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Wiil Isxaaq @ 5/23/2018 12:11 PM EST  Zoomalida way isku dayataa. Buqlaan inay SL ku dayato bay rabtaa, lakiin duruufaheeda waaka duwan yihiin. Afweyne wuxuu dhihi jiray Idoor dadbay leeyihiin ee madax malaha intuu isagu madaxda klu guray jeelasha amd dilay. Daaroodna wuxuu dhihi jiray madax bay leeyihiin, oo kuligood waa kii ka dhigan jiray wasiiro & janaraalo. Laakiin Afweyne wuxuu dhahay daaroodku dad malaha. Hadii dadkii jirin, madaxda daaroodku yay xukumi doonaan?     secular @ 5/13/2018 3:49 PM EST  Wiif, Before I leave, my constitution, both old and new, says that you are "Like a candle in the wind" and chasing  a chimera, the ever eluding mirage of recognition! Soo gaabi: " Geel col dhaanshay baad hoggaanka haysaan, qar cidla iyo ciirsi la'aan ahna waad wada jafaysaan"! Sorry for coming back, prematurely, I didn't store well Wiif's burning question!     secular @ 5/13/2018 12:36 PM EST  Folks, Plurality of opinions is a healthy process, but I have beef with imposters disguised as bonafide debaters. Arsonists should have their bodies patted, bags X-rayed and pockets searched for matchsticks and lighters, before placing a microphone in their fidgety little hands!. With this said, allow me to take a sabbatical from this forum, till someone tickles persistently my little funny bones!     wiifgarow @ 5/13/2018 9:51 AM EST  Fiqi, Sec & Tops I think this is close now. This argument has been comprehensively won by Tops. I say this as a neutral arbiter, honest. I am not one of those Eydoors who conider Hawiyes as some sort of potential allies - they are enemies of us politically and economically as much as you (although they harbour no genocidal dreams towards Iiddoria, unlike some..) So move on. QUESTION: What does your (stolen) Constitution say, erxactly about Federa Regional States getting into contracts with private institutions?     wiifgarow @ 5/13/2018 9:45 AM EST  "Ina Cabdille Xasan: He was a badmouthed, zealot and brutal dictator. Nonetheless, he had gift for word alliteration and I enjoyed how he outfoxed your former masters for year" Did someone say in an another post there no Holocaust deniers on HOL? This comes very close to "that Hitler...he did some bad deeds..but by jove wasn't he a great orator! Just remember his performance in that Nuremberg rally..and his German alliteration..out of this world. What an Aryan..if a little..flawed"     wiifgarow @ 5/13/2018 9:40 AM EST  "TopClan, Expressing different opinions, political or otherwise, is a healthy process." Agree. I would add, perhaps such exchanges benefit a great deal from honesty and truthfulness. Pretending something one is not, like pure-hearted nationalist(if you can call nationalists that) when they are habeed-smeared, blood-fanged clannists, is not Mr Secular, honest     secular @ 5/12/2018 10:56 PM EST  FiqiJ, TopClan wants to think for me and write, by himself, my opinion regarding  events about which he cannot be impartial. He floods us with Bible-length rebuttal and misses to value the importance of plurality of points of views. You sparred with him when he was new, long before he bought HOL shares, and perhaps you can educate us about his former takes on Somali clan issues. TopClan, Expressing different opinions, political or otherwise, is a healthy process.     FiqiJin @ 5/12/2018 10:04 PM EST  Secular, You know, every time I read Topclan protest his clannishness, I chuckle a lot. This is the man whose handle name is TopClan. Imagine that! Kkkkkkkk! In fact, just to show off my keen observations, he used to use small t for the top and small C for the clan in topclan, but know it graduated onto uppercase for both! Kkkkkkk! Yes, the format sucks, but the man has to make some money from advertisements and, yes, there a lot of money to be made from hosting a lot of  fake news and fake articles ( most of which recirculate the same old story) by what it calls itself by Somaliland--a fake country with the works! I think Wiifgarow himself is the fake ambassador here in charge of buying time and space on HOL? Could that be also true! Remember, it was yours truly who recognized TopClan for HOL ownershi< which now we know is correctomundo, si!     secular @ 5/12/2018 3:59 PM EST  TopClan No holocaust deniers, here. Period. Juxtaposition of the major actors in those turbulent days is not only warranted, but also HALAL ! Everyone has to answer to his actions, no one exempted or favored. Period. As for the comment page format, despite your assurance that it works well, still SUCKS!     TopClan @ 5/12/2018 1:49 PM EST  Wiif and Secular The format works perfectly (for me) so it will not be change in the forseeable future. Sorry about, but thanks for your comments to HOL.     TopClan @ 5/12/2018 1:48 PM EST  Secular "Could it be that the comment page format change due to the need to accommodate the novel-length, freewheeling articles of our good pal, Top?" You catch on quick.     