Originally posted by AYOUB: I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. At least they don't jump on the first gravy train available like the Buubas and Galaydhs of this world, only to change tunes when pushed off. Good point. In regards, to the latter individuals, one of the weaknesses within the Somaliland society, like all other Somali societies everywhere is the ability for seditious individuals to hide behind their respective clans. For example, both Galaydh and Buuba hold significant stakes in Somaliland-based businesses yet work tirelessly to undermine Somaliland as a state. While, under current circumstances, the government worries that the shuttering of those businesses might lead to clan-resentment and even outbreaks of neighborhood riots, an effective public information campaign preparing the public for economic sanctions against 'enemies of the state' would lessen the chances of this occurring.

As I've argued countless times in this Forum, this is the key economic strength of Somaliland. When political obstacles are taken out of the way, it's difficult for other ports to compete with Berbera in the livestock sector. It's telling that the original Saudi investor sees enough return on investment in less than 3 months to embark on the building of another quarantine center. While this is a much needed boon to the overall Somaliland economy, it remains to be seen how wisely the administration uses the quadrupling tax revenue.

^^ I respectfully disagree. Jama Yare and the Samater brothers anti-Somaliland positions are based on personal issues they've had with the elites of Somaliland political leadership, not on any deep philosophical attachment to the Somaliweyn concept. To further add, the Samater brothers are further opposed to the Somaliland project due to their financial ties to certain projects in the Somaliweyn arena.

^^ An interesting and valid point... But can it deliver? Ina Sharmarke claimed they will have all of Mogadishu under their control by the end of this month (hinting at an upcoming military operation after some TFG forces completed training in Djibouti and Uganda). This will be the test - is it more of the usual empty boasting or will there be the will and resources to actually bring some TFG control to Mogadishu?...

Allah u Naxariisto!!! An incredibly man who made great sacrifices for the cause. A true believer in the true ideals that Somaliland was formed for. A man who left a well-paying career at UNILO to further the Somaliland project and widen the umbrella that Somaliland encompassed at the time. A man who was a true Somalilander even at times when it was not popular among many corners to be a Somalilander. A man who always chose peace over war in the resolving of thorny clan issues. It was a pleasure to have known him. AUN!

Sort of like closing the door behind you, so no one can come in after you're safely inside. With no achievements to speak of, the current TFG leadership, like all previous administrations, attempts to cling on by shutting down the process as its term comes to a close. In all fairness though, this is not unique to the TFG, nor to Somalis, but is a condition that afflicts most African and Arab states with weak constitutional institutions.

Ra'iisul wasaaraha Soomaaliya Cumar C/rashiid Cali Shama'arke oo shaaciyay in beesha calaamka ay u gudbiyeen codsi ah inaan la qaban shir dambe oo dib u heshiisiineed Jimco, January 08, 2010(HOL): Ra'iisul wasaaraha Soomaaliya Cumar C/rashiid Cali Shama'arke ayaa sheegay inay beesha caalamka ka dalbadeen inaan shir dambe oo dib u heshiisiineed loo qaban Soomaaliya, balse la taageero xukuumadda hadda jirta. Ra'iisul wasaaruhu wuxuu sheegay in xukuumadda Soomaaliya ay haysato fursad weyn oo ay wax kaga qaban karto xaaladda dalka, ayna u baahan tahay oo keliya taageero kaga timaada beesha caalamka. "Shirar dib u heshiisiin ah oo loo qabto Soomaaliya waxa dib u dhigi karaan nabad ka dhalata dalka, waana taas midda aan kala hadalnay beesha caalamka intii aan safarka uga maqnaa dalka" ayuu Sharma'arke u sheegay golihiisa wasiirrada oo uu la kulmay shalay oo Khamiis ahayd. Wuxuu sheegay in shirkii uu kaga qaybgalay Magaalada Jeddah ee Dalka Sucuudiga oo ay soo qabanqaabisay kooxda Xiriirka Caalamiga ah ee Soomaaliya uu u gubiyay qoraal arrintan ku saabsan, ayna ka ogolaadeen. Sidoo kale intii uu socday kulankii golaha wasiirrada ee uu shir guddoominayay Cumar C/rashiid ayaa waxaa looga dooday qodobbo kale oo dhowr ah, kuwaasoo ay ka mid ahaayeen xaaladda ammaan ee dalka, Baasaboorka Soomaaliga ah iyo qaabka ay xukuumaddu ku shaqeyso. Afhayeenka Dowladda Soomaaliya C/qaadir Walaayo oo la hadlay saxaafadda markii uu kulanka Wasiirradu dhammaaday ayaan sheegin qodobbo kasoo baxay doodihii laga yeeshay qoddobadii laga dooday. Ra'iisul wasaaraha Soomaaliya Cumar C/rashiid Cali Shama'arke ayaa dhawaan sheegay in Dowladdu ay u diyaargarowday dagaal ay ku qaado goobaha ay gacanta ku hayaan xoogagga kasoo horjeeda, si ay dib gacanteeda ugu soo celiso. Maxamed Xaaji Xuseen, Hiiraan Online mohxaaji@hotmail.com Muqdisho, Soomaaliya

Cowke, What Somali media doesn't mislead the common Somali? Are you claiming the Puntland media doesn't contain its share of erroneous/mistranslated stories?

