With respect to historical observations, where better to start with than with Ibn Khalduun? A man who spent a great deal of time observing and studying the north African Reer Baadiyye. To quote him: ".. Reer Baadiyyaha are a savage nation, fully accustomed to savagery and the things that cause it. Savagery has become their character and nature. They enjoy it, because it means freedom from authority and no subservience to leadership. Such a natural disposition is the negation and antithesis of civilization." If that doesn't ring bells, read the following which we may recognize from our surroundings: "Furthermore, every Reer Baadiyye is eager to be the leader. There is scarcely one among them who would cede his power to another, even to his father, his brother or the eldest member of his family." Although Ibn Khalduun goes further to suggest that the Reer Baadiyye are naturally a ruinous people destroying everything, never building anything and not only in the materialistic sense, but more importantly in social and organizational structures. According to him, the influx of Reer Baadiyye can be attributed towards the decaying disintegration of major civilizations such as the Yemeni, Persian and Syrian. That's what he means when he says: "A nation dominated by the Reer Baadiyye is in a state no different from anarchy, where everybody is set against the others." Before I give the wrong impression of Ibn Khaduun to those who're less familiar with this great thinker, I should implicitly state that he was on the whole quite positive (to which we'll come back later). He believed that Reer Baadiyyonimo only represented a necessary stage of life towards progression for all civilizations. Natural and gradual progression is understood here. As he puts it: "The toughness of desert life precedes the softness of sedentary life. Therefore, urbanization is found to be the goal to which Reer Baadiyye aspires. Through his own efforts, he achieves what he proposes to achieve in this respect. When he has obtained enough to be ready for the conditions and customs of luxury, he enters upon a life of ease and submits himself to the yoke of the city. This is the case with all Bedouin tribes." Unfortunately, something we Somalis were never given the chance to achieve. Imagine waking up into sudden socio-cultural crash-landing in an alien system, where a group of men drinking cappuccino are making the law of the land in in some sort of European languages. How about a man shouting at those Reer Baadiyye gathered around him to become Reer Magaal by walking in pairs, smoking cigarettes and pretending to read papers? Hearsay or real, an embodiment of artificiality! I have two relevant historical occurrences (16th and 20th centuries) that will be central for me to underpin my arguments. Parallel to these historical events, I'll reveal what I think are the solutions to our problems and I'll end by stating the 'certain issues' this whole exercise started with. B G, many of them are onine too

Allah (swt) made the most rigorous statements concerning the Reer Baadiyye in His noble Qur'an when He said: "The Reer Baadiyye are the worst in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely to be in ignorance of the limits (Allah's Commandments and His Legal Laws, etc.) which Allah has revealed to His Messenger. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise." (At-Tawbah 9:97) We know that the Qur'an came to mankind as the best advice from our Lord (ordering all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), a healing for and all that is in our breasts (diseases of ignorance), - a guidance and a mercy for the believers- all are made clear in the Qur'an. The most interesting phrases is such verses are always found at the endings, and in the case of above verse; ".. Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise." The following ayah also portrays a similar message when Allah (swt) says: "The Reer Baadiyye say: "We believe." Say: "You believe not but you only say, 'We have surrendered (in Islam),' for Faith has not yet entered your hearts. But if you obey Allah and His Messenger (pbuh), He will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Al-Hujurat 49:14) I'm NOT saying we are all hypocrites! Rather, all I've written thus far is mere prelude to the real objectives that this discussion hopefully should be culminating into. It's necessary to sketch the position of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) to acquire the relevant perspective and ground ourselves with basic Islamic principles before we tackle any subject. Now we've relatiely positioned ourselves in broad lines, we can move on towards historical observations. P.S. You've wisely chosen to keep cards close to your chest Xiinfaniin, I bet your patience has never been tested this badly