TopClan @ 5/12/2018 1:43 PM EST  Secular "Do you own HOL?" Yes. Next question. "I can't defeat the webmasters' word counting tools and you are given free hand to attack and second guess your opponents' point of views." No one has given it to me. I gave it to myself by working out how it works. How did you manage to get the word assert past HOL? Any word containing the word ass is usually blocked yet you managed to get it past them somehow. It seems to be working fine now. "When I said " You don't blame dictators for their ambitions....." I was not referring to you in person, and I thought you could surmise that " it's the very essence of dictator to have theaudacity and dare to conquer and overpower others". " Yes, but that is exactly the reason why their actions demand the biggest condemnations. Their actions destroy lives of a whole nation and Somalia is big example of that. "Those who deem themselves to be holier should have behaved better". That was the point I was trying to put across. But why bring that up when the issue was about Yusuf? It looks like you are trying to defend him by bringing up extreme Islamists. Your point about UCI and Al-Shabaab is well taken but that has nothing whatsoever to with Yusuf's actions. "I never dreamed of bestowing on Yousuf or any other one laurels and halos of sainthood and none of them passed my remote litmus test (for what they did or did not do). Period." That's not what the issue is about. The issue is that you are refuting the fact that Yusuf is one of the biggest sinners and traitors in Somali history. "FYI, since the victors of the spoils of Siyad and his capital were fighting among themselves and in disarray, "Abd. Yusuf was seen as a "place holder", and was never meant to be allowed to fulfill his notorious desire/dream to "rule" the country (characteristic he shared with his late comrade, Aideed).Warlords kept their arsenal and ICU/Shabab were entrenched and about to emerge in the most suitable atmosphere." An atmosphere which Yusuf helped to create with the Ethiopian invasion in 2006. "It was not only A. Yousuf who was under the spell of the Ethiopians, but all the rag-tag politicians who shared the spotlight with him, including many who "dissented"  and went to Asmara (Sakin and Co. )!" Can't you stick to the subject which is Yusuf and what did, specifically during his time as president of Somalia? What others did or didn't do will not absolve him of his crimes. If you want to talk about others, fine, we can talk about them too. But don't try to use them as some kind of excuse or an alibi that Yusuf isn't as bad as he was. "Those were other times and perhaps you were not old enough to have experienced it and it's beyond my desire to enlighten you about events that might touch your funny bones (not to say your clannish sensitivity!)" There you go patronising me. You ought enlighten yourself about Yusuf. And you accuse me of clannish sensitivity when you're the one who is defending Yusuf by by using UCI/Al-Shabaab and opponents who later followed in his foot steps as shield against criticism of Yusuf.     secular @ 5/12/2018 12:53 PM EST  Folks, Could it be that the comment page format change due to the need to accommodate the novel-length, freewheeling articles of our good pal, Top? Wiif, Ha igu dirin TopClan,  " Ciddi suul ima xanuunayso, ciil sokeeyena ima hayo".     secular @ 5/12/2018 11:41 AM EST  Wiif, It pains me, but I have to agree with you on another battle horse of yours. Ina Cabdille Xasan: He was a badmouthed, zealot and brutal dictator. Nonetheless, he had gift for word alliteration and I enjoyed how he outfoxed your former masters for year, till an accumulation of his bad deeds and fate caught up with him!     wiifgarow @ 5/12/2018 9:18 AM EST  "Top, Please change the format of the comment page! It sucks!" For once we agree. To paraphrase Secular's Uncle and Hero(or one of them anyway), "Maandow Hawiye wax kamaanana codsan maanta ka horoowe, blan inaad internetka wax ka taqaaniin la hubsan doonaaye"     secular @ 5/11/2018 3:18 PM EST  Top, Please change the format of the comment page! It sucks!     secular @ 5/10/2018 12:58 PM EST  cont... Imagine if Yusuf was welcomed to Villa Somalia upon his selection as president! He was a fish out of his cozy pond, away from his arid and remote homeland. He was a 70 plus old man,  with no loyal army in tow, in poor health and living with a graft rejection prone liver transplant that could fail  him at any given moment. He appointed a PM hailing from the capital and the ragtag cabinet and parliament comprised of all Somali tribes , clans and sub clans. The former warlords could have controlled, contained and kept him under constant watch for any of the dictatorial tendency he was suspected of harboring. The situation was not ideal, but was the only way out of the impasse the whole country was in, at that stage. In hindsight, the inevitable fight with ICU/Shabab would have been on the horizon (minus the Ethiopian factor)     secular @ 5/10/2018 12:30 PM EST  TopC and Wiifow, Do you know why I did not defend Yusuf? The occupying Ethiopian army in Mogadishu did the same scorched earth bombing, as the Somali army did in Hargeysa. The power struggle lead to the deaths of scores of mostly innocent bystanders, but did not solve the underlying causes of the conflict. I don't need your approvals on my take of what is written in BOLD in the sad annals of our recent history. I just want to put to rest this topic and have the last word!     secular @ 5/10/2018 12:09 PM EST  ... Wiif, Isn't SL an "independent" country and PL still a loose federal state of Somalia? Check the geographic locations of the towns and see the different implications of the two deals!     