the lives of Somali nomads and farmers who raise these livestock's. There are no structural selling mechanism, or auction houses that guarantees basic value of the product for the small Somali sellers.

     

    Strong growth in livestock exports must create benefits for others, such as rural communities, and rural service providers. There are also significant indirect effects on the broader economy through additional spending and upward pressure on the exchange rate. If the country is earning hundred millions of dollars for it's exports , that will increase the exchanges of the Somali shilling against foreign currencies. All that benefits must be felt among the pastorals, villagers and towns that are connected to this trade.

     

     

     

    While most of you are aware of the export value of the Somali livestock to the national economy, In this peace, I want specifically to concentrate on how all this millions of dollars do not affect indirectly on the lives of Somali pastorals and farmers who raise the animals. There are couple of fundamental reasons which kept the Somali pastorals poor and backward. One is cultural, the other is systematic , which could only be improved by government intervention and the introduction of modern technics.

     

     

     

    1- Introducing modern trade system that protects the Somali Livestock Exporters.

     

     

     

    I had some personal experience in dealing with livestock both here in the diaspora and back home, where my own family was involved in the trade of goats and sheep to major markets. It is a long story, but I would try to make it short. One of my uncles was a trader who exported oxen from Djibouti to Yemen. Small time merchants and individual pastorals used to pool their livestock to gather and walk them from Awdal and hawd to all the way to Djibouti. Usually , while the wholesale buyer ships the animals to Yemen, these small traders must wait weeks and months to be paid for their animals. By the time they got paid, they already spend half of their earning for the expenses they accrued during their stay.

     

     

     

    Some of you might have seen few months ago in the news about some merchants from Hawd complaining in Burco for lack of payment for their livestock ( waxay dhaheen waa nala dhacay), that story is familiar every where, whether it's in Bosaso, Djibouti, Hargeisa or KIsmaayo. In one of his largest exports, my uncle pooled and collected 2000 caws from more than thirty small traders and individual pastorals . The value of the livestock was more than $850,000 dollars in early 1984. The Yemeni trader took all the livestock and exported to Aden after paying less than 10% deposit. His agent in Djibouti disappeared and my uncle spend two years in Yemen chasing after them in their courts and in Djibouti embassy with no result. While he was fighting to get his money back in Yemen , the traders were borrowing money from his shops and businesses . Within a year he lost every thing including shops, houses and other businesses, while the poorer traders became destitute. To my surprise, when I went to Djibouti in 2011, he was still chasing the Yemeni thieves. It could be happening in Somalia as we speak. Today in Berbera or Bosaso, individual Saudi and other Gulf importers insist on having a monopoly to all imported livestock's. Mr. Aljabir in Berbera, would not allow anyone else to import and compete, In some cases, their governments could refuse the livestock at their ports without valid reasons and return the malnourished goats and sheep's to their original ports. When that happens everyone loses.

     

     

     

    That is systemic trade problem which only a government can resolve by introducing export development banks and insurance mechanism that could protect the traders and exporters. Imagine the potential for the government to earn taxes from an export industry worth $700 million dollars a year within few years. Rather than beg few millions from the donor countries, the Somali livestock could generate ten times more . Almost every major nation whose economy is dependent on export has to encourage and safeguard the exporters. Here in Canada , the government created a single desk or a wheat pool to sell wheat and barley produced in the western provinces. In this vast land of Canada, it was difficult for individual farmers to transport the wheat from prairie land to the ports in the Pacific or Atlantic oceans. The Canadian Wheat Board collects all the products and sells the to the international market with guaranteed price for the farmers.

     

     

     

    The CWB’s mandate was to pay farmers a base price for their grain, identify markets, negotiate the best price, deliver the goods, issue advance cheques and make final payment after the crop was sold. If the wheat market went up, farmers pocketed the profits. If the market went down, the government absorbed the loss. Nothing was subtracted from the farmer’s share except the cost of marketing and delivery. In this case Somali traders could pool their livestock together and the government could guarantee the sale from a foreign government. The government will do all the necessary leg work, like marketing and transporting. Since open grazing of goats and sheep in valleys, mountains and other open grazing lands may cause huge environment foot print , new technics of cutting and collecting hey and grass during rainy seasons and restoring them for animal feed during winter and dry seasons should be introduced. New Zealand, a small nation in the Indian Ocean, exports $10 billion worth of dairy products throughout the world.

