Osman divided Italian colonialists into three groups. The majority of the officers, like Cossu, sadistically enjoyed degrading Somalis and looked for every opportunity to callously abuse the hapless subal- terns. The second group, a very small minority of officers, reluctantly applied the policy but tried to soften its bite. Prato most exemplified the second group.

Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, loc. 169