secular @ 5/10/2018 11:46 AM EST  Wiif, Did I touch a nerve? You are at it again: the tale of the lion and three cows? Trying to woe Top and Fiqi? IT wont work on Top's HOL! FYI, Gas's Bosaso deal is also doomed , if he doesn't have already the blessing of Mogadishu, though your wildest wishes might come true, since Villa Somalia is dangerously getting closer  to Qatar and the Turks and could embolden the arrogant Arabs to occupy "your only valuable real estate". It would pain me see you wearing "DHURWAAYO" and being denied entry to their Berbera base. Besides Filipinos and Egyptians, only few lucky local waiters could get temporary jobs! SL coolies! Chill out bro and sober up!       wiifgarow @ 5/10/2018 9:13 AM EST  Tops This is what our friend Mr Secular said about Berbera and Bosaso deals. Remember both are with DP World. The subtle ways his clannism colours his judgement. "The Somaliland deals touched sovereignty of the country, while the Bosaso case was easier to handle diplomatically."  So accordng to Sec , ther Berbera deals is about sovereignty. Bosaso deal is not. Why/How is not explained.     wiifgarow @ 5/10/2018 8:59 AM EST  Sec This website is wallaweyn owned. You are no Wallaweyn. You come from Qudhmis and heegaale, Xadhadhanka and Shaxda! So we are both foreign visistors here. Show some respect to Tops and other Hawiyes who are our hosts in more ways than one.     wiifgarow @ 5/10/2018 8:56 AM EST  "I am not defending Yousuf at all!" Oh yes, you are! You most certainly are. You either don't realise that yet or you are in complete denial. Now I see what Wiif was talking about. The tribalism is oozing out of you in your blind defence of Yusuf." Ooze is the word. Every pore of him. In fact in some ways he is far worse than Wiilwaal, yourstruly and even Fiqi. Just imagine if you were not Somali and read Sec's posts. You would think what an old, genteel reasonable bloke! Yet he is venoumously clannist. Which is fine. So am I and so are you although perhaps less venomous. Scorpion to Black Mamba. It is the disingenuous drivel and pretence that is unforgivable.       secular @ 5/9/2018 8:08 PM EST  FiqiJ, I rest my case: TopClan blocked me at last!     secular @ 5/9/2018 7:56 PM EST  Hey Tops! Kanye West said that " Slavery is a choice"! Are telling me that after the Yousuf-initiated enslavement of our nation by the Ethiopians, Sh. Sharif (who  "fought" them) and HSM couldn't move a finger to rebel against Gabre?     secular @ 5/9/2018 7:51 PM EST  Hey, Tops! Who told you that Harvard education is a sure bet for good leadership? Your sarcasm about that troubled soul of A/wali Gas doesn't make any sense, to me, and perhaps you should question the wisdom of Sh. Sharif who put him on limelight when he chose him as his Prime Minister! As far as I can see, not many in his enclave are bowing to him or praising his leadership.     secular @ 5/9/2018 7:38 PM EST  Who else can post on this pages Devine Commedy" length excoriating attacks on people whose hand are tied?     secular @ 5/9/2018 7:19 PM EST  Fiqi, Topclan either owns HOL or has "saint protectors  in Heaven"!     FiqiJin @ 5/9/2018 7:11 PM EST  Secular, "Do you own HOL?" Kkkkkkkkkk! Is there any question by now that my old friend Tops is connected to HOL! He is either the owner or the editor of sorts. Hence the small books being written here on by Tops! Lol!!! At least the man allows freestyle debate without shutting down somebody's account, like mine, out of retaliation!     secular @ 5/9/2018 7:11 PM EST  Top, FYI, since the victors of the spoils of Siyad and his capital were fighting among themselves and in disarray, Abd. Yusuf was seen as a "place holder", and was never meant to be allowed to fulfill his notorious desire/dream to "rule" the country (characteristic he shared with his late comrade, Aideed). Warlords kept their arsenal and ICU/Shabab were entrenched and about to emerge in the most suitable atmosphere. He and his entourage, parliament and cabinet, undertook a long peregrination to Baidoa, Jowhar and Mogadishu and that prevented Ali Gedi's cabinet to function properly. It was not only A. Yousuf who was under the spell of the Ethiopians, but all the rag-tag politicians who shared the spotlight with him, including many who "dissented"  and went to Asmara (Sakin and Co. )! Those were other times and perhaps you were not old enough to have experienced it and it's beyond my desire to enlighten you about events that might touch your funny bones (not to say your clannish sensitivity!)     secular @ 5/9/2018 6:37 PM EST  Top? Do you own HOL? I can't defeat the webmasters' word counting tools and you are given free hand to attack and second guess your opponents' point of views. When I said " You don't blame dictators for their ambitions....." I was not referring to you in person, and I thought you could surmise that " it's the very essence of dictator to have the audacity and dare to conquer and overpower others". "Those who deem themselves to be holier should have behaved better". That was the point I was trying to put across. I never dreamed of bestowing on Yousuf or any other one laurels and halos of sainthood and none of them passed my remote litmus test (for what they did or did not do). Period.     