Haneefah, you're most welcome to contribute and share your views with us; It would help to come to conclusion collectively. The interesting thing about objective reasoning –that is taking all the facts into account- is that we don't have as much a control over it as we would hope for. It's like a train you wakeup into with pre-constructed railroads leading you from one station to another, often with no easy shortcuts. Mine is a corroded locomotive that easily can be jumped off (also an indication of the pace that I'll be moving). The case for Reer Baadiyyenimo Reer Baadiyye, in Arabic Badawiyy and in English Bedouin, was originally used for dessert nomads (Badawiyyin) and is derived from badaw (dessert). In Af-Soomaali, we also use badaw occasionally, but we lost it in translation. These words may henceforth be used interscangeably. Many people may think that Reer Baadiyye or Bedouin is more to do with lifestyle, culture or even a particular race in a particular region. In fact, it's a condition, a culturally psychological state of mind that came to being through centuries of conditioning. The product of such mental constitution is surprisingly also positively correlated and strongly shaped by the animals they share their lives with. It was narrated that our Prophet (pbuh) said: "Pride and arrogance are characteristics of the owners of horses and camels, and those Reer Baadiyye who are busy with their camels and pay no attention to Religion; while modesty and gentleness are the characteristics of the owners of sheep." Our Prophet is not talking in theoretical sense here for he had to deal with them practically with some difficulties as we shall later see (the challenges they posed) in the Qur'an. Normal business as usual days are when the Reer Baadiyye cames to the masjid of the Prophet (pbuh) in Medina and urinates in the middle of it! Sheep herders are excluded from the harshest critique and where possible distinguishing is made between them and horses and camel owners as the above Xadith indicates. He (pbuh) also said ".. sternness and mercilessness are the qualities of those who are busy with their camels and pay no attention to the Religion where the two sides of the head of Satan will appear .." Any objections/additions so far?

Xiinfaniin, To make some sense of what I intend persuade you to accept or change your mind from, I find it necessary to stretch our collective vision until it reaches the relevant context to deliberate some valid arguments. I also intend to give you the opportunity to contribute and correct me, to deliver constructive criticism or to ask questions. At the end of this process, I hope that we learn new things about ourselves which would prove to be beneficial to all. Debate that never happened Gradually from the infancy to the continuously fading youth (if not abrupt) of yesterdays, to how we are at present days – in short, death waiting to happing- all culminates into the expressions and translations we give through our behaviour. It makes you wonder the following: What if we were born as adult (just like artificially produced human clones coming of the assembly lines en masse) with no past experience of childhood and puberty or adulthood with all its accompanying education/lessons in life? Along those lines is how the history of Somali nationhood played out, both in creation and in destruction. Obviously we wouldn't have any sense of identity or gradual progression that enables one to shape ones distinct identity along some path of learning curve. We would not understand where we came from and thus who we really are, therefore unable to recognise and by implication fulfil our destiny. If that's true for simple individuals, what about the more complicated aggregate level that society is? Allah permitting, I propose first to completely focus on the identity of our collectiveness as a society rather than as individuals. This is because, although society may be considered the sum of its subjects, in general, it's society in the context of environmental forces that produces individuals (we'll be discussing later in which conditions the opposite can occur). Reer Magaal or Reer Baadiyye? Allow me to spare you the time and energy: Reer Baadiyye! If we can show some grace by resisting our inborn ostentation, we can objectively explore any presented evidence either supporting one way or the other. Ones this argument is settled; our identity and the ultimate solution to all our past and current problems shall become self-evident. As will certain issues my brother Xiinfaniin is dying to engage me with. I hate to keep you waiting, but we need to agree on the subject of our disagreement (how else can we discuss solutions to problems we don't understand and for people we don't understand?). Before I continue, I want to invite our brother Nur and other nomads here to have their say.

Rest assured that I'll come up with some sort of all explaining theory in the case of our beloved Somalia. I intend to argue that our historical and cultural nature lacks desirable qualities, nevertheless, offers great opportunities. It would be most unwisely to make such dared assertions at this late hour without rethinking whether I really ought to direct these claims against a whole nation, rather than the fashionable individuals and/or groups. Be patient dear brother Xiin!

