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A Quick Retreat to Insurgency

There's been a lot of press and blog commentary lately about how the Ethiopians are defeating Islamic terrorism in Somalia. The commentary talks about how decisive blows against the cowardly Islamists have caused them to cut and run.

There's a lot of praise for Ethiopia in all of this, and rightly so. Ethiopia has done in Somalia what the U.S. was unwilling to do in the '90s.

It's very similar to what the U.S. did in Iraq though. This time the MSM seems to like it because the U.S. isn't involved, at least not directly.

I do hope the blogospheric optimism is justified, but I remain skeptical. I think the world is making the same mistakes in regard to Somalia that they claim the U.S. made in regard to Iraq.

From the A.P. via the Seattle Post Intelligencer:

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- Government troops backed by Ethiopian soldiers were fighting about 600 Islamic militiamen in the southern tip of Somalia, an official spokesman said Thursday.

In the past 10 days, Ethiopian-backed government forces have driven out the Islamic movement that had controlled Mogadishu and much of southern Somalia for more than six months. The Islamic movement retreated to the southern tip of Somalia and vowed to keep fighting, raising the specter of an Iraq-style guerrilla war.

...

Kenya sent extra troops to the Somali frontier and closed its border, fearing an exodus of refugees and foreign fighters.

Dinari said some Islamic militants have been trying to escape by sea. "But U.S. anti-terrorist forces have been deployed there to prevent them from escaping," he added.

...

Dinari said the government believes foreign terrorist elements are among the Islamic militiamen fighting in Badade.

With the Islamic movement's fighters on the run, concern has grown about extremists believed to be among them. Three al-Qaida suspects in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa are believed to be leaders of the Islamic movement. The movement denies having any links to al-Qaida.

Earlier Thursday, Somalia's Interior Minister Hussein Aideed said there are about 3,500 Islamists hiding in the capital and they are "likely to destabilize the security of the city."

So it seems that the problems in Somalia are beginning to take on the same character as the ones in Iraq. A swift and crushing "defeat" for the Islamists who, rather than fighting an overwhelming force melt into the general populace. Followed by a long and slow insurgency, supported by imported terrorists.

It would be great to see the Islamists defeated and completely driven out of Somalia. It would be wonderful if the "Somali" insurgency doesn't materialize.

Ethiopia says it can't afford to stay in Somalia long. Their timetable for withdrawal is measured in weeks, not years.

We may be given the chance to see what will happen in Iraq when the U.S. cuts and runs under our new Democratic leadership real soon. I hope not.

Previous:

• New York Times: Mission Accomplished

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Terrorist Dictionary -- Cease-fire = Reload

Well, it seems like civil war may be breaking out in Palestine again. Terrorists fighting terrorists again.

It seems that there were these Fatah gunmen just sitting on a roof, minding their own business, when one of them was shot and killed. So naturally gun battles erupted in the streets.

Then, three Fatah security officials raided a house. So naturally, some other gunmen fought back and wounded one of them. Then they attacked their cars while they were on the way to the hospital. You know, just the sort of activity that you'd expect when terrorists have agreed to a cease-fire.

From Haaretz:

In the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis, three security officials loyal to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas were killed Wednesday afternoon when unidentified gunmen attacked their vehicles, hospital officials said.

Abbas's Preventive Security force blamed the ruling Hamas movement for the attack.

Before the ambush, the security officers stormed a house where they believed a colleague who had been kidnapped earlier in the day was being held, officials said in a statement.

Militants attacked the officers, and one was injured, the statement said.

When two of his colleagues driving a police car tried to bring him to the hospital, they were attacked near the hospital's entrance, the statement said. Two were killed in the attack and the third died later in hospital.

The three were named as Osama A-Shami, Anwar A-Najar and Osama Nasser.

...

In a text message sent to reporters Wednesday evening, the Fatah leadership in Khan Yunis blamed Hamas for trying to "increase chaos" in Gaza and said loyalists had now been instructed to "defend themselves by any means necessary."

The 22-year-old woman, named as Mona Salahah, died in hospital Wednesday afternoon from head wounds sustained when she was caught in the cross-fire crossfire during Hamas-Fatah gunbattles in northern Gaza. Another 12 people were moderately wounded, hospital and security officials said.

Wednesday's violence in northern Gaza began when Ala Saniyah, a 25-year-old militant from Abbas' Fatah party was shot and killed in the town of Beit Lahia, setting off a round of gunbattles that sent rival gunmen pouring into the streets.

Fatah officials would not comment publicly on the shooting, but privately blamed Hamas. Local residents said the victim was on a rooftop with other Fatah gunmen when he was shot.

Hamas gunmen also kidnapped five Fatah loyalists Wednesday, according to Fatah officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Yep, nothing to see here folks, move along. It's just business as usual in the Gaza strip.

This just goes to show you that you can't trust a terrorist. There's just no negotiating with them. Sure, they'll say they'll lay down their arms. They'll agree to a cease-fire. But as soon as your back is turned they'll kidnap someone, or shoot someone on a rooftop and an innocent bystander will get killed in the crossfire.

If this is how the terrorists honor a cease-fire amongst themselves, how in the world do we expect them to honor any agreement they make when diplomats do the talking?

You'd think that the world would learn from experience with these people. You can't negotiate with terrorists. "Cease-fire" is apparently the terrorist word for "Reload".

Previous:

• Cease-fire? What cease-fire?
• Hamas-Fatah truce?
• Terrorists still killing terrorists in Gaza
• Civil War in Palestine?
• Civil War in Iraq, but not Palestine?
• Palestinian prime minister vows not to recognize Israel
• Strange definition of "Ceasefire"
• Israel shows restraint, Palestinians Defiant

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