Ethiopia moves to stabilize Somalia [AV]

Ethiopia, which realizes that an Islamist takeover of Somalia will seriously harm its coastal access, has always supported the democrats in Somalia. This week has been no exception.

As the world's attention shifted from the Islamists in Mogadishu to the Bombay bombings and now Israel's war with Hezbollah, Ethiopia has realized that it needs to take control of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Somalia.

This is why it is excellent news that Ethiopia has sent troops into Somalia to protect the Somali transitional government in Baidoa from the Islamists in Mogadishu.

A twin strategy of improving links with the northern statelet of Somaliland, and of propping up the democrats in Baidoa, is our best hope for preventing Somalia from falling under Islamist control.