When I started this paper, I found out that much has changed in this ancient land. I also found out that much has remained the same. Somalia is a land with a rich history and one full of sorrows. When I set out to start my research, I turned mostly to Government and Non-government web sites for information. Many of these sites were full of valuable information relating to Somalia, it's past and how Somalia stands in the world today. I used one book, Delong, Kent, and Steven Tuckey. Mogadishu! Heroism and Tragedy. Westport: Praeger, 1994, for part of my research. Several other news s

Somalia is located in the Horn of Africa, sitting along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula along the Indian Ocean. The entire Horn region has a history several thousands of years old.. The ancient Egyptians referred to Somalia as "God's Land", which is the ancient Land of Punt. During the tenth through the fourteenth centuries, Chinese mariners would come to the Somali coast for trade and bring back some of the wildlife of the region, Giraffes, leopards, and the large tortoises for use in the emperors gardens. Greek and medieval Arab sailing vessels would also trade along the coast. The Arabs referred to the Somalis as the Berberi.

of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing legitimate, representative government. Puntland also claims Sool and eastern Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A Transitional National Government (TNG) was created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti which was attended by a broad representation of Somali clans. The TNG has a three-year mandate to create a permanent national Somali government. The TNG does not recognize Somaliland as an independent republic but so far has been unable to reunite either Somaliland or Puntland with the unstable regions in the south. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism has complicated the process of Somalia trying to bring itself into the twenty first century.

Among the most dissatisfied elements of the populace were the military and police and the intellectual class. The most noted one is the military who had since 1961

In this war on terrorism, Somalia has once again become a name in the news. With the very real possibility of American Soldiers once again coming to Somalia, the possibility of combat and casualties are real. I have attempted to show that Somalia has always been a land of clan's and that each clan conducted it's own society under it's own view of law. The northern clan's are making an attempt at a society under one law and representative government, but the south is still in a state of chaos. If the American Army has to go into Southern Somalia, they will be in a mess. I know. I was there.

administrative government was established in Somalia. This government made itself work together with all clans and was actually doing a good job of administering the country.

The SRC also tried to eradicate the influence of the traditional clan assemblies and lineage groups. Tribalism was considered the most serious roadblock to national unity. Tribalism was called a disease and was punishable by long prison sentences. Massive populace relocation took place to break the sense of a clan's ownership of a

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Approximate Word count = 2309
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)