TopClan @ 5/9/2018 4:32 PM EST  Secular What are you on about? Are you confused or what? I never blamed anyone for their ambition. And my point was what heck has that got to do with anything? You wrote in your own comment about Yusuf and his dreams and implied that his action's were somehow justified because he was pursuing his dream of being president of Somalia. If that is not defending him, I don't know what is. You can condemn the UCI as much as you like, but do not pretend you're defending Yusuf too. "I fail to comprehend the relevance of the American court cases in this messy country's "Xeer jajab" federalism experiment!" I don't know, perhaps it was to show how federalism worked properly? Or maybe to point out to Puntland's Harvard educated leader about the system of governance in the US since he is a US citizen? "On a footnote, Yousuf brought the enemy to Mogadishu and those after him, the sons of the Sheikhs, stayed equally in bed with them and without any remorse. It is easier to invite an occupying force than to get rid of them. This is exactly what Machiavelli was talking about when he warned about bringing outside forces to do battle on your behalf: " in the cases where they are successful in battle on your behalf, you are endebted to them and they may keep the conquered lands for themselves." If they lose, you still owe them a debt and if they win, they might own you. They've already tried that with Abdiqasim but despite facing similar problems to Yusuf, he declined their offer. Bringing problems into your house and then complaining that it hasn't disappeared even after the person who has gone is very stupid. Ethiopia was not without a strategy and has entrenched itself in Somali affairs ever since Yusuf invited them into Somalia. Furthermore, the problems have become much bigger, making us dependent on foreign troops. Before the Ethiopia invasion, it wasn't hanky dory in Somalia but we didn't need foreign troops. And not just but the whole region has become less secure ever since. "Truth to be told, we were never in charge of our destiny, contrary to what we might think." The actual truth is that before the Ethiopian invasion, our desitny was still in our own hands. It was a Somali affair, for good or bad. Now there is multiple hands in Somalia and no ones quite where we are heading. "You don't blame dictators and wannabe dictators for their ambitions but you should be critical to those claiming sainthood, when they butcher innocent scores of hapless people." I do not understand why you bring up UCI and AL-Shabaab's false sainthood when the debate is about Yusuf. It's like you're taking us into a debate about not saints versus sinners but "righteous" sinners versus hypocrite sinners. All I see are sinners and Yusuf belongs among the biggest in Somali history alongside Barre, Aidid and Ali Mahdi. What is purpose of telling us about how horrible Al-Shabaab are? I mean, we all pretty much know that. We've already pretty much signed up to your description of them, so what's the point of telling us? What other point is there for telling us about that other than to deflect criticism of Yusuf? We have been critical of the death merchants but let's not forget that they weren't death merchants before Yusuf set Ethiopia on them. You seem to conveniently forget the action which triggered the Islamists deadly wars. They may already have been horrible inside but they weren't death merchants until the Ethiopian invasion. Fyi, I did not blame dictators and dictator wannabes for their ambitions. I very clearly blame them for their actions. The problem is that you that mitigates their atrocities somehow. It doesn't! "I am not defending Yousuf at all!" Oh yes, you are! You most certainly are. You either don't realise that yet or you are in complete denial. Now I see what Wiif was talking about. The tribalism is oozing out of you in your blind defence of Yusuf. I am puzzled that you could hold such a view of Yusuf, but you're not alone as I have also seen some otherwise smart and good natured people defend him or even hold him in high esteem. Needless to say, they all come from same clan as Yusuf. "Warlords and corrupt clan leaders selected him to take charge and start a new era of peace but he was denied that opportunity,by a combination of warlords and Alshabaab precursors (disguised as bonafide God fearing clerics)." Listen to your self! You're saying Yusuf, as big clan warlord as they come, was denied the chance to bring peace by other clan warlords? Yeah, the big clan warlord was going to bring peace! And how did that go? How is that any different from claiming Aidid was trying to bring peace but was denied that opportunity by Ali Mahdi or vice versa? I do not accept that for a second, and I will not accept that about Yusuf either. The good intentions which you try to afford him are betrayed by his actions which have had disasterous consequences for the Somali people and  Somali state. We have to live with reality of his actions, not some imagined good intentions. "What Yousuf did to assert his control of the situation is recorded and chronicled in the annals of our recent sad history." He didn't assert anything and lost complete control of the situation and that's why we are where we are today. Yusuf tried to bargain with the devil, but the devil dumped him when he got what he wanted from him. Yusuf is the embodiment of what has gone with Somali leadership. His ambition could not be thwarted at any cost and by all means. Yusuf is the godfather of modern Somali politicians, much more so than Barre who was at least a patriot/nationalist. This is especially true when you look at the regional leaders today. They all have the hallmarks of yusuf. They all call themselves "presidents", do everything to weaken the Somali government and Somali unity and they