^^^That sounds reasonable enough. Let's try and test that against practice, and remind us the tradeoff considerations to justify your Obamanian choice. I'll start a new thread soon enough and invite as first for verdict, on what I expect will Inevitably contain many thinking flaws; always expect nothing less from a simple human being.

Xiin, The complexity, however, lies not with weighing some issues (like the evil orgies of mass killing) heavier than other more trivial aspects of show politics. From Islamic perspectives, when adopting the best-qualified maslaxa – depending on time, place and conditions- we have to take into consideration some of following critical classifications: 1- Absolute masaalix such as spiritual, ideological, collective, global, long-term, etc. and; 2- reative masaalix such material, practical, individual, local, short-term, etc. You would probably accept that minority satellite communities in dominant hostile cultures cannot take precedence over, and more importantly at the cost of, the greater body to which they truly belong when their masaalix becomes mutually exclusive. This is not to say don't be part of the affaires of your adopted countries, especially if you can influence with positive contribution, but that such participation only stands the test of localized affairs. You have no say (consciously) in presidential elections without appealing to your moral compass. This compass analogy demonstrates best how stances on single issues are deterministic in aspects of absolute masaalix. However, the "certain issues" I initially raised with you related to the situation in Somalia rather than your stance on Muslim minorities in the US.

Always a good reminder around this time of the year. Halal Tube

The notion of basing your decision on one single issue say like foreign policy and ignoring all other issues is just Islamicly unfounded. Xiin, Surely, you're not serious... :confused: As you said, waad Obaameysantahay therefore I propose that we excuse you from scrutiny Jokes aside, you seem to harbour some ill-feelings or at best a number of irritations towards certain issues recently. If I can find some time in the next few days, perhaps I'll attempt to highlight few things (or the nature of things at a judgmental angle) hoping that it would change your mind. Khayr baan isku ognahay.

Nur, If one half of your dream already has materialized, chances are that soon the other half will follow. It may take longer than 24 months (or less for that matter), but it ultimately depends on how long the messianic mantle will take to wear out. Maybe worthwhile browsing through here. Personally I believe that the year 2009 AD could turn out to be quit disastrous.

The Change We Need - Obama’s First Appointment Is Son Of Zionist Terrorist ..and then - the reaction of the terrorist himself on his son's appointment..

Since monetary policy would be out of fashion in interest-free economies, the next obvious and final step would then become negative interest rates. At present, negative interest rates are termed as 'tax on cash' but in this context one can include all wealth in general: Let's call that Zakah for convenience's sake! It would be very crucial for the money supply and wealth circulation of the economy, lest our keys become burdensome.

