Tank Democracy in Somalia
January 1, 2007
by William P. Meyers

When the government of Ethiopia invaded Somalia western news organizations and the United Nations provided political cover for the invasion. First they reported that Ethiopian military advisors were helping the gunmen of the CIA puppet "government" of Somalia that resided in Baidoa. A few days ago they claimed that the CIA gunmen had smashed the militia of the Islamic Court system with the help of air support from Ethiopia. Today the reports are that the remaining Islamic Court militia is bottled up in the southern town of Kismayo by the tank and armored vehicles of the Ethiopian army.

It is amazing that I need to point out that if there are Ethiopian tanks near Kismay then Ethiopian tanks were used to capture Mogadishu and the same tanks had to cross the border near Baidoa.

It is amazing that I need to point out that this is an act of agression and a war crime. Unless you are totally silly, however, you don't expect the UN to accomplish its charter mission and defend Somalia from the Ethiopians. There won't be a trial in The Hague for Menes Zenawi.

The war crimes apologist press (that includes just about the entire US press from the New York Times to Rush Limbaugh) repeats the Ethiopian lie that its invasion was defensive. It is likely true that some hothead Somali Islamics threatened to invade Ethiopia. I am pretty sure that under international law that is not allowed as a just pretext for invading a country.

The war crimes apologist press will also say that they have proof that the people of Somalia did not really support the Islamic Justice Courts. The proof is that most Somalis don't want to get mowed down by Ethiopian tanks, and so have asked the Islamic militia to get out of town.

I am no fan of Islam, but I know very few people in any nation will back a government to the point of certain death. When Hitler's tanks smashed into France in 1940 the French thought about all the wine they'd be missing and decided life under the Nazis was better than death for France. In all of France only a few thousand people were active in the Resistance to Nazi rule. That hardly means, however, that the average French person thought highly of German rule.

So don't mistake Somalis not wanting to be killed for actual support for the Ethiopians, the new government, the UN or the CIA.

I am in no position to say just how much support the Islamic Justice Courts had during their very brief reign.

But I am willing to bet the Ethiopians have stirred up a hornet nest in Somalia, just as the US stirred one up in Iraq. Reports are that Ethiopia is a Christian nation, but everyone admits it has a rather substantial Islamic minority.

And add a notch to Jesus Christ's gun barrel (the Ethiopians are Christian, but not Catholic). I am sure he's proud of his Christian soldiers.

Expect "free" "elections" some time soon. I hear the CIA is so interested in spreading democracy that it is willing to finance some of the candidates.