Deadwood Mogadishu

So to hold true of our current theme I have noticed that Ethiopia has rattled its swords at the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). Apparently the upstart militia has continued to excert it's power and influence across southern-Somalia which has got a bit too close for Ethiopia's comfort.

While Somalia is a war-torn, mob rule nation-state one has to wonder if at some point one of these militias will finally be able to bring the rule of law and order to the cities of this nation. In the meantime, however, it has been described as 'the wild west of Africa'. Perhaps it is true, I have never been there, but one has to think a large chunk of land without any central authority or law would begin to resemble the American Wild West.

However, since when was the American Wild West nearly as violent and ominously oppressive? The American imagination, and the World's, has envisioned a wild west as a world redeemed by well-groomed cowboys, handsome anti-heroes and even proper enough to create theme parks around. If Somalia gets ordered will it, in about 50 years, start depicting their own violent history as some sort of fairy dusted past? Will images of naked American Soldiers being drug down the street, UN troops observing rape and murder impotently on the sidelines and warlord kingpins take on similiar roles that the cowboy, native american and disinterested colonial powers currently play?

Once again we are looking at the white washing of time and history in favour of entertainment with HBO shows like 'Deadwood' which attempt to convince us that the American West was part Shakespeare, part greed and all secretly well intentioned. Perhaps Somalia also has prostitutes with a heart of gold, crime syndicates who secretly want to help orphans and thugs who cry privately for days after a brawl? Perhaps they too will have a Swearengen rise from their ranks? Or have we once again duplicated a sugar coated past.