Military sees Obama as key to victory in Afghanistan Democrat's popularity abroad will make European nations less reluctant to contribute more troops, generals believe DOUG SAUNDERS From Tuesday's Globe and Mail November 4, 2008 at 3:08 AM EST LONDON — In normally hawkish military and diplomatic circles, it is being called an "Obama boost": a widespread belief that the war in Afghanistan may be winnable only if Barack Obama is elected president tonight. To a surprising degree, military and government officials in the United States and Europe have pegged their hopes for victory in Afghanistan or a reduction in violence to Mr. Obama's ability to win over skeptical European audiences and persuade them to contribute large numbers of troops to a war that is widely seen to be in serious trouble. Amid fast-increasing violence and declining public support in Afghanistan, many top U.S., British and Canadian military commanders and government officials involved with the war say in private discussions that they believe the Afghan war will be lost unless a large number of additional soldiers and civil workers - a number that ranges from 60,000 to more than 100,000 - is sent to Afghanistan by the end of next year. There are currently about 64,000 troops in Afghanistan, including 2,500 Canadian soldiers. To bring about this effective doubling in troops at a time when NATO has had difficulty getting its member countries to contribute even 2,000 additional soldiers, officials are counting on an Obama victory. "The Europeans are likely to be more accommodating of the next administration to increase their own troop presence," said James Dobbins, who was President George W. Bush's envoy to Afghanistan. "And I think Obama, if he becomes the next president, is greatly more popular in Europe. So I think there's a honeymoon, and he'll have more leverage to increase troops ... the effect is there, and it's not negligible." Mr. Obama, whose campaign has focused on the war in Afghanistan far more than that of his Republican opponent, John McCain, has pledged to remove all U.S. soldiers from Iraq within 16 months and shift the military focus to Afghanistan. This would contribute as many as 40,000 soldiers to the Afghan war, though some analysts say that in practice the contingent would be more in the range of 25,000 to 30,000, or about half the required number. The other half would have to come from North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, including Canada and most European countries, which have been reluctant to contribute more troops. This is where the military is putting its hopes on Mr. Obama. A British general said in an off-the-record briefing last month that he believes "a five-figure number" of soldiers can be made available by Western European countries including Britain, but are being held back because of a desire to avoid seeming to support the Bush administration. An Obama victory, he said, would provide an even greater number of troops. "I would say that there is a reasonable prospect of Obama getting the Europeans to do more," said Charles Kupchan, a former U.S. National Security Council director who is now a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. "One reason has to do with discomfort with President Bush, the war in Iraq, and U.S. foreign policy during the past eight years. And the discomfort with U.S. policy creates a domestic environment across Europe which makes it harder for European governments to step up to the plate in Afghanistan. Having Obama in the White House will engender goodwill, which will buy European governments more room for manoeuvre, more latitude to act." Also, European and Canadian voters, and to some extent governments, are seen to have lost any sense of purpose in the Afghanistan war, and to have developed a skepticism toward U.S. motives in the war. Because Mr. Bush has done so little to sell the war, there is a widespread sense that countries are seeking excuses to withdraw from the conflict. "That's an area, I think, where Obama will be able to work with his European allies to do a better job of selling the war to skeptical publics," Mr. Kupchan said.

Certain institutional adjustments are also entailed. For example, some have posited that a fractional reserve banking system may not be reconciled with a steady state economy and that fee-service banking is the most feasible alternative. In other words, "steady state economy" is (read equals) only possible in an interest-free economy.

I'm not a very happy man. The wolf in sheep's clothes is worse, in my opinion, than a wolf pretending not to be otherwise. He was/is the establishment's candidate in order to repackage America and their agenda to mislead the world. What better way than to use one of unlikeliest candidates for maximum impact. Suddenly, literally in a matter of hours, America is good again, innocent of all crimes, aggression and genocides committed in the past decades, of slavery and social injustices, of greed and exploitation. After an unprecedented bombardment of American PR in the wider world, we're led to believe that a change has happened. I for ones, to confess, secretly hoped for the sick old man to win the presidency; in fact, any administration continuing the current bankrupting course. I'm sure that would have been far more beneficial to the world in the long-term.

Nur, That is what I normally would be considering if the problem of mobility and liquidity of such storage of wealth weren't an issue in my situation. Even then I'm only/still talking about the African real estate market (closer to home), unless someone is very rich beyond immediate need and indifferent into buying negative equity. I'm personally more concerned about the resulting social unrests and their possible impact on immigrants in general and Muslims in particular. We all know what happened after the so called "great depression" in the twenties and thirties of last century.

Nur, It would be a miracle (read dark arts of influence) if the creditworthiness of America remains intact by the end of next year, taking into account the realistic risk of defaulting. Although I'm in the UK, dollar IS the single most important currency here (sterling comes second) as most assets/investments are dollar denominated. Possibility of bartering hasn't entered my mind yet, but I seriously considered buying tickets for next year to fly home (if I can find where) before airplanes disappear altogether from the world! P.S. Tell us about your plan; I can use some good advise.

