Talk:Battle of Mogadishu (November 2007)

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[edit] insurgent?

according to our article, an insurgent is one who takes part in an uprising against established authority. Since Somalia has no government this is impossible. The linked news articles do nothing to clarify whose side the militia is on, or whether the people who dragged the ethiopian soldiers through the streets are associated with any organization or militia.

Wouldn't the Ethiopians be fighting the militia either way? Whose side is anyone on? Are citizens simply shooting Ethiopian soldiers by popular consensus? (That would not be an insurgency.) How do these clearly civilian casualties imply a battle has occurred?

My limited understanding of Somalia is that the most powerful organizations there are fundamentalist Islamic, anathema to neighboring powers and the Somalian public. So the interests of Ethiopia are best served by preventing anyone from organizing at all. Killing any civilian who seems likely to obtain power isn't really a battle or a war or an occupation... maybe it's just an oppression? Potatoswatter 18:30, 10 November 2007 (UTC)