Italian-brokered deal ends Somalia's nightmare

Update August 6, 2009
Via BBC:
The US admits it has supplied pro-government forces in Somalia with over 40 tonnes of weapons and ammunition this year, and another delivery of weapons is predicted, says our correspondent.

Update: Why are African Union troops (undisciplined 18 year-olds) still in Mogadishu?

Via BBC: "Regional officials in Somalia have accused African Union (AU) peacekeepers of opening fire on civilians in the capital, Mogadishu, killing 18 people."

The two years that Italy's Special Envoy to Somalia, Mario Raffaelli, spent arm-twisting in Washington has produced the prospect of a stable Somalia, according to a story in Milan's Corriere della Sera. I would assume that Qatar and Kuwait played a role, too. The US assented to the election of Sheik Sharif Shek Ahmed, a member of the Hawiya-Abgal clan, said to be an Islamist on Washington's list of al-Qaeda members (always sweeping and inaccurate), as President in an election among the Somali parliamentarians in Djibuti last night. The Sheik still has to convince more radical elements, especially Sheik Hassan Daher Haweis in Asmara and Sheik Hassan Turki to accept him but I think they will. No comment from the big cheerleader for disorder in Somalia, Jendayi E. Frazer.

The New York Times also has a dispatch but it does not mention Mr. Raffaelli's efforts.