I will train it in the savage north, where no warlord rules but me, no warleader wields a snakeblade but me, where no warrior rides who does not answer to me.

On Sunday, he reassured the populace in confident tones that the era of warlord rule was over.

They fought against the rampant corruption that had emerged in the civil war period and were initially welcomed by Afghans weary of warlord rule.

With many of the rebel commanders apparently convinced that the key to ending the war lies with the superpowers, many have stopped fighting, and wide areas of the country are reverting to warlord rule.

The masses of Chinese outside these walls suffered the instability of warlord rule, gang rivalry and political struggle between the underground Communist movement and the corrupt Nationalist Government.

It called for the end of warlord rules and the abolition of all unequal treaties with the Western powers.

Given the long years of ethnic hatred and warlord rule, they have one tough road to navigate.

In 1994, when the Taliban movement of young religious students swept into Zabul offering an end to illegal road taxes and warlord rule, Zabul's leaders simply joined hands with their Pashtun brothers.

June 6 - The Union of Islamic Courts gains control of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, ending warlord rule of the city.

It would mean a redoubled effort to secure the country, disarm militias, and curtail the age of warlord rule.