Thankful, I'm still not convinced by your argument, saaxib. It makes it sound as if these guys were lying in wait (Atam like) for such an opportunity so that they can start a clan war. As for the false news, hasn't that always been a fact of somali life? Surely it is not Nassir and Xudaydii who quote false/fake sites, everyone from SL all the way to ONLF supporters do it when it matches their feelings. This brings us back to the reasons behind this anger. If you're sincere in your 'neutral' stance you would stop being defensive and hear (address) out their grievences. Don't follow Duke's principle that regards looking at both sides of an argument as the height of treason. Wax fahan.

^^ Oh, if you're going that far back, you should include Anelka then.

^^ As Murhino said, Arsenal had those young players for years and they are still 'developing' them. Babel is not going to have a good season, saaxib. It is impossible for someone so inconsistent to have a good season. Players like him are all over the place. You think they're going to be great when they first come out but they go on to disappoint year after year until they retire. As for Wenger nurturing talent. Who was the last PROPER player he nurturned? How long ago was that?

^^ Nope. I'm with Liverpool all the way. I'm not you dee. As for what Kuyt did. If you have not been watching there is no point reminding you. Oz, nothing about losing. I'm right here and you both are wrong. Follow the facts, saaxib.

^^ Dee you both don't know Football. All the football EXPERTS would agree with my argument than yours. Kubbada barta dee. Norf, Go support Celtic or Rangers, saaxib. That way you will always know your team is going to win the league every year. Rafa made mistakes but who doesn't. As for Kuyt, he has been great for every team he played for, not just Holland. Like I told you, adigu you have an Arsenal fan mentality. You think football is all about nutmegs and prancing around. Naga daaa.

^^ Nothing of note? What, like getting to the world cup final with Holland? And I'm the badow? As for Rafa, nobody is perfect but he is in the top five of world managers. At any rate, he is much better than Roy Hodgson. Kubbada baro warya.

Babel spends 95% of his time running, saaxib. His passing is ALWAYS erratic and he is the least incisive of the whole squad (not just team). As for Rafa, dee adiga iska hadlay. The man got us to TWO champion's league finals. Something that took Sir Alex over ten years to achieve. He won us cups and almost won us the league. He often outwitted ALL the big names in the sport. And, when he left us, it only took him two weeks to land the job of manager of the EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS. Adigu, you are of the Kevin Keegan School of football punditry. It's all attack, attack, attack. And you are not alone, there are millions of people like you who get impressed by some player once and spend the rest of their lives saying what a great player he is (even though it is clear to all that he is rubbish). Kubbado is not about beautiful volleys and xarragow or else Arsenal would have won the league every year. Kubbada baro warya (and go support Arsenal oo Liverpool ha ceebeen ). P.S. You're only one step better than Tuujiye's 'I saw Vialli score in an FA cup and fell in love with Chelsea' mentality. P.P.S Lucas has more compsure than Masch and Kuyt is a world class player. WORLD CLASS.

Thought this article was well written and with the right amount of mockery of a situation that exists today but without any outright accusations or finger pointing at particular wadaads (save the one with Al Jazeera).

^^ I am happy to see him go. We have Lucas, badow yaho. But I've given up on trying to convince you of anything. You think Roy and Babel are the future of Liverpool and that Kuyt is rubbish. We understand football differently, saaxib. Whilst I enjoy the tactical game, the way the teams set up themselves and the overall ability of players, you only care for hollywood passes and the occassional Babel stumble that eventually results in a goal. Kubbada baro.

Chelsea don't need him anyway. They have two good players in his position. They really need a cover on the other side for Cole and someone in the middle who can be a younger replacement for Deco.

^^ Yes. But are Atam's supporters doing it because he is from their clan (sub sub sub clan) or becuase they are AL SHABAB? You know it is not all black and white just like Laas Caanod being in the hands of SL does not mean that all the clan of that city support SL (or else there would not be SSC). Wax fahan and stop being stubborn warya.

