Hail Somaliland
A fascinating move by Israel:
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland landed like a dropped plate in a room full of diplomats pretending not to hear the crash. Somalia protested. The Arab League scolded. Turkey and Egypt warned darkly about precedent. The African Union fretted about stability. Western officials whispered about process. All the usual theater. What none of them wanted to say out loud was the obvious truth staring back at them. Israel did nothing radical. It applied the rules.
For thirty years Somaliland has functioned as a state. Not a slogan, not a cause, not a grievance economy. A state. Permanent population. Defined territory. Effective government. Capacity to conduct foreign relations. The four tests of the Montevideo Convention, met quietly and consistently since 1991. Add a fifth fact that the convention does not even ask for but history does. Somaliland has committed exactly zero acts of international terrorism. No hijackings. No embassy bombings. No exported jihad. No global fundraising networks laundering blood as politics.
The article goes on to state that Palestine, the darling of so many countries around the world who have recognized it as a state, lacks characteristics of effective government (unless the aim of effective government is terrorism):
[“Palestine” has no] defined territory under sovereign control. No effective government with a monopoly on force. No independent foreign policy capacity. No coherent administration. Plenty of armed factions. Plenty of glorified murder. Plenty of international terror. And yet that project is treated as sacred, inevitable, untouchable. …
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland … says something deeply offensive to the professional peace industry. Sovereignty is not a vibe. It is a performance. You earn it by governing, not by suffering louder than your neighbor.
Leave it to Israel to point out the contrast.
And from Roger L. Simon:
According to Grok, “Somaliland, a former British protectorate, has maintained relative stability, its own currency, passports, elections, and government since 1991, in contrast to ongoing instability in Somalia.” …
In fact, their residents have been photographed waving the Israeli flag after their country’s leader signed agreements promising Israeli aid for agriculture, health, technology, and economic development.
Is this another important avatar of Netanyahu’s “New Middle East?” It could well be, but in the short run, it certainly will make life extremely difficult for the Houthis with the possibility of Israeli jets parked three hundred miles from their shores. Say goodbye to the terrorists’ control of the Gulf of Aden with its proximity to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Let’s hope so.
Now that is a clever political move. Smartly done, Israel.
(Seen your other post, Neo. It is good. I just haven’t had a moment to comment on it yet.)
Hahahahah! Good on ya, Israel. Git some!
So Israel created Sonaliland and exported all their unwanted Somalis to Minnesoata. Everystein singleberg timeowitz.
The doomsayers are claiming this will “ratchet up tensions” in the region, yada yada yada. I suppose it could have the effect of putting Somaliland in the crosshairs of fanatics, to whom any friend of Israel is an enemy. So far, Trump has not been supportive, but I doubt he’s given it a lot of thought.
Purportedly, Somalis fled Somalia to get away from violence, oppression, lack of freedom (i.e., the usual list of leftist excuses). Somaliland, by comparison, seems rather sane. Israel’s recognition codifies this impression.
So let’s revoke our Somalis’ refugee status and send them to Somaliland. Sounds reasonable to me. Not our problem if it’s not an exact fit.
Why ruin Somaliland? Let the Somalis get their act together and then the Somalilanders can decide if the want to take them into Somaliland.
Our congrescritter Illan Omar was a Somali not a Somalilander. She is reputed as having allegiance to Somalia not to the USA.
I’ve read, but can’t offhand think of where, that Somaliland is run by a different tribe than Omar’s, in Somalia. Omar and her Minnesota clan would probably not fit into Somaliland.
Change is in the air!
So, she would be pining for the fijords of Mogadishyou. Dying to return home.
Kate…I’ve heard that’s why the Somali Pirate didn’t get elected Mayor…wrong tribe so the other tribe voted for Frey.
I’m not surprised at the separation. Somaliland is the former British Protectorate, while Somalia is the former Italian Protectorate.
Good point, Alan Colbo. And yes, John Guilfoyle, that’s what I remember reading. Clan matters even in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
“Clan matters even in Minneapolis-St. Paul.”
Which is part of the reason why importing large numbers of folks who live & die by tribe, clan & family is a crappy idea…as if the soil of the USA suddenly makes us a nation.
I’m skeptical of the significance of Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. While I get the point that Somaliland has lived up to the Montevideo criteria, is it not possible that Israel is merely extending this recognition in order to have Somaliland onside as a sort of tactical ally to serve Israeli interests, not on general principle?
Interesting, though, that Somaliland has its own currency, capital, passports, and so on.
I point out that Palestine is an imaginary country, there has never been a country called Palestine so if you can recognize an imaginary country what is the problem with recognizing Somaliland?
Smart move by Israel, for the strong contrast between Somaliland & Palestine.
Where is it? I love maps.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/ws/660/cpsprodpb/A974/production/_129508334_bbcm_somalia_country_profile_map_260423_edit.png.webp
The Northern third next to Djibouti & Ethiopia with, previously unknown to me Puntland third and their disputed border on the North & East (Indian Ocean). Above the larger South Somalia, with Mogadishu, also bordering Kenya.
My Slovak professor wife’s college has multiple Health Centers in Kenya, where we visited in September. Lots of armed security, partly because of armed raids from Somalia. We went to a few Catholic Churches & masses, but also saw large numbers of new-ish mosques, especially on the coast above Mombasa. (Where Roland found Van Owen drinkin’ gin, Roland the headless Thompson gunner).
Africa & the Middle East would be better off with more, small, tribal-nation states with a strong majority tribe. Like hundreds or thousands of Swiss cantons.
Maybe Trump will recognize Somaliland in exchange for opening an asylum center or 10.
Better map, with a note that Google is redrawing the borders against Somaliland.
https://x.com/RepOfSomaliland/status/2006301648512221695/photo/3
The world will likely be better with more small countries & less tribal based corruption.
Thanks for the better map, Tom Grey. So “Puntland” is some sort of disputed area to the east of Somaliland, contrary to previous maps I saw showing that entire area belonging to Somaliland.
The fraudsters ought to be punted back to dear old Somaila.