I gave Duke too much credit. When faced with sober questions that veer away from his given 'Clan Talking Points' for the day, he heads for the door or quickly changes subjects. It's OK to disagree but present real facts and debates as to why you feel a certain way on the Somali political equation. You might actually win allies and change some one's point of view. Having said that, he's better than many in that he's consistent and always comes from the same direction

So to entertain your line of thought, does the 'separation' philosophy exist only in Rayaale and Waraabe, or in most of your 'brothers from the NW' ? I'm trying to figure out how delusional you are in your assessment of what's going on in the Somali peninsula/ or whether you're pretending....

Duke, don't argue just for the sake of arguing. You're a secret admirer of Somaliland like many who hail from your region. Don't you remember your post after Adeer Abdullahi stepped down? How you went on about the 'secessionists' and what they've achieved... Or should we post it again to remind you? Fine, you're on record for opposing 'separation' of North and South, Somaliland and Somalia. It's noted. But the silly line of 'mugged ones' has no-one rising to the bait. Somalilanders are happy where they are today, given where they've been in the past (with the Greater Somalia experiment). There are no appealing alternatives. Theories and 'If I had the Moon' are all well and nice, but we all live in the real world. So stay on topic in your debate. Don't come down to silliness which I, for one, believe you can rise above

^^ Let them let out their frustrations. It's healthy. Oodweyne touches a lot of sore points by continuously harping on the geopolitical realities of the Somali peninsula (how everyone stacks up on the power equation and what their 'real' interests and goals are). Many wriggle under the pain of his reality check

Originally posted by Karaar Aadan Ruukoow: Anwar, Alla ha u naxariistee wuxuu ahaa nin ka soo jeeda degmada Moholin ee Gaashamo-bari (somaligalbeed). Wuxuu u dhintay nabaro ka soo gaadhay burcad-badeed. ^^ Waryaahe, miyaanad waligaa maqlin: 'Caruurta qaarkood baana lala kaftamin!'

^^^ The answer is creation of jobs, jobs, jobs!! Qat is just a coping mechanism for the lack of hope in one's future. With a livelihood and the corresponding rise in self-worth, qat goes back to being just a weekend recreational drug like alcohol in the West, not a daily addiction. How to create those jobs is the 'Billion Dollar' question, though...

In all fairness, this is a natural reaction on the part of Puntlanders. Suicide bombings and other forms of bombings have been alien in the recent and far past to this region. When these occur and threaten the social contract among the inhabitants, it's natural in any region to suspect outsiders. Then it becomes time for the elites to either dampen the dangerous mob mentality or encourage it, depending on where the political leadership sees advantage. It's a phenomena repeated all across the world...

Ayoub, Aren't you aware of the ongoing background check on You & I Read the relevant thread Thread

For all your vitriol, Duke, you're not so bad among your group. You're usually honest in exactly where you're coming from. 'Geed kuma dhuumatid'! I wish your neck of the woods much luck and good-will in dealing with the terrorists amongst your territories. Sincerely...

The full frontal attack on A&T did not bring the desired result but rather elevated his argument. So since that attempt was a failure, a new attempt is being made to bring him around with 'honey'. Interesting...

Originally posted by xiinfaniin: Macno Yare, you are gaxash, a low born who wants to fight an online persona called xiin, and uses all his might to do so Thus far you have been a dismal failure. I don’t know what xiin did to you but it’s clear you want to convince others that xiin is bad . I wish I knew what I did to you because the worst thing that could happen is one his colonies suffer without his knowledge ^^ Audience, Do I need to present further evidence?

^^Xiin, Xiin... Do you even know what the truth looks like? You claim I've been after you for many years but even a novice by checking the archives can see that my postings have barely hit the one year mark. But exaggerations and self-importance are common to your postings Anyway, I hope you survive the A&T onslaught and keep your head above water. You've been an amusing spectacle on these Boards...

^^Xiin, Xiin.... Wallaahi, arintu way darantahey ayaamahan A&T has started an effective public opinion campaign that has left many swinging at their own shadows without an inkling of where the next blow might come from. It has been an interesting and entertaining spectacle

What is most amusing about the postings of the past two weeks for this humble nomad is the full uncloaking of Xiin! Very few readers seem to currently believe that 'cloak' of Somaliweyn so desperately worn by Xiin was ever real. The poor gentlemen has been relegated to exactly where he belongs - a clan cheerleader. The caravan has been put to rest for a while by the said gentlemen as well when a divergence of roads occurred between his clan-homeland and Sharif's cabinet. SOL readership is maturing...