Very well Yaa Xiinfaniin. Dhurwaa baa waxaa lawaydiiyay; "hilib ma rabtaa?" Wuxuu ku jawaabay "ma'daba ka daa!" Marka saa dateed anigi maqabo in labada su'aalood ee hore jawaab-ba u' baahanyihiin. In kastoon aad u' danayn lahaa kajawaabta su'aasha 3aad, hadana marabo inaan sheekheena horboodo oo aayar baan idin daawan. Waxaadse iiga sii jawaabtaa, waakan "Colka waraf ma lagu dayay?" iqoraalku labaxayee, dhagaxtuurku maxaa meesha keenay?

A/C, Waa sax in la midoobo sababtoo ah Allaah ayaa ina amray midnimo, noogana digay taffaaruq iyo dhibaatooyinkeeda -waayo cadowgeen waa uu inoo midaysanyahay. Hase ahaatee, midnamada Alaah na amray waa tan ku salgaraysan Kitaabkiisa iyo Sunnada Rasuulkiisa. Waxaase inoo muuqata in hal koox kaliyata ay ogoshahay midnimadaa sharciga ah. Kadib maxaa xal ah? Midnimo aan sharci ahayn? Anigu waxaan qabaa in Sh. Nur uu ku saxsanyahay jawaabtuu kabixiyay qoraalka, keligiina meesha la yimid daliil cad oo la aqbali karo. Shams.

In the meanwhile on earth.. Sometime last summer, a crazy Aussie woman predicted that from 14 October (today) representatives of the alien "Federation of the Light" on a giant UFO will visit the earth and fly around for thee days. Bookies have stopped accepting bets now here in the UK (due to popularity), but some of the bets include that the aliens will contact Gordon Brown and that he soon after that will confirm to the rest of the world officially the existence of aliens. Well .. aliens come down and forth many times on a daily basis anyway! So what's all the fuss about?! :confused:

I knew that most Americans were very ******, but I would never have guessed that their religious polytheism is now officially beyond the usual trinity dogma to include rival gods! In the below quote, Rev. Arnold Conrad is cheering his adopted god to help McCain defeat Obama, in who's mind is obviously being supported by other (existing) gods. I would also pray Lord that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their God -- whether it's Hindu, Buddha, Allah -- that his [McCain’s] opponent wins for a variety of reasons. And Lord I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they’re going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you would step forward and honor your own name in all that happens between now and Election Day. Oh Lord, we just commit this time to you, move among us, make your presence very well felt as we are gathered here today in Jesus's name I pray.

