Food riots, anti-U.S. protests erupt in Somalia

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | May 7, 2008 | Jonathan Adams

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Food riots and anti-US protests in Somalia are compounding the chaos in the long-suffering war zone in the Horn of Africa.

Meanwhile, an Amnesty International Report released Tuesday alleged that Islamist militants, as well as US-backed Ethiopian and Somali government troops, are committing widespread atrocities against civilians in the capital, Mogadishu. And a recent US strike against what it says was an Al Qaeda leader in Somalia has sparked further protests.

The Associated Press reports that Tuesday saw a second day of protests over rising food prices, with hundreds of youths burning tires, throwing stones, and blocking roads.

Somalia is just the latest country to see riots over rising food prices, after others including Haiti, Egypt, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso. The Financial Times has a map of the civil unrest sparked by the food crisis here.

[Southerngl]

America; the lake theives and vomit bomb makers.

[LearsFool]

If the US invaded, conquered and occupied anyone of them...

Just like individuals, some cultures are simply not ready for freedom, liberty and self-government.

Burning tires, throwing rocks and blocking roads instead of scrounging for sustenance - such temper tantrums don't signal a capacity for self-rule. They're better off under a benevolent dictator.

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America; the lake theives and vomit bomb makers.

Yep, that's us according to the millions upon millions of people we feed across this planet. It all comes down to we are lake thieves and vomit bomb droppers. Gratitude is a wondrous thing to behold.

[mikey_hates_everything]

Yeah, but they'd all probably end up here.

Four words: Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lewiston, Maine

[RightWhale]

Lake thieving and vomit bombs are only what they know about. They don’t know about the big stuff and won’t even suspect until their entire country disappears down a crevasse.

[AmericaUnite]

Perhaps what we bombed had some poison in it. Wouldn’t put it past AQ to store WMD in this “country”.

[Alter Kaker]

Exactly! If a despot gets an ingrown toenail on the other side of the planet - it's the US fault.

Well, actually, the US backed Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia. Backing an invasion of a country is a little bit more than an ingrown toenail.

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Four words: Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lewiston, Maine

Four VERY important words.

[Sender]

It’s hard to feel sorry for a population that has more AK-47s and RPGs than people, who killed and desecrated the bodies of American soldiers. Almost any food and medicine aid given to them ends up in the hands of petty warlords, and any people who go against the warlords end up being shot by khat-chewing technicals or beheaded via Islam. They are gonna have to cry to someone else. Let al Qaeda feed them, they own them already. It’s a lost cause. Democracy will never grow there. It’s been sprayed with Islamic Roundup.

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Perhaps what we bombed had some poison in it. Wouldn’t put it past AQ to store WMD in this “country”.

Very astute observation. I hadn't thought of that.

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It's just a convenient excuse?

What what were the circumstances that we backed the Ethiopians in the first place? I'm sure they wouldn't have been there if it was as tranquil and the Garden of Eden. Musta been something bad going on there to send in the troops.

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Excellent post! I agree with it 100%.

[Alter Kaker]

What what were the circumstances that we backed the Ethiopians in the first place? I'm sure they wouldn't have been there if it was as tranquil and the Garden of Eden. Musta been something bad going on there to send in the troops.

Yes, the US didn't like the Islamic Courts Union which had taken over most of Somalia. That's fine, but Somalia has now been occupied by a foreign invading army from Ethiopia for two years. That's extremely unpopular, and Somalis believe -- and are probably right about this -- that the Ethiopians are only there because the US has been arming them, paying them, proving them heavy air and logistical support, etc.

This is going to lead to one hell of a backlash, because the Ethiopians aren't going to want to die in Mogadishu forever.

[Alter Kaker]

Let al Qaeda feed them, they own them already.

See, we tried that approach in Afghanistan, figuring what the heck harm could Afghanistan do to the West.

Next thing you knew, 19-Afghan based terrorists flew planes into American buildings. Somalia can't continue to be a failed state.

The Ethiopians need to leave, and the US needs to support the creation of a real accountable government. Otherwise, you'll have a Taliban II and an Al Qaeda training ground.

[Dante3]

I will not forget Black Hawk Down. Nor will I forget that our government’s response to it was to increase our imports of Somalis to this country. And we keep on importing them. Many of them are on welfare and commit crimes.

[Sender]

I am all for Somalia having an accountable government, I just don't think we can manufacture one. Any US-backed government will be despised and fought by the warlords. If we kill the warlords, the people will despise us even more. It just seems like a lost cause, a place where people know only brute force, taking whatever you can and a cheap, early death. How do we interest them in a calm, civilized Western lifestyle? Their lives are based on stealing, snitching, shooting and starving. I don't know how we can change that by force or by diplomacy.

BTW the 19 hijackers, regardless of where they pitched their training tents, were based in Saudi Arabia.

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Yes, the US didn't like the Islamic Courts Union which had taken over most of Somalia.

Why are you soft soaping it. It isn't just islamic court union - it's al qaeda. Last time I looked we were at war with al qaeda world wide. Al qaeda IS a member of the islamic court union.

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I won’t forget what they did or what we did in letting them come here either. I hope that entire country destroys its self. The sooner the better. Let civilization move forward not backwards.

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This is going to lead to one hell of a backlash, because the Ethiopians aren't going to want to die in Mogadishu forever.

Correct me if I'm mistaken but didn't the ICU declare a jihad against Ethiopia?

[vpintheak]

Propaganda, lies, and misery. They protest the US while they could be out trying to make something better for themselves and their families. Instead, they cry into the wind and blame the USA. Sick.