In a recently released recording of phone calls made by a certain Shaebia commander ¹ , one can hear incredible statements that lay bare the reasons for the war unleashed on Tigray as a whole; foremost among them being the desire of the Shaebia leader Issaias to destroy Tigray and annihilate Tigrayans as a people. The recordings were made in the first few days of the war and clearly show that Issaias’ army was, not only part and parcel of the invasion of Tigray, but actually was the leading and primary force of destruction. It also becomes clear that the role of Abiy and his army was that of a junior “partner” who apparently was used to facilitate and give cover to the main invasion force of Issaias. Accounts of the savagery of the invaders and the atrocities they committed are still trickling out but even from the limited information that has come out (relative to the scope and breadth of the war), one can see that, indeed, an unprecedented tragedy has befallen on the Tigrayan people, a genocidal war by all measures. Tigrayan people are the source of the Ethiopian identity itself and have died for generations defending the Ethiopian nation. So how can a bona fide leader of the Ethiopian nation, not only invite in a foreign country led by a murderous sociopath with deep seated animosity towards the Tigrayan people, but also agree to be a partner in the heinous atrocities committed (and still being committed) against his people? The answer may have been staring us in the eye all along.