     

     

     

    2- Overcoming the culture of being poor and not having the benefit of your wealth.

     

     

     

    Now , let us tackle the cultural dilemma of poor Somali pastorals holding valuable commodity in their back yard. We are all familiar with camel herder guarding 50 camels and not even having shoes to walk to the burning soil. He is watching $50,000 worth of products, yet he thinks he is a poor man compared to the town folks who may not even have fifty dollars in their pocket. I do not know exactly how many goats, sheep or camel the average Somali pastoral family has, but we can assume that in Somali standards, someone that is grazing 20 goat is considered a poor family. If each one of these goats is worth eighty dollars, these family is worth $1600 with no liabilities, rents or other major monthly bills. They could sell one each month and maintain basic living stander. If they got few camels, and a dozen caws that is automatically makes them well off family since a camel is worth $1000 dollars. The main issue is educating and convincing them the value of their product, while building auctions and regulated market halls where the nomads could not be cheated by the town and city brokers who are well known to be cut throat crooks . A desperate nomad who wants to buy a kilo of sugar and 5 pound of rice for his family, can not negotiate or deal with the typical Somali " Dilaal". In some cases, they may get less than 50% of the value after paying the brokers and waiting to paid for few days. Just like exchange rates, the market prices could be broadcasted by local radio and other media. It is unacceptable for the Somali farmers and pastoral nomads who represent 40% the GDP, to remain poor while holding the most valuable commodity in the country. Every village and town should create auction houses and market halls which records every transaction in order for the local government to collect it's share of taxes. This industry could employ tens of thousands of people throughout the country.

     

     

     

    While energy prices are volatile-- from a hundred dollar a barrel to $40 dollars within a year--- the price of stable foods are growing around the world. The price of beef, flower, rice and goat meet have doubled for the last two decades. They may fluctuate here and there, but they remain steady. If you are importer of these commodities, like Somaliland region, were inflation is out of control, people are suffering a lot, because the prices they are paying is similar to those first world countries are paying. Food and animal products are not going down , never. By being a Somali nomad , I was mobile in so many ways, which means you try different things and if you fail you move on. As one of my nomadic adventures, I did open a Somali restaurant ( which is one of the worst jobs in the world working seven days a week) few years ago in Alberta. Almost all the goat meat that we sold came from Australia and New Zealand, and it was all frozen. In fact the goats were slaughtered one or two years before we received them. If the price of the meat goes down in the market, they freeze and restore until the market stabilizes. When we travel to the Canadian country side to buy fresh goat meat, usually you deal with small farmers with a dozen or so goats in a small enclosed area. if he sells 10 goats a year with his other dairy products and other farm stables , he should be in a very comfortable lifestyle. He can only farm seven months a year because of the harsh winter, and all his animals are confined indoors half of the year. Meat is a valuable commodity to be wasted or left to rot like a fruit. Most Somali towns and villages get their meat directly from the slaughter house to their stories and open market stalls. After two days, all that meat must be sold, given away or cooked by the family themselves. It simple. It must be sold within 48 hours or thrown out. It could be a long term process but, electrifying the country side and introducing refrigeration in small town and villages should be the next step. After the meat is consumed the reaming body parts, like bones and skin should be used for other industrial purposes. I read that some people in Somalia have already making soaps and other products from these bones.

     

     

     

    In conclusion, in-depth research is needed for the livestock industry to became the biggest foreign currency earner for Somalia second only to the diaspora remittance. I believe practical issues could easily produce good results. I would hire few dairy farmers from Turkey, New Zealand and Canada and instruct them to teach our people their modern techniques. We do not need NGO and others who spend useless researches who only produce paper trails.

     

     

     

    All this necessary steps could be implemented by the national government. Somali regional governments can not negotiate with Saudis , gulf countries and the world to expand these livestock economic benefits. That is why we need a stable national government for the benefit of all Somalis.

     

     

     

    Finally, if there are some errors in this article please feel free to correct. This is some thought of mine with some google feeds.

     

     

     

    Thanks.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  4. Posted

    He might be frustrated , yet, he acknowledges the resilience of the people. There was a guy from London, England who opened a restaurant and bar called Village in Mogadishu. Al-shabab militants targeted him and bombed his restaurant twice. Every time he opened again and kept going.