By Luqmaan Sheekh Abdirahman August 26, 2010 The fusion of business and religion is a deadly mix. Business requires flexibility in interactions with partners and clients. It also instructs unyielding devotion to self-interest. Religion imparts wisdom and guidance with intransigence and selflessness. Flexibility doesn’t go hand-in-hand with intransigence; selfishness doesn’t pair with altruism. So, the new breed of Wadaads with proven acumen in business and investment must really be cunning and intelligent lot. They have managed to reconcile the seemingly conflicting principles without causing even a gentle bang. They have succeeded in remaining as self-centered as a Wall Street Stock Exchange broker and as charitable as Mother Theresa at one and the same time. That their theological reputation and hegemony is mounting as fast as the expansion of their business empires, is a measure of their unparalleled sagacity and sophistication. But, it seems intoxicated with their colossal achievements, the ‘Sheikh’s’ may be getting complacent, even too arrogant to notice the swelling skepticism among the “not-so-enlightened hordes”, who have so far been profuse in their reverence of the ‘men of God’ and their contributions of cash and glittering gold. You start with Alshabab and the daily carnages they cause. You notice the theatrical Sheikh Sharif who dons suitable attire for each occasion- from battle-field Kaki to the checkered clerics’ scarf and cleric gowns to Armani suits. You look at the multi-storey multiplexes from the dusty East Leigh Township in Nairobi to deluxe Dubai Apartments. You look at who are at the fore-front in Friday prayers, lavish Hotel corridors and big social gatherings. And you start to relate A to B and see a disturbing pattern. But that is for another day and in any case it is quite wrong to issue categorical condemnations against religious leaders on the basis of what, at best, appears to be a circumstantial evidence of a growing correlation between business and religion. The sheikhs will, of course, fight back and their first bullets will be that the writer is a westernized anti-Islam murtad. Or they could just issue a blanket Fatwa against anyone who propagates the same message on one of the upcoming Friday sermons. But it is not for fear of that, that I want not to go into generalizations. It is because it is true that there are many genuine religious leaders and workers who are doing a remarkable job in raising awareness, building Mosques and Madrasas and even giving useful counsel on social and family difficulties Somali’s are facing today. But it is also true that there are those who are using the religion mask to advance personal ambitions and business deals. I want to focus on a disconcerting development of Wadaads expanding their control over the masses beyond their traditional areas that we know. Not that I don’t know they will dispute what I call ‘traditional areas’ and claim that politics is part of Islam, but that the politics that they do these days just looks a bit too worldly and not the same as “anyone who rules with a man-made constitution and not with the Allah’s book is an apostate” mantra. There is reason to want to welcome this new flexibility and moderation and I certainly like it. But the flip side is once Wadaads’ interpretation of issues that involve the politics in the contemporary world is sanctioned, it leads to further complications. Nuances and ambiguities will prop up and a single political decision by a politician will draw out a multiple and contradictory judgments from various Wadaads. That is exactly what is happening in the last couple of years - from the Djibouti peace process to reconcile the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the opposition to the ‘peace deal’ signed by the United Western Somali Liberation Front (UWSLF) and Ethiopia. Somehow, those of us who are not robust in religious teachings find it confusing when a Sheikh we meet at a mosque gives different religious rulings on two separate but similar issues. For instance, when paramilitary units in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia massacred more than six civilians at the outskirts of Caabudwaaq early July 2010 and also allegedly raped teenage Somali girls, I was shocked to hear what a UWSLF man, who was part of the delegation that was sent to South Africa to sell the Peace Deal with Ethiopia to the Diaspora, told me. He argued that the killing is a good development because the Regional Government is taking the unprecedented action of securing our borders (the borders of the ****** clan in his words, against intrusive Somali clans from Somalia). It was nauseating. Suddenly, all the talk of the sanctity of the blood of a Muslim, the duty to fight against infidels, the obligation to defend your sisters and religion is thrown out of the window for political expediency. When religious decrees are issued with such egotism by people who claim to be an authority in religion, it negates the inviolability of religious teachings doctrine. We have seen the example of how hapless Sheikhs can get when they want to please too many constituents (some at Mosques, some at business centers, and some at diplomatic circles) in the past weeks, when a renowned sheikh traded accusations with Aljazeera journalist over what he said or did not say. From the verbosity yet baldness of the refutations of what the Sheikh argued was a misrepresentation of his position, it left no doubt to those with average thinking minds who was telling the truth. But it still would have required valor to confront the erring side in this case, given the arduousness of the task. Incidentally, the Shiekh’s verdict is still awaited, and given that the sought answer is really a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ verdict for an event, it is hard to understand why it has taken him so long to say it. Some cheeky and wicked friend told me that maybe the Shiekh will release his ruling as a single Fatwa in a commercial CD. That is too mischievous a thought but given the absence of the Sheikh’s verdict it may linger in the minds of some. He has in the past issued Fatwas left, right and center for all kinds of innocuous events and this one is long overdue. But what is truly astounding is that many people are waiting for the Sheikh’s Fatwa to make up their mind about the rightness or wrongness of UWSLF’s peace deal with Ethiopia. To me, any forthcoming Fatwa (whether yes or no) doesn’t change much. By their own admission, those who signed the peace deal signed it on the basis of political considerations. The wider public’s acceptance or rejection of the deal will depend on individual political beliefs, assumptions and understandings. So, perhaps nothing is missing and the Sheikh should not overburden himself with yet another fatuous Fatwa that could only serve to alienate one or the other of his followers. Perhaps, it is time the new Wadaads realize that they are no more seen as infallible by the masses. Perhaps it is time they go easy with Fatwas and political commentaries issued with the full weight of the Mosques behind them. They are still entitled to air their views on all developments, politics included, but as opinions of mere mortals, not with the finality of the word of God. On a related but slightly different note, with the benefit of hindsight and with a bit of malicious cynicism, one wonders if all the vilification against Sufi’s in the past two decades for merely asking for a rib of a goat in exchange for the services of Duca and Qardhaas and for their fondness of mild stimulant in the form of tea in a forbidding climatic environment, was just. With relentless half truths and financial might, the new breed of Wadaads dismantled the carnivorous Sufi sect at once. One wonders if it was to erect shopping plazas at the fields where the carcasses of goats and sheep devoured by Sufis was once scattered. Luqmaan Sheekh Abdirahman E-Mail:Luqmaansheekh@yahoo.com Source

