Instructors Struggle to Rebuild Somalia's National Army

[RovingMadness]

numbers are nothing, you need discipline...

5000 with discipline are more capable than 20,000 with no discipline.

Did you see the pictures of Sharif's newly trained Special Forces?

[gurey25]

are you refering to those masked men..

yes..

[RovingMadness]

are you refering to those masked men..

yes..

Yea. What's your first impression of them?

[Alchemist]

numbers are nothing, you need discipline...

5000 with discipline are more capable than 20,000 with no discipline.

Did you see the pictures of Sharif's newly trained Special Forces?

How much do they number and are they all agonyar?

[gurey25]

still skinny looking, but fitter than most somali "soldiers".
they looked disciplined too, from the way they held their guns, to their whole look..

they look like veterens that have been given intensive and specialized training by western military trainers.

They are probably not upto special forces standard as we know it, butthey will fill the role very well in the somalia context.


I fear that they will be too powerfull, and could be used as a sort of praetorian gaurd,
basically because the majority of somali do not know how to shoot for shit in the first place.

[RovingMadness]

still skinny looking, but fitter than most somali "soldiers".
they looked disciplined too, from the way they held their guns, to their whole look..

they look like veterens that have been given intensive and specialized training by western military trainers.

They are probably not upto special forces standard as we know it, butthey will fill the role very well in the somalia context.


I fear that they will be too powerfull, and could be used as a sort of praetorian gaurd,
basically because the majority of somali do not know how to shoot for shit in the first place.

I like the upgraded AKs they use, most likely it's of a Pakistani origin.

I think the issue of them growing too powerful is overhyped by people that are not familiar with the history and roots of these guys. They come from the presidents own sub-sub-sub clan and are led by a veteran US Marine of a Somali origin and are part of the NSA which itself is a Somali Government organ. As I understand, they number about 800-1000 which is not bad for a special forces, but they need to be given more hardware and need to pack a bigger punch in the form of utility vehicles and weapons. They have a huge potential and I can't wait to see more pictures of them from the upcoming Mogadishu Conference

[gurey25]

The ideal vehicle for them would be the Ratel ifv.

lots of them available for sale and at a price of $250,000 a piece for a refurbished model..
its a steal..

Ideal for somalia..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratel_IFV

[RovingMadness]

I think the role of infantry fighting vehicles in urban settings is questionable but then firepower is a must. I think, our Italian cousins can provide few weapons to us, but Col Nuur Cade must get to work more aggressively to make that happen

[gurey25]

the isrealis have shown that its not dubious..

you just have to make sure that you clear out all possible planes of attack for rpgs..
even you have to smoke some civilians..



but i believe these IFV will be the answer to the technical.

[RovingMadness]

the isrealis have shown that its not dubious..

you just have to make sure that you clear out all possible planes of attack for rpgs..
even you have to smoke some civilians..



but i believe these IFV will be the answer to the technical.

You have that luxury if you are fighting away from home-field. In Mogadishu and other regions were the civilians are our people it raises all sorts of moral & ethical questions.

[gurey25]

you know i am facinated..
what happened to the 60,000 plus armed mooryaan millitias belonging to the warlords?

60,000 + were in moqadishu alone. in 2005 and 2006.
after the UIC nothing is heard from them?

[Voltage]

They come from the presidents own sub-sub-sub clan

They are a product of Western intelligence and even the president does not know what goes on in NSA. I doubt Western military advisers and Western financiers who very well know the underlying issues of Somali better than any of us as well as have even less confidence than we do about the TFG, its corruption, and its future are going to allow such heavy handed corruption of picking the new anti-terror group (and this is what they are) from not only a clan, or sub-clan, but sub-sub-subclan. Sell that to your tribe's cafe shops.

It is a little piece of America in Somali soil; call it Langley in Mogadishu. The Somali government doesn't even have access to the program nor even the facilities itself;

Adjacent to the compound are eight large metal hangars, and the CIA has its own aircraft at the airport. The site, which airport officials and Somali intelligence sources say was completed four months ago, is guarded by Somali soldiers, but the Americans control access.

...

According to well-connected Somali sources, the CIA is reluctant to deal directly with Somali political leaders, who are regarded by US officials as corrupt and untrustworthy.

http://www.thenation.com/article/161936 ... es-somalia

Yes, the premier Intelligence Agency in the world who knows the basis of Somalia's civil war as well as the fluidity of changing personalities and scenarios is going to, in their own controlled site training their own mercenary force in the country, train just the sub-sub-sub-sub-subclan of a man who they don't even think is effective or really respect and could be out in months.

Tricks are for kids.

[greenday]

If these men are from his sub clan what will happen to them when he leaves? will they train new ones for the new presidents from his sub clan

[Voltage]

If these men are from his sub clan what will happen to them when he leaves? will they train new ones for the new presidents from his sub clan

[RovingMadness]

Voltage,

I know it burns you inside, but people in the know actually are aware of who those forces are and the less said the better. In fact, Jeremy Scahill who wrote the story you just posted was sourcing and quoting my own Abti who happens to be a high ranking official in Sharif's inner circle. I actually have exclusive pictures of Jeremy Scahill with our militias interviewing and traveling around Mogadishu with our staff. Because of Private Security contractors in Iraq & Afghanistan, Western Journalists like to paint every region with the same brush. The only thing private about those forces are by who they were trained by. Beyond that it's common knowledge where they hail from. If they were private militias, they wouldnt have been part of Sharif security detail. They are Agoon-yar/Harti Abgaal and were flown to Jabuti in the summer of 2009, they returned last summer and have been going through COIN Training provided by an American Security contractor. The CIA none sense is exaggerated sensationalism for readers consumption, the CIA has been involved in counter-terror missions in Somalia since early 2000s and are nothing new.

The above information is the best you will find online and I know what I am talking about. Trust me, I was quoted by the NPR & the Washington Post. Just ask Somaliweyn

GreenDay

Sharif is not taking possession of new presidential planes and helicopters just to go on a joy-ride for few months. The future of Somalia is being written as we speak and unless something unimaginable happens, Sharif will stay for a long time to come. He unilaterally extended his term despite Western pressure, fired a popular Prime Minister and is now riding the greatest wave ever having pacified and secured the peace of Mogadishu for the first time in 20 years. The Dogs might bark, but the caravan moves ON