Somalia: From Troubled Transition to a Tarnished Transition?

By International Crisis Group (ICG), The term of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Institutions has expired, and there is no new president to take office as envisaged. The current political process has been as undemocratic as the one it seeks to replace, with unprecedented levels of political interference, corruption and intimidation. The end of the transition roadmap […]

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UN Somali “Surge” vs. Al Shabab Expansion

“Damn those Al-Shabab, Damn all those ungrateful Somalis! has become the West’s not so silent Lament,”  Thomas C Mountain By Thomas C. Mountain, In a worrying sign for the powers that be in the west, the Somali national resistance under the umbrella of Al–Shabab has made its first major breakthrough in the northern region of Somalia by […]

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Al-Shabaab Changes its name and Strategy

By TesfaNews, The nationalist factions of Somali Islamist group Al-Shabaab have announced the change of their organization name to Imaarah Islamiyah – meaning ‘Islamic Authority’ following several days of meetings in Baidoa. Except the leader of Al-Shabaab, Ahmed Abdi Godane (Abu Zubeyr), all prominent members like Sheikh Ali Dhere, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow (Abu Mansoor), Fu’ad […]

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Somalia: The West’s “Miserable Failure”

Dr. Michael A. Weinstein On February 3, Somalia’s Transitional Federal Parliament (T.F.P.) voted 421-11-3 to extend its term for three years beyond its expiration in August, 2011. The T.F.P.’s move was in direct opposition to the United Nations, which serves as the agent of the Western “donor”-powers (Washington, the European Union and European states) that […]

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