collaborate with other states against their own their nation. It's not for no reason that Yusuf is known as the biggest traitor in Somali history. "You like to judge people's opinions in a hasty manner and often jump into erroneous conclusions." My conclusion are not erroneous as evidenced by your reply which make absolute clear your position. So there really isn't anyway my conclusion of your opinion can be wrong. You didn't make your position any better but in fact, doubled-down on it. "As for Gas & Co., their personal and political interest lies with the UAE Arabs." Their personal and political interests lies with the UAE and Arabs instead of their own government? Curiously, what personal interest might that be? That might explain a great deal why they've are acting against the national interest and their own government. "Unless the federal government throws to their enclave a substantial financial life line, they are not going to cut ties with Dubai." Do you know you get more respect and treated more like other states when you show that you stand together for the same interests? The reason why the UAE, Ethiopia and other countries act like they way they do is because they know they can exploit a weakness among Somalis and the biggest one of all is division. I bet you anything that UAE or any country which has interests in Somalia will behave better and according to respectful relation if Somalis stand together and have one voice. You think, and as other Somalis do too, we don't have value which is why you think we must act like o=otherwise we will scre-wed by UAE or others. The opposite is true. Somalia is very valuable and that's why UAE and others are so interested in our country. However, our value will ONLY be evident when we stand together and have one voice. We are not slaves and should NOT act like slaves. We have value and must show it to the world. This is the catch twenty-two that people like Gaas and other regional and their support present to the FGS. It cannot do that unless it has strong to enough to do so. Yet the regional leaders spent most of their looking to weaken FGS. You cannot keep criticising someone for not been able to stand on their own two feet while you continue to trip them or even break their legs. "The whole DP-World debacle was confronted in a naive and haphazard way, fueled by the Jawari-Kheyre skirmishes. . " I thought the whole DP World thing came before the motion against Jawaari, so how did that fuel confrontation with UAE? Or are you referring to the money that was intercepted at the airport? "The Somaliland deals touched sovereignty of the country, while the Bosaso case was easier to handle diplomatically." I don't understand how you think the two deals are different in any way or shape. They are practically the same deal. They have both by-passed the FGS and signed deals giving major national assets to not just one but two countries, and one of them is our longterm enemy who has been seeking to take our ports from us for centuries. Both deals touch on sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and poltical independence of the Somali nation. How does it makes sense for you say it's a sovereignty issue when Somaliland who declare secession signs port deals but it isn't when Puntland who is both politically and legally part of Somalia signs similar deals? It's more of an issue in the case of Puntland since it recognises the FGS yet it still acted like an independent, just like Somaliland does. Somaliland is politically correct but legally wrong, while Puntland is wrong on both counts. "We can't afford to earn enemies while others hold the knife by the handle." So you think putting a gun to the FGS head will help? Some people still lack understanding of unity means. In order to be successful, a country must have one foreign policy. Is there a better way of achieving our aims international affairs than through the normal and proper international channels? As per international law, it is states, only recognised states who are treated as person which can into agreements with one another. Where's the faculty? I mean, what are we debating here? Yes, there can be disagreements on issues of foreign affairs, but there cannot be multiple voice or non-national governments entities dealing with other countries. That doesn't help the situation one bit. I mean, who are the UAE supposed to listen to? One voice is much more likely to be listened to than multiple  voices, even when the policy is wrong. It will at least be heard loud and clear. That's for sure. "Siyad, Aideed and Ali Mahdi tried to control people's lives by the barrel of the gun." They all tried to win power by the barrel of the gun but all of them failed. Yusuf also tried by the barrel of the gun but it's worse than that because his government and his agenda were all made by Ethiopia. "The reason we can't seem to get rid fo Ethiopia is because of people like Yusuf who are constantly pushing Ethiopia's agenda in Somalia. They needed no approval nor validation from any legal body!" Cobble a few warlords and mercenaries and claim they are a legal body? You're joking right?! Even this  government can hardly be said to represent Somali people let alone the warlord government made by Ethiopia in Empaghati and led by Yusuf. "A/Qassim, Yousuf, Sh. Sharif, HSM and Farmaajo were given some sort of legitimacy, albeit flimsy ones.Do not confuse event at will!" Only the government of HSM and current one could be said to have some sort of legitimacy in that were made in Somalia and were mostly a Somali affair. The A/Qasim government was better than the others because it was made in Djbouti and didn't have Ethiopia's hand in it and was mostly Somali affair. The fact that Yusuf was removable makes some people think that his actions were somehow legitimate.     