^^ You are right, I want to see Faroole lose (to Atam, Cade or Yusuf). My moto is anyone but Faroole. On the other argument, I shall repeat what I told thankful and Sakhar. We are all Diaspora and if one side accuses the other of being 'out of touch' the same accusation can be lobbed back. Nassir is from ATAM's clan and the websites you belittle are from ATAM's clan (and Paragon too is). Are you saying they are all so detached from their own clans that they had to make up stories of their own? What makes you better? Maybe Faroole is not real and is just the invention of Garowe.com! Dee naga daa.

^^ Drop the Diaspora charge, saaxib. If the clan element did not have any legs to stand on, that lot would not have had a tribal meeting to make a decision on this thing. Wax fahan. There is a genuine (as you can see on SOL alone) complaint from those hailing from ATAM's clan. Your job, if you are sincere in your opposition to Atam and Atam alone (which incidentally I do not doubt), is to reassure your brethren and stop the blind Faroole support. Going on the defensive will only strengthen their (mistaken belief - in your case alone) that you are gunning for the entire clan and not (as you seem) only opposed to Atam's Shabab leanings.

Originally posted by xiinfaniin: NGONGE did not say anything new. Other than the clan bashing strategy, Sharif did everything NGONGE suggested above. The momentum has slipped from him...and times is not being nice to him. He lost the sword killing contest to alshabaab. Hence Sharif should resign. Period. That is how he could lead in lessening the suffering of the masses... For alshabaab, the only advice i have for them is: wa ithaa qataltum, fa axsinuul qitlata . He did? When? Dee naga daaya...

GT, I also fear it is too late but it is merely a fear at this point. For all we know, he still has a chance. You know Somalis and how their brains work. Many supported him yesterday but deserted him when he proved to be a dud. If he shows them that he has a bit of initiative they may yet come back and support him with their money and man power (big if).

^^ Isn't there some sort of bird that does exactly what you're suggesting there?

^^ Dee I'm telling you that PL should just do an SL and say we are a new country and we demand what is due to us. It is much nobler than this hiding behind Somalia's googarad whilst throwing stones. Wax fahan.

^^ Developmental programs only? Why not go the whole hog and do an SL dee? It makes much more sense and it'll free you from this lie you're living, Duke. Nassir, the man has history. The Islamic Courts came up in a period of mere months and pacified one of the most difficult cities in the world. With Sharif now though, he may have his own ideas of pacifying Somalia but he seems too thick to realize that such idea will never bear any fruits unless he airs them and get the public to embrace them. The idea of reconciliation and another president is not likely to work this time. Until and unless Al Shabab are defeated or brought to the negotiating table, I am afraid that Somalia will be stuck with Sharif (or one of his helpers, should he voluntarily step down or get the rug pulled from under his feet). At any rate, nobody in the world is going to organise another reconciliation conference.

