For 15 years, chaos and war have reigned in Somalia. Warlords controlled the land with bloody force. Now Islamic militias have taken over the capital Mogadishu and threaten to turn the country into an Islamic Republic. The Somali people yearn for peace, but US President Bush has voiced concern that the country could become a magnet for terrorists.

After the fall of dictator Siad Barre 15 years ago, Somalia has plunged into civil war. Even intervening UN troops had to flee the country after futile attempts to clean up the chaos. It left warlords and a disoriented nation without government. But these days, hope is back for many Somalis. The militias have fought for the past three months and taken control of the capital Mogadishu. People welcomed the order that could come but Washington voices concerns that the creation of an Islamic state may lead to a rise of terrorism and a "talibanization" of Somalia. The German press are also concerned.

Center-right daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung acknowledges the chaos Somalia finds itself in. After a victory of Somali militia over local warlords who are said to be supported by Washington, "President George W. Bush now fears that Al Qaida terrorists may expand their base in ungovernable, chaotic Somalia even more than they have already." Parts of the Somali people, however, "are counting on the discipline of Islamic law, which the winners are supporting."

"Speechlessness can say a lot," says center-left daily Berliner Zeitung. No resolution by the Security Council, no comment by usually talkative UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, idle waiting around at the European embassies in nearby Nairobi. "Three days after a union of Islamic Courts has gained control of most of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, helplessness dominates everywhere." The Somali people know what they want -- peace; even if that means choosing Islamists over warlords. But their leader Sheik Ahmed does not communicate a clear strategy. On the one hand he wants to turn Somalia into an Islamic Republic, on the other he seems willing to negotiate. For the US government, fighting fire with fire does not seem to work in this case. Western support for local warlords was part of the reason the militia became such a popular alternative and now George W. Bush is concerned that Somalia will become a safe haven for terrorists. At this point, both warlords and militia say that fights will continue, leaving Somalia where it was before: at war.

-- Heike Westendorf, 12:30 p.m. CET

Waiting for Iran

Now that Iran has a six-nation offer to try and resolve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program, the world is waiting for what comes next. After initial positive signals from Teheran and Washington, the United States still stresses that negotiations can only take place if Iran aggrees to suspend its uranium enrichment.

Officially, the conditions of the package presented by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to Iran this week have not yet been disclosed, but it seems clear that Tehran will be allowed the civil use of nuclear energy for peaceful and scientific purposes as well as access to Western technology. German papers on Thursday take a look at the waiting game.

Leftist Tageszeitung assesses that two out of three obstacles have been overcome so far: First, the United States is now part of the group of nations who discussed the offer for Iran. Second, the US has offered to talk with Iran after 29 years of non-existent foreign relations. The third and remaining obstacle is to "offer Iran security guarantees." But with the US's pro-negotiation attitude and Iran's apparent willingness to talk, "chances are that the refusal of hardliners in Iran can not be used to sabotage negotiations." And once negotiations will have started -- as can be seen from similar case in North Korea, where negotiations had been pursued without interruption for years -- "the time will come to discuss security guarantees."

Conservative daily Die Welt states that the planned offer to grant Iran permission for uranium enrichment "couldn't have been more extensive." It banks on the goodwill of the Iranians. And the allegation of "appeasement" policy follows suit. But the offer validates itself: "The international community still has several years left before Teheran will have a nuclear bomb at their disposal." Should the US Security Council "manage to keep the Iranian government from building a bomb or at least delay the process with the help of negotiations and concessions, much would have been achieved." And despite concessions made, the six nations heading the diplomatic push stress that they will not accept an Iranian nuclear power. Hopefully, Iran will get the message.

Center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung sees smiles on everyone's faces; especially on the side of the Iranians, who have been able to get a better deal through steady intransigence and occasional provocation in the past year. Even to George W. Bush, "creator of the axis of evil," the response from Teheran sounds positive. Judging from the information that has leaked so far about the content of the negotiation package, not only will Iran be granted uranium enrichment at some point in the future, it may be sooner rather than later. Sanctions are not on the horizon and neither is military action, according to Russian President Wladimir Putin. So is this the happy end already? "Far from it," the editorial assesses. America calls for a suspension of the enrichment program as a prerequisite to start negotiations. "What both sides are missing is trust." Historically, Iranians have had bad experiences with the West whereas the West in return has not been able to believe everything the Iranians say either. Misunderstandings are prone to happen.