Brother Nur, Nasiibdarro, KAFARA labada qaab ee Qur'aanka ku soo arooray (beeninta Allaah/Islaamka iyo aasittaanka miraha la beerayo) fahan iyo macno-ahaanba wuxuu ku noolyahay luuqadda Carrabiga. Sidaa darteed macnaha kufriga Af-Ingriiska waxaa lagu tarjumaa erayyo aan marka 1aad u'qalmin ka-tarjumaad, marka 2aad-na macno iyo magacyo huwan Masiixiyiintii dhiigyo-cabayaasha ahaa allifsadeen. Kolleyba, Gabaygaan uu tiriyay Cismaan Keeynadiid waagii isticmaarkii ayaad mooddaa in uu maanta aad inoo khuseeyo: Maan- yariyi Soomaali waa, meheraddeediiye Maslaxadeedi garan weydey iyo, marinki toosnaaye Macnahay ku noolan lahayd, maluhu siin waaye Maamuus la’aan lagu waday, moodayaan nolole Miis-xuamada haysa iyo dulligu, waw macaan yahaye Mabsuud weeye baadidoon waxay, mudanhayaan ceebe Muslinnimada sida loo mud-muday, kama masayraane Maqaan-xumada waxa joojey waa, muran dhexdoodaaye Iyagaysu muuqanhayee, moog adduunyada e Murtiday lahaayeen ayeey, magic ku waayeene Muwaafaqo kolkii laga gefaa, mowtigood galaye Anigaa ku miro dhaamayaa, meleg u saarnaaye Macriifa uma yeeshaan wuxuu, baran masaalkoodde Macaamilada aadamigu ku jiro, laga madoobeeye Mardabada addunkiyo cilmigu, umaba muuqdaane Magan bay shisheeye u yihiin, meel la joogaba e Maalin noolba nimanbaa ku fala, waxay ka maagaane Muquuney ahaayeen sidii, maal la leeyahaye Raggii madaxdu ka xumaato waa, marin habaabaaye Kuwii maqaddimada looga dhigay, waa manfaca-raace Mar maxaad cuntaan keliya yuu yahay, maqsuudkoode Nin mushaharo eexeynayaa waa, miskiin dhabahe Muddiic waxa ka dhigay wa inuu, maarmi-waa yahaye Muddaafacana seeg iyo inuu, maya yiraahdaaye Culimadiina damac baa melgoo, mooyi say tahaye Milladdiyo shareecada bar baa, maal ku iibsadaye Marsiis iyo maddiidduu ku dhacay, magane diinkiiye Masala-gaabka iyo ways hayaan, kii mufti ahaaye! Ardadaa mujaadilo la geli, macallinkeediiye Midkii dhawr masalo soo bartaan, maaro loo heline Makastiyo intii caamahay, madax-wareersheene Hadba xaal muraad lagu wataa, layna maqshiine Waa waxaan Minhaajkiyo Tuxfaha, meelna kaga oolle! (Tixraac: Aw Jaamac Cumar Ciise - Maansadii Hore ee Soomaalida II)