     

    Same goes with Aljezeera Hotel. They bombed that hotel few days after Hassan Sheekh inaugurated for President. Few months ago not only the bombed, they attacked with gun men. The owner rebuilt the Hotel and kept going. CiidanSuldaan, that is resilience and toughness of the Somalis in Mogadishu that can not be ignored.

  6. Posted

    Waar magaaldan mishaarkii ciidanka la laayahay ee hadana daaraha laga wada dhisanayo. Tolow xagay wax iska qaban laayihiin?.

     

    Who is paying all this huge sky crappers in the city?. Is this the looted money from the UN and the gulf?, someone must explain.

  7. Posted

    Did you guys hear at 2:16 , he said Somali bank" ayaa maalganayo $20 million. We have a central bank which basically is government deposit and salary dispenser. how could they lend someone 20 mil.

     

    Can some one elaborate. What kind of bank is willing to give 20 million for someone to build gated communities. Let them raise their own money from private investors. Unless they clarify, this smells like connected people getting rich without hard work.

  10. Posted

    Did they think Al-shabaab will give them a break because they ban charismas?. It is in almost every major newspaper around the world. The only country in the Muslim world banning charismas.

     

    This leader is incompetent. Over half million Somalis are scattered around western Christian nations seeking refuge, yet , he decided to put his ugly for all to see. Does anyone guess what they trying to gain?. Maybe they were trying to answer to warlord Dahir Alasow who accused them something about NGO or what not, I do not remember.

  13. Posted

     

     

    King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud is the last ruler among the 45 sons of King Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud, founder of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Among The Sudairy seven brothers, King Fahd was the oldest, while Salman was the second youngest. Of those who were born in the twenties, thirties and early nineteen forties, he will represent the last generation of Saudi princes who are in their late seventies and early eighties. The new king himself is 80 years old. The old guard is out.

     

    He is considered as one of few hard working among Saudi princes. AS governor of Riyadh province for almost 50 years, he transformed the region as one of the most advanced in terms infrastructure, education , business and tourism. He advised his brothers who ruled the country and watched their performance for fifty years. He contributed to charities in foreign poor countries. In all accounts, he is not a playboy like his older brother Fahd, and not too lazy, complacent, sick and senile as the last king Abdullah, who ruled until he died at the age 90.

     

    No one notices or talks about these old kings except when they die or crowned as rulers. In 2016 that is about to change. Almost everyone around the world have noticed the global nature of the world. information technology and trade has transformed the world. Conflicts, natural disasters and human events are felt within the global village as they happen and are streamlined live for everyone to see. The Saudis and the gulf monarchs thought that by shielding themselves from the world , and rejecting democracy, human right, modernity, accountability and the generational change that is sweeping nations around the world, they could remain inside the feudal bubble created by their ancestors. By enjoying their petro dollars within their borders and spree spending the rest of their wealth around the globe like drunken sailors , and buying loyalties from others powers, would save them from the turmoil and conflicts ravaging their neighbors and around the region. Rather than keep the Wahabi ideology--which perfectly fits to their closed feudal society---they exported in conflict zones with deadly consequences.

     

     

     

    They watched as their neighbors fall like dominos one after another. After dictator Saddam was removed - he was the greatest barrier to Shia dominated Iran- they did not raise their voice or proposed alternatives to the Iran backed Shia parties. The Shia leaders of Iraq protested loudly if any one among their neighbors involved in their affaires, but welcomed Iran from the back door. To confront this alliances, the Sunnis who did not had any meaningful support, were hijacked by terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda who bombed markets, innocent civilians and government forces alike. From 2004-2008, this Sunni insurgencies created unparalleled suffering for both the Iraqi people and the coalition forces. For Al-Qaeda and it's followers, the suffering, the death and destruction of the Sunni population, was simply a collateral damage for their goal creating chaos among the middle east and Africa. The United States and the coalition forces, with help of Sunni tribesmen defeated the Al-Qaeda affiliated groups from Anbar and other provinces to salvage the remaining Sunni community from destruction. Although the invasion of Iraq by America was the biggest calamity in the region, I am one of those who believe the over throw of Saddam could have happened regardless of who became President in America.