secular @ 5/9/2018 3:24 PM EST  TopC, What frustrates many people, including me, is the inability of the federal government to extend its' presence beyond Mogadishu, parts of Mogadishu to be exact. I don't mind to invest in Mogadishu the proceeds from its' airport, seaport and local vegetable markets, but the international aid and development funds should be shared by all regions of the country. By nature, our people are impatient and the slow pace of nation building that is taking place is a painful process that is late to bear tangible fruit. We are divided in clans and lack a leadership/intelligentsia that should wade us through stormy the seas of these days.. If we can't heal Mogadishu and the "force cohabitation" of the crooks that are the face of the nation, you should forgive the petty thieves in Garowe, Baidoa, Kismayo or Hargeysa!     TopClan @ 5/9/2018 2:57 PM EST  Wiil Waal, denier of the bleeding obvious. You've got that right! Clan secession dressed up as a federalism panacea. "We all know that the Wahhabis who took up arms against Mr. Yusuf's government were mainly motivated by tribalism," Of course, they were. The whole thing has been about tribalism. Why did you think Aidid and ALi Mahdi and their sub-clans fought so ferociously in Mogadishu? Why do you think Morgan and barre Hiirale fought in Kismayo? Yusuf, of course, was never motivated by tribalism which is why he was never the president of a tribal state! Creating the need for AMISOM when none existed before is what makes him a visionary leader? This is similar to saying George W. Bush(Dubya) was a visionary leader because his claims about Al-Qaeda being in Iraq came true after the US invasion of Iraq. This is called self-fulfilling prophesy. It means to actively and deliberately create the conditions in which your prophesy or claims become true. Yusuf was certainly and advocate for our dependency on foreign troops and occupation by Ethiopia. "The second camp was largely the inhabitans in the capital who preferred a strong central government, which they thought could benefit their clan." Just like it benefited them during Barre regime, right? I can see the benefits to Mogadishu of being the capital city and the negatives( such as being primary target of terror attacks), but how does unitary system favour Mogadishu? I do not think a unitary government favours people of Mogadishu but it certain does favour who ever is in government. The big criticism of a unitary system is the monopolizing of power by a central government and that favour the central government not a clan, unless it is the government is control exclusively by a single clan. Come to think of it, that is exactly how the regional states based. Isaaq have exclusive power in Somaliland, Majeerteen have exclusive power in Puntland, Habargidir have exclusive power in GalMudug, Digil Mirifle have exclusive power in SW and Ogaden have exclusive power in Jubbaland. Hirshablle was the last of the FMS to be formed and there isn't a clear power dynamics yet, but it's between Hawadle and Abgaal. The monopolization of power is well and truly alive in Somalia, but now in clear tribal form. The monopolization of power is only a problem when the monopolizer is from a different clan to you. "And the last camp was Puntland and South West elite who argued that the only way Somalis could come together to rebuild their shattered institutions was from a bottom up approach where power is divided between the centre and the regions" You think a few warlords put together by our biggest enemy to decide our nation's destiny is a bottom-up approach? Clan Federalism is the definition of a top-down approach. It is about how to create regional warlords under the influence of our biggest enemies who are a big obstacle of the central government ever becoming strong enough to defend it's people and territory. "The country had no option but to take the most feasible and realistic approach at the time: federalism." There is no problem with Federalism being of the options for Somalia, but to present at the only option is wrong to way go around rebuilding a shattered country. But most worrying of all is that it was never even presented to the Somalia people in the first place. There is a historical resistance  to federalism by both Somaliland and Mogadishu and its surrounding areas. There was also some resistance in Jubbaland but I am not sure how it is now. There's a historical support for Federalism by people of SW but they don't support the kind of federalism Puntland wants and have been a big critic of the current clan Federalism in Somalia. While the Somali people remain divided and are not consulted in defining their own destiny, we will remain in the status quo indefinitely. A UN created constitution or an Ethiopia enterprise like clan Federalism will solve Somalia's problems will just hide it for a while and it explodes again. We have to own it. It must be up to Somalis to decide their own future. And with all due respect, It has to be all Somalis not just Puntland. I know you like to boast about what Puntland does, but the future of the country belongs to us all and so it must be something which all Somalis create together.     