We need German style Lebensraum
Is Somali Terrain Indefensible?
- Thread starter CrabLobster
- Start date
Abaq
VIP
The Kenyan border is really easy to defend. All Somalia has to do is strike first and capture the North Eastern Province till the Tana river and use that as a defensive border (rivers are natural defensive positions), or give up Jubbaland and retreat to the Jubba river. I personally would attack first and try to capture NEP. In the dry season, a mechanised brigade can roll from Kismayo all the way to Garissa in a matter of days using the Lag dhera wadi as a highway if they want (that helps bypass the swamps and jungles of Badhaadhe).
If that was not possible (or failed), I would move most of the bulk of the army to behind the Jubba leaving highly mobile units in the Badhaadhe jungles to harass the Kenyan supply lines and grind them down (essentially make the Lower Jubba a blood bath for them forcing them to retreat). The many wadis and swamps of Greater Waamo (NEP + Jubbaland) will likewise slow down any heavily armed units making them sitting ducks for attack, especially during the rainy season (lag dheera, lag badan, lag boqol, dhesheeg waamo etc). This would actually be a very interesting frontier from a military POV.
As for the Ethiopian border, like reer mentioned, the current border is simply indefensible. It's completely flat with no natural boundaries. The trick here is to likewise attack first and attempt to reach the foothills of the Ethiopian highliands (up to Jigjiga, Nogob, Erar etc). Once you have that chain on lock (see the map posted by reer), you are in a much more defensible position).
If that was not possible (or failed), I would move most of the bulk of the army to behind the Jubba leaving highly mobile units in the Badhaadhe jungles to harass the Kenyan supply lines and grind them down (essentially make the Lower Jubba a blood bath for them forcing them to retreat). The many wadis and swamps of Greater Waamo (NEP + Jubbaland) will likewise slow down any heavily armed units making them sitting ducks for attack, especially during the rainy season (lag dheera, lag badan, lag boqol, dhesheeg waamo etc). This would actually be a very interesting frontier from a military POV.
As for the Ethiopian border, like reer mentioned, the current border is simply indefensible. It's completely flat with no natural boundaries. The trick here is to likewise attack first and attempt to reach the foothills of the Ethiopian highliands (up to Jigjiga, Nogob, Erar etc). Once you have that chain on lock (see the map posted by reer), you are in a much more defensible position).
our location is strategic when it comes to air and sea especially if we were to project power as well as defend, and on the land we have natural borders if you look at the Mountain chain from the North Somali region to the south Somali region, our entire border with Oromia is mountainous, with the Non-Somalis in Kenya we have a natural border along the Tana river.
From a purely military perspective Somali inhabited land is huge asset, our ancestors got a decent spot on the planet, but we haven't done much with it. Siad Barre aun did try it but he pissed off world powers too soon, we should have waited for industrialization and economic co-decency before messing with these powers.
From a purely military perspective Somali inhabited land is huge asset, our ancestors got a decent spot on the planet, but we haven't done much with it. Siad Barre aun did try it but he pissed off world powers too soon, we should have waited for industrialization and economic co-decency before messing with these powers.
Looks similar to the Ukraine situation. Tanks are finding it difficult to move through swamps
Finally someone said it
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lf there were an effective, functional SNA that fully controlled all of Somalia;
Kenya would be easy to defend from. Lower juba is covered by thick jungle making it hard to navigate and easy to ambush into and gedo sits on a high elevation with harsh conditions making it easy to defend. The boarder ls also between two major rivers the juba and the tana. Ideally, once kenyan forces take substantial losses in the jungles of lower juba and retreat, breaking into NFD and reaching the tana would be relatively easy considering the nature of the land and the populous being hostile to kenya. Once the tana is reached and fully fortified, Most of the Kenyan threat would have been neutralised.
Ethiopia however will not be as easy. If they attack first and already have a large force at the border with Somalia ut would be almost impossible to repel. Major cities like beledweyne, galkacyo, borama etc will fall in mere days. The loss of these cities, namely beledwyene and borama will also put our 2 largest cities in danger and eventually, we would either loose or be forced to the negotiating table with heavy losses. If we attack first and don’t allow them to deploy troops into the ogaden and haud however, we would be in a much better position. If this was the case the main objective would be to first reach highlands through jijiga-nogob-moyale. This could go either way considering how prepared the ethiopians were but say it works in our favour, the next phase would be to enter the rift between the highlands, Ethiopia’s biggest weakness. This would be most effective if we could unvade inward from Djibouti or instead dirdhabe (this would be harder). Once we enter the rift and effectively strategise a 3-front invasion into hararghe, bale and borana, Addis would fall in days.
Kenya would be easy to defend from. Lower juba is covered by thick jungle making it hard to navigate and easy to ambush into and gedo sits on a high elevation with harsh conditions making it easy to defend. The boarder ls also between two major rivers the juba and the tana. Ideally, once kenyan forces take substantial losses in the jungles of lower juba and retreat, breaking into NFD and reaching the tana would be relatively easy considering the nature of the land and the populous being hostile to kenya. Once the tana is reached and fully fortified, Most of the Kenyan threat would have been neutralised.
Ethiopia however will not be as easy. If they attack first and already have a large force at the border with Somalia ut would be almost impossible to repel. Major cities like beledweyne, galkacyo, borama etc will fall in mere days. The loss of these cities, namely beledwyene and borama will also put our 2 largest cities in danger and eventually, we would either loose or be forced to the negotiating table with heavy losses. If we attack first and don’t allow them to deploy troops into the ogaden and haud however, we would be in a much better position. If this was the case the main objective would be to first reach highlands through jijiga-nogob-moyale. This could go either way considering how prepared the ethiopians were but say it works in our favour, the next phase would be to enter the rift between the highlands, Ethiopia’s biggest weakness. This would be most effective if we could unvade inward from Djibouti or instead dirdhabe (this would be harder). Once we enter the rift and effectively strategise a 3-front invasion into hararghe, bale and borana, Addis would fall in days.
Any terrain is defendable with the right leadership, brains, man power, and resources
There’s about 86 Mountains surrounding Borama and 172 in the entire region, second most after Sanaag. It would be tough for Ethiopia to invade, if the people there fight like the Afghanis in the Mountains with Guerilla tactics.
Yep borama is a fortress city. Hargeisa is more at risk. Somali terrain is easily defensible with mount Kenya and the Eastern mountain chain of Ethiopia being our natural borders. Anywhere in this territory you’ll have to fight an insurgency even if you win conventionally. We also have a huge coast line which is a natural barrier. However we‘ve not even had the industrial revolution let alone the technological revolution so we can’t make anything. We have no navy and no anti ship cruise missiles so the coast is indefensible. We have no airforce. We can’t even produce simple artillery guns or even bullets. We could be colonised by countries like Ethiopia and Kenya let alone middle or big powers.
Global shipping lines strategic position. Somalia wouldnt be involved but more like abused.Why would Somalia be involved in WW3? We are an irrelevant poor people.
Its so flat....
What would happen if Kenya/Ethiopia rolled these in, while also establishing air superiority? Wouldn't they just mow down any infantry?
View attachment 216551
Usually, armies abandon vulnerable spots and go to areas they can defend. Only place I can think of is parts of Puntland/Somaliland. Is there more to it?
If WW3 happens, we're screwed
We have the sea advantage, with a proper navy we can block goods coming through the ports to both Ethiopia/Kenya.