     

     

    Rather than incorporate the Sunnis to the Government and build a non sectarian national government , the Shia led government used both the national army and illegal sectarian militia, to target and eliminate all Sunni voices regardless of terrorist connection or not. To confront this Shia hegemony, the response of the Saudis were to arm few Sunni tribes and send Saudi Wahhabis, misfits and criminals in their jails to Iraq to fight the government forces. Rather than implement a wide regional strategy to help those seeking change both in Syria and Iraq , they just sent weapons to the narrow minded sectarians who do not have the wider support of the people.

     

     

    Even when these Sunni tribes, Baathists and Salafis were winning both in Iraq and Syria, they found a way to throw away all that success and confront the international community in a dramatic way that no one have ever seen before in their life times. They could have told the world that, the Sunni population will no longer suffer under the yolk of Iran inspired Shia governments of Assad and Iraq, and are seeking protection and cooperation with both the Arab world and the international community. They found a way to crown a self appointed Amir. He never mentioned the suffering of his people , he never proposed the partition of Iraq to save his community, nor he sent an olive branch of hope to the world. Like most Arab despots of his time, he declared himself the Amir of all Muslim faithful around the world. These Arabs always find a way to portrait every sectarian and regional conflicts among them as some sort of an issue facing the Billion and half Muslims of the world. They are not even 25% of the total Muslim population of the world. When he was confronted, his answer was beheading of the innocent hostages while the camera was rolling. He found an ally and willing propagandists among the American cable news who told us about the birth of the so called ISIS . The rest is history. The gulf nations watched as these events unfold.

     

     

    Iran on the other hand, claims to be a friend of Muslim revolutionary movements around the world especially those seeking change among the Arab countries and the Palestinian territories. At the same time, for the last four years , they spent blood and treasure to keep Assad in power, facilitate the killing of hundreds of thousands and uprooting millions of civilians from their homes. They are willing to shed as much blood as possible to keep a small Shia minority, who are 10% of the population to stay in power. They just sit back and plot while refugees are pouring around the region. They want to keep Syria in order to have an access in Lebanon to a small rag tag militia called HisbuAllah. Iran says, these militias are it's proxy army against Israel, but Israel left southern Lebanon fifteen years ago in 2000. Millions of people are sacrificed, in order to keep a satellite militia in another country. The American leadership seem to be rewarding these Iranian adventures in the middle east. Obama was negotiating with Iran over nuclear proliferation for the last five years and finally singed a deal this year. As a world power, the United States could have pressured Iran to find a reasonable settlement to the conflict in Syria and stop the suffering of the civilian population. Iran not only got what it wanted, but went even further and invited the Russians to complicate the matter and reduce the American voice. Folks, Obama is retreating while the despot Putin is flexing his muscle.

     

     

     

    they Arab league and it's members were unable to resolve any conflict within the Arab world. Three of the biggest wars in the world for the last 30 years happened in their back yard. They watched Somalia, a member of the Arab league , suffer for more than twenty years while leaving her to the mercy of ruthless neighbors. The Arab League was founded in 1945. For seventy years nothing has changed. Compare that to the evolutionary steps the European union and others had taken to be an organization for the common good of it's members. They always called others to clean up their mess. The two of biggest Arab armies in the region, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, plus the modern gulf air force with help of Turkey , could have imposed no fly zone and sent a 100,000 army to stop the murderer Assad. They waited and waited, putting their hope that America could intervene and stop the genocide in Syria. Well, by now they realized America is led by a weak president who doesn't want any headache.

     

     

    Now, the whole world is waiting if this Saudi sponsored anti terror coalition has any teeth. Are they willing to do the heavy lifting necessary to achieve these goals?, Are they willing to confront these terror groups in Africa, especially in Nigeria and Somali?. If the answer to all this yes, then they must move and act quickly before it is too late. They must open their wallets and help build the national armies of these venerable nations. With two or three billions , Somalia can organize a series national army that can keep the peace in the horn of Africa. We are known to be generous and tough if the right circumstances present themselves.