Iraqi government fuels 'war for oil' theories by putting reserves up for biggest ever sale· BP, Shell and Exxon in meeting with minister · Unprecedented 40bn barrels up for grabs Terry Macalister and Nicholas Watt The Guardian, Monday October 13 2008 Article history The biggest ever sale of oil assets will take place today, when the Iraqi government puts 40bn barrels of recoverable reserves up for offer in London. BP, Shell and ExxonMobil are all expected to attend a meeting at the Park Lane Hotel in Mayfair with the Iraqi oil minister, Hussein al-Shahristani. Access is being given to eight fields, representing about 40% of the Middle Eastern nation's reserves, at a time when the country remains under occupation by US and British forces. Two smaller agreements have already been signed with Shell and the China National Petroleum Corporation, but today's sale will ignite arguments over whether the overthrow of Saddam Hussein was a "war for oil" that is now to be consummated by western multinationals seizing control of strategic Iraqi reserves. Al-Shahristani is expected to reveal some kind of "risk service agreements" that could run for up to 20 years, with formal offers to be submitted by next spring and agreements signed in the summer. Gregg Muttitt, from the UK-based social and ecological justice group Platform, says he is alarmed that the government is pushing ahead with its plans without the support of many in Iraq. "Most of the terms of what is being offered have not been disclosed. There are security, political and reputational risks here for oil companies but none of them will want to see one of their competitors gain an advantage," he said. Heinrich Matthee, a senior Middle East analyst at the specialist risk consultant Control Risks Group, also believes there are many pitfalls for those considering whether to make an offer. "Currently it is unclear which party in Iraq is authorised to award a contract and at the same time to deliver its side of the bargain," he said. "Any contract with an independent oil company will be subjected to opposition and possible revision after pressure by resource nationalists." Oil companies will find their reputations at risk from the actions of their Iraqi counterparties, such as joint venture partners, suppliers and agents. They will also have to contend with oil smuggling and the possibility that the ruling alliance could collapse, Matthee said. He said that if the conspiracy theory that western oil companies egged on US and British governments to invade Iraq were true, the plan could backfire on them and benefit rivals in Asia instead. "It is possible the American army has provided the economic stability that will encourage Malaysian, Chinese and other Asian companies to become involved," he said. There is no precedent for proven oil reserves of this magnitude being offered up for sale, said Muttitt. "The nearest thing would be the post-Soviet sale of the Kashagan field [in the Caspian Sea], which had 7bn or 8bn barrels." China's state-owned oil group, CNPC, has already agreed a $3bn (£1.78bn) oil services contract with the government of Iraq to pump oil from the Ahdab oil field. The deal is the first major oil contract with a foreign firm since the US-led war and was followed up by an agreement with Shell, potentially worth $4bn, to develop a joint venture with the South Gas Company in Basra. This deal has also triggered controversy. Issam al-Chalabi, Iraq's oil minister between 1987 and 1990, questioned why there had been no competitive tendering for the gas-gathering contract and claimed it had gone to Shell as the spoils of war. "Why choose Shell when you could have chosen ExxonMobil, Chevron, BG or Gazprom?" he asked. "Shell appears to be paying $4bn to get hold of assets that in 20 years could be worth $40bn. Iraq is giving away half its gas wealth and yet this work could have been done by Iraq itself." The Baghdad government says it aims to increase crude oil production from 2.5m barrels a day to 4.5m by 2013, but faces internal opposition from regional governors and political opponents. The sale today comes as oil prices have plummeted after stockmarket turmoil on Friday. The price of crude fell by more than $4 at one point to $75 a barrel - the lowest point since September last year and a sharp drop from its peak of $147 in July. Opec, the oil producers' cartel, has called an emergency meeting to agree a cut in output to bolster prices in spite of protestations from politicians including Gordon Brown. Brown said on Friday: "We've had some success in getting the price of oil down: the price this morning is roughly $80, about half what it was a few months ago. I want these price cuts passed on to the consumer as quickly as possible. "I'm concerned when I hear that the Opec countries are meeting, or are about to meet, to discuss cutting production - in other words, making the price potentially higher than it should be. "I'm making it clear to Opec it would be wrong for the world economy and wrong for British people who are paying high petrol prices and high fuel prices to cut production and therefore keep prices high." A government source said: "The one chink of light has been the fall in the price of oil. The last thing we want is to head into a difficult period with a return to high oil prices. People need to act responsibly."

"Americans find their hard earned wealth and homes disappear in computer screens, to the boys at Wall Street and hurricanes, and the remaining wealth is earmarked to pay a national debt of 9 Trillion Dollars representing Sovereign Funds of China and Mideast Oil countries used for "foreign wars and homeland security"." National debt is by now close $11 trillion and by the end of this year it would amount to some 80% of total GDP (possibly 100% by 2009 if you take into account all hidden future costs to fund the deficits of trade, war and financial bailout). My prediction is that they will not be able to repay back all of that debt, but desperate people do desperate things. I think that they'll borrow even more!!! When all of your liabilities or at least significant proportions thereof are denominated in domestic currency, like the US, and are struggling with fiscal strength and solvency gap, all it takes is desperation and arrogance to solve your national debt by (deception) inflating it away in real terms with timed hyperinflation. The only problem is that the looming ghost of recession and the possibility of stagflation are causing some fearsome headaches. In which case, the "Sovereign Funds of China and Mideast Oil countries" could significantly be wiped out. There are two other alternatives in my opinion: 1) The optimistic scenario (Obama survives); and 2) the pessimistic scenario (Obama hangs).

"Gloablaization is dead!" And hopefully capitalism as we came to know together with all ambitions of imperialism dies with it as well, and beyond repair. I have my contingency plan ready as I've figured the following: As camel population worldwide is estimated to be around 20 million, I think we Somalis are good for some 70%. According to report by the UN world demand for camel related products (mainly camel milk) will have a market revenue of about $13 billion by 2013. Change of career has now become a viable option (especially if one works in the financial sector). P.S. An insightful article!