Siad Barre and Ogaden War

[cubano]

I would like to talk to somalis about Ogaden War and why Siad Barre lost this war.

Ogaden War - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

so what do u wanne know 

[Illyria]

There re a few resources of value. 

• If you want to get the insight from outsiders' perspective, read the autobiographies of Erich Honecker, former Chancellor of East Germany, and Fidel Castro of Cuba, representing Warsaw, put in charge of ending the war. Both speak in great details of S Barre's frame of mind and follies.

Here is an excerpt:
https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/transcript-meeting-between-east-german-leader-erich-honecker-and-cuban-leader-fidel-castro

• From the US perspective, declassified papers at hte US Congress library details the beginning and ending of the war.
• From the Somali perspective, the BBC Somali Service has prepared a historical programme on the war, the like of Xaaji, Ducaale, Cawke and others participated in its narration. You could request it from the BBC.
• There are two very good interviews by Cali Samatar & A/llahi Yusuf discussing how the war evolved, early victories, and subsequent failures. Galaal also discussed it in interviews, but his take is marred in dishonesty and lack of clarity, besides he was a useful tool for S Barre, and not in the same class as other Sr military officials. Many of his claims had been refuted. Nor was he the sharpest tool in the shed.

Find those works, and you will have a much clearer picture and better understanding of the war.

Said interviews are on yt.

[Khadafi]

Cubano, are you still looking for information? This guy has been on SomaliaOnline for over 20 years, asking the same questions.

The Ogaden War was a diplomatic disaster for Somalia. The Barre regime should have waited until the fall of the Ethiopian imperial government and only invaded after securing full approval from the Soviets. But we Somalis have a tendency to act hastily. We launched the invasion despite knowing that the Derg, first under Amanuel Andom and later Mengistu Haile Mariam, was in the middle of a communist revolution.

The Somali communist regime could have approached the situation more strategically. Instead of rushing into a direct war, they could have outflanked Mengistu by supporting the various rebel fronts in Eritrea, Tigray, and Oromia. Then, with clear and unequivocal Soviet backing, Somalia could have made its move.

How could Somalia possibly invade a neighboring country that had stronger diplomatic support and had already become a key Soviet ally—while our own regime was also aligned with the Eastern Bloc? It was sheer madness.