     

     

    Can you imagine, the poor and dirty Burundi, inflamed by a dictator who wants to rule for life, is burning as we speak , yet, they have soldiers in Somalia for keeping the peace while the African union is trying to send peace keepers to Burundi. Another dictator, Ismail Omar Gelle of Djibouti, this week massacred 20 people and wounded 70 , who gathered for Mawliid celebration. For this thin skin dictator, any gathering or peaceful protest is detrimental to his ego. He can't hear any criticism. That is why he invested heavily in all Somali owned television and radio stations in the diaspora. He pays directly those who manage the BBC Somali service, the VOA, Universal TV and all others. Few weeks ago he declared himself President for life. He said that his supporters said--- " Aabo hanaga Tegin", -- please do not leave us. In Ethiopia, the ruling party won 99% of the vote. If anyone dare to protest, they use life bullets, killing scores to send a message. These are the despots the who are trying to keep Somalia save while sitting in a hot volcano. The King and his men could both change the Kingdom and the region if they have the will, then again it might be too little too la

     

  19. Posted

    Holac, you got some valid points. The rebels will not roll over. They have big backers and territory. Putin may as well hit a quagmire in the long run. My argument is some times quick intervention is the best solution.

     

    Imagine if the war between Qaddafi and the eastern based rebels were left to continue without western intervention. Qaddafi with his air force and tribal base, the rebels with their public support , could have lasted many more years without clear winner and an ending bloodshed. While Libya is still in great upheaval, it is much better than Syria.

     

    The crust of the matter is, he could have created no fly zones four years ago and spared the suffering of millions.

     

    Holac, by the way, the conservatives are disintegrated to many different groups. Some are out right crazy maniacs, who do not have any meaningful ideas. Among them are Cruz, Huckabee and Trump. But the realist ones have concrete solutions.

     

  20. Posted

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    To run for President in Somalia you must have money, a lot of money. In fact you must have a truck load of money. In early October 2012, when he came back from Mogadishu after the loss of the Somali election to Hassan Sheekh Mohamuud, Proff. Ahmed Samatar told us that " we lost the election because of money and tribal machinations". When I told that story to one my friends in Ottawa, he said " Waar ma caruur baynu nahay mise waan is yeel yeelanaa, Qabaa'il la isku duba rito iyo lacag in furuhu yahay ma cid aan ogayn ayaa jirta". Roughly means " isn't it that obvious? ".

     

     

     

    I am one of those who believe that money alone will not resolve the problem. While having money helps you grease the dry and hungry Somali hands, peoples skill and personalities may go a long way to earn or loose a friend. great communication skills ; grass root organizations and cultural understanding of Somali people; generosity and having an out going personality are needed to gain the trust of the people.

     

     

     

    Before we indulge on the financial help that swayed the election in to the President Hassan's favour , let us examine his other strengths, including his peoples personalities that he showed way before the election. The Hiil-Qaran party was in the works since early 2008, but we haven't launched it officially until the spring of 2011. Some of the major platform document that covered the nation security, economic and social issue of the party were produced in a conference held in Djibouti called " Hoog Qaran Iyo Hill aqoon yahan".

     

     

     

    We took that name after that conference. In December 2010, that conference was organized and hosted by the Djibouti government. people from back home and from the diaspora were invited to participate. I did not participate in that conference , but I was in Djibouti for different reasons when it concluded. While Proff. Samatar, who chaired that conference made his usual big noises , a quite Hassan Sheekh Mohamud was sitting in his chair acting like a private citizen who was their just to observe. He was among a dozen participants who came from Mogadishu, Garowe and Bossaaso. While Samatar was making waves in Djibouiti , including chatting with dictator Omar Geelle, who pledged his support for the professor, Mr. Hassan Sheekh worked his plan quietly. Also people who met Mr. Hassan many years ago will tell you that the wide smile (Qoslaaye) we all happen to notice when he meets people, was always present regardless of the circumstances. Regardless of that smile and outgoing personality, at the end, it was money that elevated President Hassan to the presidency. Money that was funneled from the gulf monarchs through Islamic charities controlled by one of his friends.

     

     

     

    Now let us leave behind that history of 2012 , and way forward to the up coming election of 2016. My sources told me that the outgoing unofficial president of Somalia Nicolas Kay and his international backers have agreed that a change of leadership in Somalia is overdue in order to move forward. When I say change , I mean change of leadership not only from President Hassan but change from the same HAG clan that was ruling the country since 2009. This development became apparent after former President Shariif Ahmed and others from that same clan appeared to be the leading candidates to replace Hassan Sheekh. An emergency meeting between Nicolas Kay, the incoming United Nations envoy Michael Keating and President Hassan took place in late November to discuss the new criteria of selecting the 2016 parliament and possible alternating of the presidency to different clans.

