Go back to the deserts whence you came

Wadi Rum - passage in the sand, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

As Ethiopian troops fired into crowds of protestors in Mogadishu, it seems that the violence is escalating again. It is also reported that the number two of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, wants to get in on the act by calling on Muslims to fight the 'crusaders' and respond to his call for a jihad. He called on Islamists to use suicide attacks, mines and ambushes against the government and the Ethiopian forces.

Thank you, but a jihad is the last thing which Somalia with already so much recenty history of war and strife needs. The country needs to reconcile and build a peaceful, pluralistic society, just has been achieved in Somaliland. This will not happen through the meddling of religious nutcases or terrorists like Al-Qaeda. The Somalis know this adn it is to be hoped that they have the courage to engage each other in nation building.

So humble, as I am, I call for those Al-Qaeda troublemakers to go back into the desert and leave countries like Somalia alone. It looks like there is plenty of space for them there. Just go and shut up.

Further., there seems to be no news of the journalists in Hargeisa, except that they have apparently been badly treated in prison by the police.