June 14, 2006
IT ALL STARTS WITH SECURITY:
Mogadishu's unfamiliar calm: Islamist control of the city worries Western nations, but Somalis welcome the quiet (Rob Crilly, 6/15/06, The Christian Science Monitor)
A sense of calm has descended on the rubble-filled capital of Somalia since a coalition of Islamists, promoting a strict adherence to sharia law, announced their militias had taken control of the city last Monday. [...]Such comparisons are difficult to pin on Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, chairman of the Union of Islamic Courts. Speaking at his ramshackle headquarters, he says the courts' mission was simply to pacify Mogadishu. "We have to know first what people want. The last 16 years there was civil war and people are very poor," he says as gently as he can in the harsh, consonant-heavy Somali tongue. "Our only priority is to bring peace. Anything else will come later."
It's a moment when the UN, the Arab League, the African Uniuon, the EU and the US should all be offering massive assistance in exchange for their meeting some international norms of governance.
Posted by Orrin Judd at June 14, 2006 6:01 PM
Why can't we let them alone to solve their own problems?
Posted by: erp at June 14, 2006 6:42 PMThat would be unChristian.
Posted by: oj at June 14, 2006 7:03 PMI didn't realize that Jesus was a nosy parker.
Posted by: erp at June 14, 2006 10:36 PMIt's Christ's entire message for us:
www.brothersjudd.com/blog/archives/2004/04/mandatum_novum_1.html
Posted by: oj at June 14, 2006 10:40 PMIt's a moment when the UN, the Arab League, the African Uniuon, the EU and the US should all be offering massive assistance in exchange for their meeting some international norms of governance.
When has a combination of US & EU money, Islamism and UN governance ever failed to bring peace & prosperity ? After all, look at the great results achieved by the Taliban and Fatah under Arafat. And do not forget that Annan announced some reforms for the UN, so this time the results will be even better. Sponsering the Somalis to walk down that same road is definitely the Christian thing to do.
Posted by: Daran at June 15, 2006 3:54 AM... He taught us the importance of helping others ...
True enough, but doesn't He also expect us to use our good sense before imposing ourselves on others who are trying to help themselves.
No, not at all. He expects us to use His good sense. We have none.
Posted by: oj at June 15, 2006 8:11 AM