The future of Somalia

Why is it that the Ethiopians are making it look easy? Partly because we forget how we were able to drive the forces of Saddam into hiding. The real question is, will the Islamists stay defeated?

For a decent Somalian government to hold, it will need to use ruthless means against the Islamists, but we know that the U.N. and others will press it to go easy and respect the "human rights" of those who seek to deny them to others. It doesn't have the luxury to worry about such matters. The first duty of government is to assure the safety, peace and quiet for its citizens, what we call police power. This isn't simple in a society so recently in the thrall of warlords. The government must be able to assert power and it apparently doesn't have the arms or the army to do yet.

Our hopes for peace will not be met through force of arms, especially when we lack the will to exercise our power. Only the power that can cnange mens' hearts can assure that. The world is full of evil people and the worst are full of passionate intensity. Until he rules whose right it is, the good must renew our convictions that we are good and strengthen our resolve to stand strong against evil. (See Samuel Butler Yeats, The Second Coming.)