Big houses, fast cars, easy drugs: Ransom-fed lifestyle creates problems in Somali towns By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN Associated Press Writer 876 words 6 December 2009 01:41 PM Associated Press Newswires APRS English © 2009. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. BOSSASO, Somalia (AP) - A parcel of land here that sold for $12,000 two years ago now costs more than $20,000. The price of a nice pair of men's shoes has gone up from $20 to $50. The reason: pirates. The influx of millions of dollars in ransoms has changed life in this coastal Muslim community, driving prices up and creating a schism between the pirate haves and have-nots. As piracy ramps up again with the end of the monsoon season, the lifestyle of the pirates -- big houses, fast cars and easy drugs -- is decried by both religious leaders and ordinary villagers. "The use of drugs such as cannabis and the drinking of alcohol, sex and other obnoxious misconduct are now becoming common within the pirates, causing social problems," said Sheikh Ahmed, a mosque leader in the town of Galkayo. "That is what is worrying us, a lot more than the risk they pose to the foreign ships and crew." Just last month, pirates were paid a reported $3.3 million to release 36 crew members from a Spanish vessel held hostage for more than six weeks. Pirates stand to make tens of thousands from the payment, money that will pulse through the community in gifts, loans and payments to family, friends and businessmen. The European Union Naval Force says pirates now hold 11 ships and 264 crew members hostage off the coast of Somalia. There is little doubt that more ransom money is coming. "There is mad money circulating here, and it affects everybody -- directly or indirectly," said Haji Said, a hotel owner. A lone paved road passes through the middle of Bossaso, and hotels, businesses and new construction line its sides. SUVs and luxury vehicles from Asia ply the road with American, Somali and Indian music blasting from within. The price of clothes, shoes and cosmetics is climbing, said Anshur Kamil, a businessman. Pirates don't even have to pay upfront. Those holding ships hostage that haven't yet received ransom can buy goods on credit -- at elevated prices -- and settle up their debts when the ransom money comes in, villagers say. The pirates pay in dollars and don't bother to haggle, said Khadra Abdullahi, a shop owner in Bossaso, a coastal town on the northern edge of Somalia across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen. "Sometimes they leave change behind, which shows that money is nothing to them." When villagers think the price of a cosmetic is too high, their reply is "we are not pirates," said Abdullahi. The closer to the pirate dens one gets, the higher the prices go. In the nearby town of Eyl, a cup of tea costs three times as much as in Bossaso. In Eyl, pirates pay $5 for a shoeshine, compared with 50 cents in Bossaso, said Hashim Salad, a store owner. Two years ago, a teen named Adani lived on the streets of Bossaso. Now, at only 19 years old, he is a pirate and owns a big house and large truck. He says he has taken part in two hijackings that earned him $75,000, and plans to take part in one more high-seas heist. "When you have nothing people despise you and if they see that you have money you will be respected," said Adani, who gave only one name for fear of reprisals. "This next job will be my last in the piracy trade. I know it's a big risk but I believe in gambling. If I win, I will get married and give up piracy." Roger Middleton, a piracy expert at the London-based think tank Chatham House, said the average ransom has risen from roughly $1 million last year to $2 million this year. He said pirates have been paid more than $100 million in the last two years, though he stressed that the number was an estimate only, and no one has hard figures. "I'm sure there's some resentment at the way pirates behave and the lifestyle they lead. It's not a traditional or righteous one," Middleton said. Middleton also noted that pirate foot soldiers make not millions, but tens of thousands over a year. The big money goes to the bosses, he said, and they are likely to spend it overseas or invest it. Clerics and village elders say they don't approve of the pirate lifestyle. Teenagers threaten their parents that they will join the pirates if they don't get their way, said a prominent Bossaso elder, Suldan Mohamud Aw-nor. Marriage has also been affected by pirates with pockets full of cash. Hundreds of cars escort the bride and groom to the reception, where the house is crammed with expensive furniture, and the bride wears expensive gold jewelry, said Shamso Ahmed, the owner of a beauty salon. Thousands of dollars are paid to brides' families as a dowry. "Pirates do not waste time to woo women, but instead pay them a lot," said Sahro Mohamed. "They did this to several girls I know." ------ Associated Press writer Jason Straziuso in Nairobi contributed to this report.

The Point, After all your postings - Listen to Faroole's BBC/Somali interview today (at the 2:05 mark to be precise), regarding his comments concerning Bossasso port. It seems Faroole was divinely sent to silence you and the rest of the Amen corner. Secondly, I no longer referred to you as 'young lady' since you protested so strongly but rather as 'lady'. If that's also a problem, please do let us know - and why...