underWater desert Blogging |

I'm a lawyer & a social entrepreneur working in Somaliland. I am the Managing Partner of @watershedlegal. This is my long form site, otherwise I'm around.

My America Band: Wax Fang

When you sit with people from other countries, it is important to have some fall back, standardized way to explain where you are from. Of course we all have these icons, these posters, these fleeting images that remind ourselves of where we came from and are readily recalled by our frontal cortex when asked to [...]

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What’s this about attacking pirates on land?

On Friday, I was hearing chatter about how the EU issued a new directive authorizing the EUNAVFOR to attack land targets. This is an awful idea that will have strategic and operational consequences – all of which that will be negative. In addition I have serious concerns as to the legality of the application of violence on land as a solution to the so called Piracy Problem.

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Book Inscription

Here’s to the embarkation on a great journey. Here’s to a massive flop or a spectacular success. Here’s to nothing in between. Here’s to risk. Here’s to reward. Here’s to taking a chance. Here’s to never being satisfied with what is. Here’s to questioning. Here’s to listening. Here’s to excellence. Here’s to professionalism. Here’s to [...]

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Micro-States; Pirates; Terrorists; The London Conference: What a Fascinating Time for Watchers of Somalis

For almost four years now I’ve been a careful observer of Somali politicians. For three of those years I was paid to try to be their lawyer. To provide them expert international legal assistance tied to a deep network full of some of the finest international practitioners and thinkers in the world. But they rarely, [...]

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A Day in My Life: Somaliland Edition

The other day, my dad asked me to write a short piece about what my daily life is like in Somaliland. I usually refrain from such things, but I think it is a good opportunity to show how normal everything is here. With a few caveats. I generally awake between 9 and 10. Although this [...]

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Compromise & Governing: On Reading @ryanlizza’s The Obama Memos

Ryan Lizza has again written a marvelous piece on Obama and his team. Just as he did with his watershed piece on the Obama campaign, he has written a long and worthwhile piece on Obama’s first term to date. If you want to understand the fundamental contradictions that come with governing, and if you want to learn what you elect a President to truly do, read it – after you read my thoughts.