Kenyans are so alarmed by the deteriorating situation in Somalia , a Kenyan lawyer has called for Kenya and Ethiopia to annex Somalia . Regardless of what one may think of the Kenyan lawyer's idea there is no question the situation in Somalia is getting from bad to worse, and there is no question that both Kenya and Ethiopia should be concerned. To give just one example, the fall of the coastal city of Kismayo into the hands of the terrorist al-Shabab and the Islamic Courts poses a mortal threat to Kenya which shares a border with southern Somalia . Similarly, the fact that al-Shabab now control Kismayo gives their ally the ONLF (the Ogaden National Liberation Front) a rear base for their operations against Ethiopia . But the list of countries who are (or should be) concerned about what is going on in Somalia is not limited to Kenya and Ethiopia . Somaliland is in this list and should be concerned, especially since al-Shabab and the Islamic Courts consider Somaliland as part of Somalia and had directed terrorist activities against Somaliland in the past. Furthermore, al-Shabab and the Islamic Courts have never hidden their murderous designs toward Somaliland as evidenced by the statements of one of their top leaders, Mr Turki, as well as the fact that they had chosen a man who is originally from Somaliland to be in charge of Kismayo. The US and other Western countries are on this list too and should be concerned.

As the countries of the region and the international community grapple with what to do about Somalia , they could in the meantime take a step toward improving their security with very little cost, and that is to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign country, and thereby prevent the possibility of Somalia 's chaos and terrorism spreading to Somaliland .

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