President Abdullahi Yusuf was elected by warlords in a chaotic Ethiopian funded campaign mired by secrecy, bribery and coercion. Abdullahi's government has been plagued by political infighting, chronic mismanagement and lack of local legitimacy. As President Abdullahi Yusuf's history shows, he has always been prone to failure when it comes to political dialog which is badly needed at this juncture of the Somali politics.

In fact, the tactics that Abdullahi Yusuf has sharpened for decades as a warlord and rebel leader shows he knows only two ways to quell the chaos; by bribes and by military force which both are in short supply.  Abdullahi Yusuf is a loathed by Somalis and had no political capital or legitimacy within the Somali citizenry which makes very difficult for him to muster the support needed to bring about a lasting peace in Somalia

Most Somalis highly suspect his commitment to democratic principles which makes even the secularist Somalis worry of his government. Abdullahi Yusuf’s credibility is further questioned by his refusal to recognize the former Arta government which was established in Djibouti after an exhaustive negotiation and many believe he was a major factor the failure of that government.

Abdullahi Yusuf is known to side line the Arab League. The countries of the Arab League which Somalia is a member of do not trust him and his current prime minister.

This further alienates President Abdullahi Yusuf as majority of Somalis believe the links and relations between Somalia and the Arab world is as important as their survival. The Somali business community and education system is highly dependent on the Arab world. The business community is weary of any government that might antagonize the Arab countries because of the historic links between the Somali business men and the neighboring Arab countries such as the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Abdullahi Yusuf is unabashed Ethiopia’s friend and proxy and most Somalis know Abdullahi Yusuf would not last more than a week without the support of the Ethiopian dictator who enthroned him by bribing the Somali warlord parliamentarians. Abdullahi Yusuf’s historic association with Ethiopia and coming to power by their support and staying in power of their direct military intervention sealed his faith of ever reaching an agreement with other non pro-Ethiopian rational Somalis.

The world sees the quandary in standing behind an emperor which has no clothes but they would not dare to open the bandore box of re-negotiations and building a new government?  But the reality on the ground shows there is a golden opportunity for such endeavor. The warlords who made negations impossible are outdone and replaced by a moderate Islamic Courts that showed, they can maintain the peace and can run government and build a working society.

The world should not stand behind a man rejected by his people and nation. He is calling IGAD and Ethiopian military because he has no legitimacy and cannot draw upon his Somali population. If President Yusuf had legitimacy Somalis would have volunteered and cities would have been falling under his leadership like the Islamic Courts have.  The world should demand his resignation and the election of a uniting leader before it is too late. If United States with 20,000 UN soldiers were unable to coerce an unwilling Somali population to accept a puppet regime, then it would be even more difficult for IGAD and Ethiopia to do just that. President Yusuf is too divisive and polarizing to rule Somalia. It is time to consider for credible replacement.