I think it is time, I believe it is time, surely it must be TIME! When Al Shabab blow up Hargeisa, Bosaso and those medical students in Mogadishu, they refused to comment or claim responsibility. Those of us who chose to extend them the benefit of the doubt refused to openly condemn them or accuse them of masterminding such heinous crimes. We had ample reasons to doubt the reliability and accuracy of such accusations. Al Shabab, we reasoned, are a Jihadist group that believes it is fighting for honest, religious and noble reasons. Such groups, no matter of the wrongness and ugliness of the acts they commit, almost always come forward and claim responsibility for their actions. That Al Shabab did not on those previous occasions seemed strange and made one wonder if the accusations were fair after all. Furthermore, this group has been (wrongly in my opinion) accused of all manner of silly and pointless things (from banning bras, asking women to wear red socks when menstruating, forcing men to give up their daughters, to cutting off of tongues). On the other hand, they also openly came up with some intrusive and extreme rules (going into people's houses during Ramadan and catching those that are not fasting, announcing that they'll punish men who shave their beards and, the brilliant and utterly excessive act of digging up the graves of dead Muslims and non-Muslims). Yet, it is because of their openness with such madness that one refused to believe they would be behind the bombings in Hargeisa, Bosaso and that medical ceremony in the Somali capital. Now though, the game has changed. Al Shabab (for whatever reason) has become bolder and more open with their bombing agendas. They threatened to do something in Kampala; they blew up Kampala, and uncharacteristically, admitted to their crime there (though, as ever, they don't see it as a crime). The same happened with the incident at Muna Hotel; they carried out the attack and boldly claimed responsibility for it. Sheikh Sharif has seen this yet is not doing anything new about it. He seems to be following his earlier plan of securing foreign support and aid to combat Al Shabab. This, under the circumstances, does not sound like a bad idea. However, it is the same old scheme and, on its own, is unlikely to yield any different results. The recent bombing presents the beleaguered sheikh with a great opportunity to restore his shattered reputation and wrestle the mantle of 'good guy' from Al Shabab. However, in order to do this he has to become more vocal and visible. He is fortunate enough to live in a time when the mediums of communication are easily accessible and in abundance. Sheikh Sharif has been losing ground ever since the day he become president. His Prime Minster is probably unknown to many Somalis and, frankly, after all this time of being in charge, has proven his total and utter incompetence. His cabinet are not that much better and, again, I doubt that many Somalis (even those avid followers of politics) could remember all their names. This is the main reason why the Sheikh must take matters into his own hands and begin a process of media onslaught on Al Shabab and all those that threaten Somali peace. The material for his speeches is all there. He has used it many times before. Alas, it was always directed at the wrong audiences (Diaspora Somalis and foreign media). What the president needs to do is appear on both international Somali channels (Universal and Somali TV). He needn't appear once either, it has to be a sustained and unrelenting campaign of speeches, plans and interaction with his citizens (ala Chavez). He has to sell the message that Al Shabab is a threat to Somalis. He has to point to their shortcomings, their lack of a political plan for Somalia, their amateurish leadership designs. He has to discredit their ability to govern fairly and give (true) examples of this. He also has to repent and admit to the failures, mistakes and bungling conduct of the Islamic Courts' period of ruling and his role in that conduct. He has to explain to the populace the difference between peacefully controlling a city (as the Courts did) and the actual running, administering and politically managing a country (as he is trying to do). He must share his vision for a future Somalia with his listeners. He must tell them how he plans to improve the livelihood of the many widows, the crippled, the starving poor and the thousands upon thousands of unemployed and disgruntled youth in a country where guns are readily available and trouble is easily attained. Somalis are clannish by nature and no amount of political correctness, rolling of the eyes or finger wagging is ever going to change that (not in the near future anyway). Most of the problems in the past twenty years were due to this one obsession and only a fool, dreamer or ignorant person would dare argue that the solution to these problems should not take the clan angle into consideration (clan, as I keep telling you, is everything). This is another area Sheikh Sharif must make use off. He has to come out fighting and throw the cat amongst the pigeons. He has to create a common clan enemy in Al Shabab. If the aim is to pacify the South, he then must use the northern roots of the Al Shabab leader to create a united southern front. If he refers to PL and SL, he should refer to them by the clans that reside there and attempt to shame the clans of the South with such a mention (are they better than us? Are they nobler? Is there more Calcium in the milk of their camels? Why do they manage to attain and keep peace but we can't? Etc). If he does it correctly and with the minimum amount of rabble rousing, he may yet dislodge Al Shabab and chase them out of Somalia. However, if he maintains his silence and foreign travels, he will either lose to Al Shabab or get stabbed in the back like his predecessor. Whatever he does, he must ACT and earn his title.

^^ Rhazes confesses to be a Muslim, saaxib. Raamsade never did. No matter the faults of the former, he should never be compared to the latter.

^^ Did you watch the game the other day? Was he playing as a holding midfeilder? (kubbada barta). P.S. Lucas is going to be world class one day (he is but you guys need to read it on the papers first before you agree).

Anyone watch Braga against Saville last night? Lovely little game it was. The second rate Braga Brazilians outplayed Kanoute and Fabiano's team. 4-2 in the end. Sampadioria's game against Werder Bremen was also a good one. Sampadiora's were leading 3-0 and looking forward to going through then Bremen scored the killer goal (in the 90th minute) to take it to extra time. By then Cassano was out already and Sampdioria had no energy left. Bremen scored another in extra time and are through to the gorup stages. Spurs tonight. Any fans?

^^ He was a very good holding midfielder in SPAIN. For City, he was playing behind the lone striker. Kubbada barta. (welcome back). Norf, nothing wrong with my memory. Rafa did well against the big teams.

I was told he was a very good man. I was told.. http://www.ministryofminerals.com/