secular @ 5/9/2018 1:35 PM EST  Allah Yarxam waalideyka! Nac nacda iyo "reer hebel baa reer hebel ka fiican","reer hebel baa reer hebel duullaan ku ah" iyo " reer hebel baa reer hebel xasuuqay" NAGA DAA! It makes no sense. At all!     secular @ 5/9/2018 1:32 PM EST  If you have NOT anything meaningful to say****     secular @ 5/9/2018 12:51 PM EST  If you have NOT***     secular @ 5/9/2018 12:47 PM EST  Bro Wiif, If you have nothing meaningful to say , GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! I hereby sanction you immediate deportation from Wanlaweyn airwaves!     wiifgarow @ 5/9/2018 10:13 AM EST  It is true that Puntland imitates Somaliland. I am surprised Professor Arman implies that is a bad thing. Surely learning from good practise from your neighbours and brethren is something to aspire to? If Puntland moves its nascent democracy one step further and follows Somaliland into holding free and fair elections, then it would’ve achieved legitimacy far higher than anything the so-called Federal government has in Mogadishu.     wiifgarow @ 5/9/2018 10:05 AM EST  Tops Well done to you for notcing how Secular treats the brutes and killers and dictators and genocidaires from his clan with what can only be described as cousinly slap with a limp-wristed dacas on the cheek. He recently charcterised Mad Mulalh, a mass murderer who killed one third of Somaliland people at the time a "good poet..who killed many people". Abdullahi Yusuf who took his revenge on the people of Mogadshu with ethiopian artillery, just wanted a cushiony seat..bad boy. Sityad Barre "oh I almost praised him...." Not such abad man that little hitler cuz of mine..     wiifgarow @ 5/9/2018 10:01 AM EST  By the way the Burma vs Massachusets also misses a crucial difference: DP World is a private company. It is not a country. The Bosasos deal which in Somaliland support wholehearetedly because it creates dynamics and jobs and wealth for our neighbours and kith and kin, is notbetween a nation state and a regional state. I know in Germany and Switzerland, federal governemnts ca get into economic deals with any investors be they local or foreign. But again I know Somalia is no Germany..or Switzerland     wiifgarow @ 5/9/2018 9:56 AM EST  Puntland, shamelessly, is the onlySomali entity that claims a land and territory and legitimacy over people solely on clan basis. This is truly lowly and ignoble from a noble race like the Mijerteins. The rest of the article was a little messy. i did not understand the relevance of quoting american legal jurisprudence as some sort of legalese yardsticks to use in the Somali context. If that is what he was trying to do it failed. I still dont understand where the Somalia constitution stands on regional federal states like Puntland(Somaliland is not part of this arrangement so it is disingenous fantasy to include us here) stands on whetrher RFS can enter into economic deals with investors be they local or foreign. Perhaps Mr Aram could clarify     secular @ 5/8/2018 11:22 AM EST  Wiil Waal, All I meant, vis a vis the quarrel with UAE, was that the feds didn't have a contingency plan before openly souring the notoriously morbid relationship with the arrogant Arabs. Most of our businesses were operated from that country and they secured the blind allegiance of everyone single regional leader (agent).     secular @ 5/7/2018 9:02 PM EST  .... Siyad, Aideed and Ali Mahdi tried to control people's lives by the barrel of the gun. They needed no approval nor validation from any legal body! A/Qassim, Yousuf, Sh. Sharif, HSM and Farmaajo were given some sort of legitimacy, albeit flimsy ones. Do not confuse event at will!     secular @ 5/7/2018 7:39 PM EST  .... As for Gas & Co., their personal and political interest lies with the UAE Arabs. Unless the federal government throws to their enclave a substantial financial life line, they are not going to cut ties with Dubai. The whole DP-World debacle was confronted in a naive and haphazard way, fueled by the Jawari-Kheyre skirmishes. . The Somaliland deals touched sovereignty of the country, while the Bosaso case was easier to handle diplomatically. We can't afford to earn enemies while others hold the knife by the handle.     secular @ 5/7/2018 7:05 PM EST  TopC, I am not defending Yousuf at all! Warlords and corrupt clan leaders selected him to take charge and start a new era of peace but he was denied that opportunity, by a combination of warlords and Alshabaab precursors (disguised as bonafide God fearing clerics). What Yousuf did to assert his control of the situation is recorded and chronicled in the annals of our recent sad history. You like to judge people's opinions in a hasty manner and often jump into erroneous conclusions. You don't blame dictators and wannabe dictators for their ambitions but you should be critical to those claiming sainthood, when they butcher innocent scores of hapless people.     secular @ 5/7/2018 6:30 PM EST  I fail to comprehend the relevance of the American court cases in this messy country's "Xeer jajab" federalism experiment! On a footnote, Yousuf brought the enemy to Mogadishu and those after him, the sons of the Sheikhs, stayed equally in bed with them and without any remorse. Truth to be told, we were never in charge of our destiny, contrary to what we might think.     