Ethiopian troops roll into Somalia

The neighboring countries are traditional enemies, although Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed has asked Ethiopia for its support. Thousands of Somalis have taken to the streets in recent weeks to denounce witness accounts of Ethiopian troops along the border.

The government of Somalia wields no real power, has no military and only operates in Baidoa, about 100 miles east of the Ethiopian border. The Islamic militia of the Supreme Islamic Courts Council stepped into the power vacuum in recent months, seizing the capital of Mogadishu and most of southern Somalia.

On Wednesday, the militia reached within 20 miles of Baidoa, but began pulling back on Thursday as more than 400 Ethiopian troops entered Baidoa.

In the absence of his own force, President Yusuf has apparently chosen to rely on his longtime ally, Ethiopia, for protection. But Yusuf8217;s reliance on Ethiopia appears to make him beholden to the country8217;s traditional enemy and hurts his legitimacy.

If the competition for power should become violent, there is little doubt that Ethiopia has the superior fighting force. This week8217;s developments could disrupt peace talks scheduled for Saturday and aimed at negotiating some kind of partnership between the government, and the Islamic group, whose authority in Somalia is undeniable.