Live and Lose

While some neocons may hold up the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia as a “model” for American strategy in Iraq, the reality on the ground is proving them wrong (once again!):

Hundreds of Somalis flooded into bullet-pocked boulevards to hurl rocks at the Ethiopian soldiers, set tires on fire and shout anti-Ethiopian slogans.

“Get out of our country!” they yelled. “We hate you, Ethiopians!”

In northern Mogadishu, residents said men with scarves over their faces and assault rifles in their hands lurked on street corners. Mogadishu has plenty of gunmen, of every age and every clan, but gunmen hiding their identity is something new and may be a sign of a developing insurgency.

“We’re going to turn this place into another Iraq,” said Abdullahi Hashi, a construction worker who said he was part of a new underground movement to fight the Ethiopians.

Tamdiu discendum est, quamdiu vivas.” — a maxim that does not apply to our neocons.

Question: How long before American soldiers — in the role of “advisors” — start appearing on the front lines of this new “war on terrorism”? Place your bets now ….