TopClan @ 5/7/2018 6:28 PM EST  Secular "All Abdullahi Yusuf wanted was to reside in The Mansion on the Hill and be called Mr President." All Barre wanted was to remain president of Somalia. Look what happened? You cannot keep making these excuses for ravenous leaders to pursue their ambition at any cost and by any means. Yusuf danced with the devil more than once to realise his ambitions. It warranted the death of thousands of innocent people just to be called president or seat at Villa Somalia? He's not alone at the USC leaders and Barre were already ahead of him. This is why Mogadishu has suffered more than any other city in Somalia because it is unique placed as the power and ambition of many ravenous and bloody minded and handed leaders. Add to that daily terror attack on Mogadishu only. Mogadishu might as well be called the bloody city. Coincidently, I come from the distric capital of Mogadishu, Warta-nabadda, whose old name, Wardhiigley, refers to its bloody history. So you see, traitors and war criminals are forgiven or understood because they were only seeking power. I mean, why not? he was only fighting to put clan on top? Hmm? So what he caused the death of thousands of people, he brought respect to the clan. Yusuf belongs on the same panel as Barre, Aidid and Ali Mahdi.In fact, he might the worst because he was the biggest traitor of all and danced with the devil more than once. "Wahhabi* ICU* tried to block him from realizing his long standing dream." Yusuf and his dream? What could go wrong, I wonder? Some people are either so naive or completely insane. It's funny and pathetic the way you defend him. It's like saying those naughty UCI won't allow little Yusuf to play with his favourite toy. Poor little Yusuf! Those nasty bullies are denying him his dream. Yusuf has been having these wet dreams since the 70's but it doesn't justify sending Ethiopia to bomb the people he wants to lead. "ICU cherished the Ethiopian occupation of Somalia, since it gave them the excuse to impose on us their insane interpretations of the Holy Quran." Wahabbism or what ever, UCI were Somalis and Muslims. And yet someone thought it was a great idea to call for kafir and Somalis biggest enemy to fight them? It was said at the time and logic dictates that it will only result in one thing and it is exactly what happened. Some people still think that was a good idea despite the consequences that we still live with today. And you don't think the opposite is true? UCI and now Alshabab existence is cherished equally by Ethiopia. It suited Ethiopia and Yusuf to exaggerate the threat posed by UCI to the outside world in order to achieve their aims of regional hegemony and president of Somalia, respectively. Well, that is the thing, isn't it? It didn't before Ethiopian invasion but it has after it. But the crucial question is who decides what kind of system a country practices? I mean, you and I might h4te Wahabbism but it's not same thing as terrorism. It's been more than ten years and Al-Shabaab has imposed its insane interpretation on many regions in Somalia. You know what? It's up to us a society to fight it and it isn't going be by just killing people, especially people whose whole point is death. Wahabbism can only be defeated if our leaders, political, social and religious, rejecting it and educating our young population. "I will not be grateful to Ayrow, Godane, Sharif, Aweys, Turki, Shongole, Afghani et al for not bombing my people for 6 months." What preceded the six months of peace? Exactly! And what came afterwards wasn;t started by them so I don't understand how you lay all the blame on them. The blame for ending those six months of peace lies at the feet of the Yusuf government, Ethiopia and Bush administration.     secular @ 5/7/2018 3:59 PM EST  O People of the Book! Read Quran on me , for I was about to sin! I was about to praise the repressive regime of Siyad Barre! All Abdullahi Yusuf wanted was to reside in The Mansion on the Hill and be called Mr President and, unfortunately, the Wahhabi* ICU* tried to block him from realizing his long standing dream. ICU cherished the Ethiopian occupation of Somalia, since it gave them the excuse to impose on us their insane interpretations of the Holy Quran. It took just 6-7 months for the fanatic to show their true face and morph into the marauding sandal wearing thugs. I will not be grateful to Ayrow, Godane, Sharif, Aweys, Turki, Shongole, Afghani et al for not bombing my people for 6 months. Gas & Co. erred in not consulting and bargaining with the legitimate federal government and the federal government is wrong to neglect the input of the functioning regional entities. Thanks!     TopClan @ 5/7/2018 3:19 PM EST  Wiil Waal So just because some warlords calling themselves sheikhs in Mogadishu were opposed to Yusuf's presidency, that justified the Ethiopian invasion and bombardment of Mogadishu and surrounding areas? Just like SNM were opposed to Barre regime and that justified the bombardment of Hargheisa. These are the dumbest attempts to defend war crimes.     TopClan @ 5/7/2018 3:13 PM EST  I can't remember the last time I enjoyed reading an article as much as this. It was almost orgasmic. I have nothing to add. It made every point perfectly and destroyed clan federalists' fantasy. And thanks for reminding us the father of Somali traitors in your conclusion.

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