Comments on: How to tell the story of the strike against Al-Shabab in Somalia? http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/ EthanZ's musings on Africa, media and international development Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Piracy - A Great Excuse to Write About Somalia « The Roman Gate http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/comment-page-1/#comment-1329963 Piracy - A Great Excuse to Write About Somalia « The Roman Gate Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:43:12 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=2053#comment-1329963 [...] after Ethiopian troops pulled out. (Lots and lots more about the TFG, Ethiopia and the US role here, linking to a pile of earlier blog posts on the topic.) UIC splinter groups, including al-Shabab, [...] [...] after Ethiopian troops pulled out. (Lots and lots more about the TFG, Ethiopia and the US role here, linking to a pile of earlier blog posts on the topic.) UIC splinter groups, including al-Shabab, [...]

]]> By: …My heart’s in Accra » Piracy - a great excuse to write about Somalia http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/comment-page-1/#comment-1306846 …My heart’s in Accra » Piracy - a great excuse to write about Somalia Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:20:53 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=2053#comment-1306846 [...] after Ethiopian troops pulled out. (Lots and lots more about the TFG, Ethiopia and the US role here, linking to a pile of earlier blog posts on the topic.) UIC splinter groups, including al-Shabab, [...] [...] after Ethiopian troops pulled out. (Lots and lots more about the TFG, Ethiopia and the US role here, linking to a pile of earlier blog posts on the topic.) UIC splinter groups, including al-Shabab, [...]

]]> By: Ethan http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/comment-page-1/#comment-959552 Ethan Sat, 03 May 2008 14:20:56 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=2053#comment-959552 Thanks for weighing in, everyone. Rob, let me point people to your excellent work on Somalia and other African issues online - http://www.fromthefrontline.co.uk/blogs/index.php?blog=14 Henok, my fear is that the US will keep supporting Ethiopia so long as people in the US know nothing about this situation, don't pay attention to it and ignore it. Thanks for weighing in, everyone. Rob, let me point people to your excellent work on Somalia and other African issues online – http://www.fromthefrontline.co.uk/blogs/index.php?blog=14

Henok, my fear is that the US will keep supporting Ethiopia so long as people in the US know nothing about this situation, don’t pay attention to it and ignore it.

]]> By: Om http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/comment-page-1/#comment-958085 Om Fri, 02 May 2008 22:56:47 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=2053#comment-958085 Your analysis is on target and I'm sorry to say the free-thinking Western media has been hijacked by the U.S. gov't and its allies since 9/11. Journalists are afraid to question the Administration's talking points because most of the Western news organizations are afraid to lose their access to the Administration so they shy away from questioning what the Pentagon and State Department feeds them. Somalia is an excellent example of how the Bush Administration has manufactured and spread garbage connection between Al Qaeda and the Union of Islamic Courts in Somalia. The Western media ate it like a cake and has never looked back. It's interesting how the news media never wants to pull the curtain on the Administration's 'terror' propaganda. If the media only did small homework, they would've realized Somalis have always been moderate when it came to religion - and the idea of Somali being a safe haven for Al Qaeda is nothing short of a joke. The UIC were popular not because for their religious adherence but for bringing peace and semblance of order to souther Somalia. It is a shame that the great President Bush felt poor suffering Somalis should not have a little peace brought by their fellow Somalis. So sad millions of poor Somalis have to be collateral damage for experimental and ruthless foreign policy that the Western media all but have cheered for. I hope your effort makes a difference. Your analysis is on target and I’m sorry to say the free-thinking Western media has been hijacked by the U.S. gov’t and its allies since 9/11. Journalists are afraid to question the Administration’s talking points because most of the Western news organizations are afraid to lose their access to the Administration so they shy away from questioning what the Pentagon and State Department feeds them.

Somalia is an excellent example of how the Bush Administration has manufactured and spread garbage connection between Al Qaeda and the Union of Islamic Courts in Somalia. The Western media ate it like a cake and has never looked back. It’s interesting how the news media never wants to pull the curtain on the Administration’s ‘terror’ propaganda. If the media only did small homework, they would’ve realized Somalis have always been moderate when it came to religion – and the idea of Somali being a safe haven for Al Qaeda is nothing short of a joke. The UIC were popular not because for their religious adherence but for bringing peace and semblance of order to souther Somalia.

It is a shame that the great President Bush felt poor suffering Somalis should not have a little peace brought by their fellow Somalis. So sad millions of poor Somalis have to be collateral damage for experimental and ruthless foreign policy that the Western media all but have cheered for. I hope your effort makes a difference.

]]> By: Henok http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/comment-page-1/#comment-957777 Henok Fri, 02 May 2008 20:22:28 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=2053#comment-957777 Ethan, you knowledge not only technology but also history etc. lucky known you. The Somalia situation need a solution before it turn worst than it is worst now--Ethiopia and Eritrea are looking a nice a soccer field in somalia to play a game. How long USA will support Ethiopia? Ethan,
you knowledge not only technology but also history etc. lucky known you. The Somalia situation need a solution before it turn worst than it is worst now–Ethiopia and Eritrea are looking a nice a soccer field in somalia to play a game. How long USA will support Ethiopia?

]]> By: Rob Crilly http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/comment-page-1/#comment-956851 Rob Crilly Fri, 02 May 2008 14:09:17 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=2053#comment-956851 Nice analysis. As a journalist I was deeply frustrated by the unthinking way much of the media used the US line that Ayro was al Qaeda's leader in Somalia. Nice analysis. As a journalist I was deeply frustrated by the unthinking way much of the media used the US line that Ayro was al Qaeda’s leader in Somalia.

]]> By: Simon McIntyre http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/05/01/how-to-tell-the-story-of-the-strike-against-al-shabab-in-somalia/comment-page-1/#comment-955790 Simon McIntyre Fri, 02 May 2008 06:20:56 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=2053#comment-955790 America is always fighting a proxy war somewhere, it is in the blood of the special forces and inteliigence services to do so. During the Cold War, America fought hundreds of proxy wars by arming militants and providing intelligence support, the largest was Afghanistan (arming what would later turn out to be islamic militants on a Jihad against the west, in defence of the American way of life, i.e. no communism), but many more were fought across Africa too. You are right in that the difference now is that America is not afriad to get involved in the fight itself with air power (something it would never have done in the past for fear of retaliation by the Russians), but it's far too afraid to put boots on the ground. America is always fighting a proxy war somewhere, it is in the blood of the special forces and inteliigence services to do so. During the Cold War, America fought hundreds of proxy wars by arming militants and providing intelligence support, the largest was Afghanistan (arming what would later turn out to be islamic militants on a Jihad against the west, in defence of the American way of life, i.e. no communism), but many more were fought across Africa too.

You are right in that the difference now is that America is not afriad to get involved in the fight itself with air power (something it would never have done in the past for fear of retaliation by the Russians), but it’s far too afraid to put boots on the ground.

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