     

     

    In these discussions with UN envoys , President Hassan accepted the Idea of alternating the Presidency to the "D" block. Since they have a head start from anyone else, The Damjadiid boys begun their campaign to hand pick the next "D" block leader to replace Hassan Sheekh. Not only they will be picking the next leader , but they have also decided from which "D" block clan they prefer to select from. This time Damujadiid are not alone . There is another group, mainly connected to " Islaah Movement" who are also competing to be power brokers with extensive connections to Islamic charities and are expecting money from abroad to achieve their goal. On the second group of Islaah, the main players are Shariif Hassan of South west region; Ahmed Faqi, the man Damjadiid defeated in Galmudug, Ina Carte qalib, and others. The strange thing is Damujadiid are pushing former Prime minister Farmaajo to be their man.

     

     

    When I asked " how about other millionaire businessmen in Mogadishu and Nairobi, don't they have a horse in this race?", he said "No business people can afford to throw millions of dollars on election without knowing the outcome". As I said, only those who have access to unearned money from the gulf could compete in this race. If this report is true a whole new group of people will not only be buying the election, but will be running the country through the gulf.

     

     

     

  21. Posted

     

     

    The exeptionalism of the united state was something Americans and people around the globe looked up to it . It has always been a place of hope and the destination for people fleeing oppression, poverty and tyranny. They have welcomed almost everyone regardless of ethnic origin, culture and religion. In 2002 , in the height of 911 crises, President Bush and his administration airlifted 10,000 Somalis from Kenyan refugee camps. These were very venerable people who were poor, black and Muslim. In The Somali nomadic culture, it is a weakness to neither apologise for a mistake nor to say how one is grateful of someone's help.

     

    There were many communities who were settled in America. Regardless of it's contradictions and problems , America is still the preferred destination for people around the globe. since his historic election in 2008 and his re-election three year ago, President Obama has done many good things for his country. He stabilized the American economy from the financial collapse of 2009 , he created and brought back millions of jobs lost on that crises , he implemented the affordable health care act which gave access to millions of uninsured Americans and the price of gasoline is at all time low since 2005. he showed a soft and gentler American leadership around the globe, and finally he inspired and gave hope and bride among many black Americans in his country.

     

    While he has done many great things for his country, he failed in one of the fundamental aspects of the American leadership. While keeping the nation save is the primary duty of every president , He failed to grasp the American leadership and position around the globe. He did not realize that, if the United State doesn't stop genocide and tyranny around the world , no one will. He failed to understand that any void left by the retreating American leadership will be filled by ruthless dictators and tyrants like Putin , Ayatollah or any other unscrupulous greedy leaders like the Chinese's.

     

    America is not supposed to be a benevolent Scandinavian country like Sweden or good old Canada, providing peace keeping and other humanitarian needs of the world. Being the leader of American nation means stepping up and doing the dirty jobs that many has shied away for many different reason. It means stepping on someone else's toes and stopping genocide around the globe. If America doesn't , no one will. Imagine if the affairs of the world were left to whims of the Russian and Chinese despots, the Xenophobic Hungarians and their financially broke Greeks breathers, or Arab monarchs and dictators. Believe me you, we would be in dire situation.

     

    In the early nineties, Europe was devastated by the Bosnian war. It was one of the most cruel war in Europe since second world war, over 220,000 people, mostly civilians have died in less than few years. Serbian dictator Milosevic and his paramilitary forces murdered thousands of un armed civilians, shelled major cities and markets . Europe watched as that slaughter underwent, even the incompetent Dutch military, deployed to safeguard civilians in the so called save heaven of Srebrenica, not only watched , but allowed the Serbian militia to over run the UN protected town. They did nothing but observe when Serb militia rounded up 7,000 men and boys , walked them to the forest and massacred. Europe did nothing. Finally the United States led by President Clinton with help of the Republican congress acted and stopped the war. Milosevic tried to repeat the same tactic in 1998 in Kosovo.

     

    But, this time the United State led NATO intervened and bombed Milosevic and his military infrastructure until he accepted a United Nations procured peace deal. .Russia, led by Boris Yelsin tried to intervene , but was swayed by the American collision. By the way, all of that American intervention was done to save helpless Muslims of Bosnia and Kosovo. while the victims of these wars are grateful with intervention of America , others will despise their actions. Remember , one you lead , you may not be liked , but you will be respected. That was the American execeptionalism that Obama doesn't understand.

