Somalia sinks into greater chaos as Islamist insurgents gain ground

By its own admission, the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia is on life support. When it came here to the capital 15 months ago, backed by thousands of Ethiopian troops, it was widely hailed as the best chance in years to end Somalia's ceaseless cycles of war, chaos and suffering.

But now its leaders say that unless they get more help - international peacekeepers, weapons, training and money to pay their soldiers, among other things - this transitional government will fall, just like the 13 governments that came before it.

Fewer than a third of the promised African Union soldiers have shown up, the United Nations has shied away from sending peacekeepers any time soon, and even the Ethiopians are taking a back seat, often leaving the government's defense to teenage Somali troops with clackety guns who are clearly overwhelmed.

The Islamists have been gaining recruits, overrunning towns and getting increasingly bold. The new prime minister, credited as the government's best - and possibly last - hope, is reaching out to them, and some are receptive. But it is unclear whether he has the power within his own divided government to strike a peace deal before it is too late.