     

    Today we are all watching the bickering and finger pointing of the American leadership and their failure to resolve the Syrian issue to one way or another. The dithering President Obama is satisfies to just manage the chaos unfolding in his own eyes. Few yeas ago he set a red line for his involvement in Syria, choosing chemical weapons to be the catalyst for his intervention. The chemicals have been already used with devastating effect. While there are no empirical evidence pointing out to a particular group for using chemical weapons, there are many ways he could help and reduce the carnage in Syria, minimize the mass movements of the refugees and the barrel bombing of civilian by the tyrant Assad. He could have set up a civilian protection Zones were aerial bombing is off limits from the Syrian bombers, Just like his predecessors like Clinton did in the nineties to protect southern Iraq and northern Kurdistan from Saddam's planes.

     

    If there is anyone who could be helping Syrians or reducing the emptying 10 million refugees from their homes, it is Obama. If there is anyone capable of stopping the carnage of aerial bombardment of civilians, it is President Obama. Yet , he is satisfied with debating the rednecks of America and the nativists who has nothing else to offer. Of course , he likes lecturing Americans for the merits of allowing few thousands Syrians by sounding as someone who is taking the higher moral ground. Allowing some refugees will not resolve the plight of millions of refugees who would prefer safety in their home land. Well, he could probably feel good by winning the debate among " Jacksonian red necks", As someone pointed out last week.

     

    This weak leader, who represents the retreating of American influence around the globe, even went further and inadvertently or by design , allowed the Russian tyrant Putin to have a permanent base in the middle east. Putin is the man who is arming and allowing pro-Russian rebels to terrorizing next door neighbor Ukraine. Putin is amused and some what surprised by the idea of Turkey helping their north Syrian Turkmen to fight Assad. Few months ago Obama called Putin a dictator who is undermining his neighbors by annexing Crimea and other regions, and imposed economic and political sanctions. How can you allow that same tyrant to flex his muscle in the middle east and bomb the same Syrian opposition America is arming to oust Assad. If he has the backbone , he could easily defeat ISIS , Putin , Assad and the Ayatollahs in Syria and make the world a save place . America is a constitutional republic which renews it's moral mandate every decade throughout history. A buffoon like Donald Trump or back ward looking Wahabis running like a mad dogs in the middle East will not change the character of the nation.

     

    He is sending five hundred there , and then adding another fifty special ops there and so on. He could easily set up a refugee protection area and no fly zones within the country to help those fleeing bombardment. He could have listened American political veterans like Senator McCain and others who predicted this outcome long time ago, but, as I said, in the headline he is happy managing chaos. Few months ago the new President of Nigeria Mohamadu Bohari after a visit in the white asked him to deliver some modern weapons to defeat the terrorist group Boko Haram. Obama denied that requested, and as usual lectured him about corruption and other issues. Rather than help them crush the threat imposed this crazy movement, he narrates his usual utopian rhetoric.

     

    Same political strategy of chaos is directed in Somalia. Rather than train and equip the Somali army, he is concentrating with useless drones to kill some insignificant Al-shabaab leaders. Every other month , a useless Al-shabaab commander is killed by drones , while the American defence leadership announces the news in a press conference. It seems the whole American strategy in Somalia is observing the movements of Al-shabaab leadership so they could take out a useless looser.

     

     

    In Yemen , for four yeas , he was chasing few Al-Qaeda members in the mountains of Yemen with drones and other targeted killings while ignoring the Iranian backed Houthies militia who were over working to took over the whole country. At the same time, the legitimate government of Yemen disappeared without strong resistance. Folks, these are the failures of Obama's policies in the middle east.

     

     

    In Africa, since his election, the audacity of African dictators has surpassed the limits. Client states like Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Djibouti who all receive a huge amount of aid from America, have all refused to end their grip on power and decided to rule for ever. There are no significant pressure from Obama to democratize the continent and force these dictators to abandon their illegal maneuvers.

     

     

    When those mischievous Norwegian Noble committee awarded the Noble Peace Price in 2010, while Obama has done anything peace worth, I knew they were trying to disarm America and tie the hands of President Obama . Before he leaves office, this President will be supervising chaos, instability and terrorism around the globe. Finally, Mr. Obama could keep lecturing the red necks about the merits of the American melting pot or he could act and show the world once again that the United States doesn't watch history but makes history.