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Africa Horn |
Obama Team Mulls Aims Of Somali Extremists |
2009-04-11 |
![]() Seeing Potential Terror Threat, Officials Debate Their Options Senior Obama administration officials are debating how to address a potential terrorist threat to U.S. interests from a Somali extremist group, with some in the military advocating strikes against its training camps. But many officials maintain that uncertainty about the intentions of the al-Shabab organization dictates a more patient, nonmilitary Al-Shabab, whose The organization's rapid expansion, ties between its leaders and al-Qaeda, and the presence of Americans and Europeans in its camps have raised the question of whether a preemptive strike is warranted. Yet the group's objectives have thus far been domestic, and officials say that U.S. intelligence has no evidence it is planning attacks outside Somalia. Except on the open ocean, or "high seas," ... international waters, so to speak. An attack against al-Shabab camps in southern Somalia would mark the administration's first military strike outside the Iraq and Afghanistan-Pakistan war zones. The White House discussions highlight the Some in the Defense Department have been frustrated by what they see as a failure to act. Many other national security officials say an ill-considered strike would have negative diplomatic and political consequences far beyond the Horn of Africa. Other options under consideration are increased financial pressure and diplomatic activity, including stepped-up efforts to resolve the larger political turmoil in Somalia. Yah, that'll have an effect in - oh, twenty or fifty years. The most recent discussion of the issue took place early this week, just before the unrelated seizure of a U.S. commercial ship in the Indian Ocean by Somali pirates who are holding the American captain of the vessel hostage for ransom. |
Posted by:Bobby |
#24 Leaflets should have already been dropped over coastal Puntland to inform the rats there that if the captain is harmed they can expect dire retribution. We know that the pirates have been in contact with Reuters, and it should not be hard to contact them == either from abroad, or from Puntland. |
Posted by: balthazar 2009-04-11 23:24 |
#23 No More BS, I like your style. I had thoughts along similar lines, and if the money could be really good counterfeit (an if) all the better. |
Posted by: GirlThursday 2009-04-11 22:34 |
#22 Good point, Playschool. We should just become Facebook Friends with everybody. Side note: I'm still of the opinion that Fred should stop buying bandwidth for astroturfers to use. |
Posted by: Mike N. 2009-04-11 18:11 |
#21 Actually, I'm all in favor of paying the ransom. Give them 4 million, but it has to be in cash, and they have to hand over Captain Phillips to the vessels on scene. Then let them sail away with a full tank of diesel and the ransom....about 5 miles and then blow them to hell, then airstrike the village they came from, napalm preferably... Thats right...LIE to them to get him back and then cauterize the puss-hole they came from! |
Posted by: NoMoreBS 2009-04-11 17:31 |
#20 Play4Keeps: that might be one of the worst nics for someone on-line since (I'm guessing here) that if you were in a decision-making position you'd fold like a cheap lawn chair. Whereas many of the regulars here are military, ex-military, professional and business types who make tough decisions on a regular basis. As said previously: an American citizen is being held hostage on the high seas. I don't object to patience and careful consideration of the situation, since we all want the man alive and unharmed. If a little talk and care, backed by lots of guns held by U.S. Navy sailors, helps the pirates 'understand' that they need to let our man go, that's fine. What's I am NOT open to is negotiating with the scum holding our man, or paying them so much as one Lincoln-head penny in ransom. We can talk about next steps. How do we keep ships safe in the region? What's the proper way to handle captured pirates in the 21st century? How do we fix the problem of Somalia? But first, we get our man back. And if we can't, each and every pirate holding him dies. It's really that simple. |
Posted by: Steve White 2009-04-11 16:58 |
#19 P4K where did you find this youtube moron?? UM, Um, Um, you know, like, like, like my 12 year old speaks better than he does. If you knew the truth, most here are not fans of Beck, nor do we watch that moron at MSNBC. Wake the F@#k up son, there is a United States citizen, husband, and father being held hostage by pirates. The only thing we need to understand is how to stop them, kill them, and make it safe. Your the same fool that bitches and cries that we all need to love and understand each other, then when your family member gets taken you blames the military and everyone else but your own actions for our inability to act.... |
Posted by: 49 Pan 2009-04-11 16:27 |
#18 WoW is this the Glenn Beck Crying army regiment or what? Some well most ppl need to really understand this. I know the truth just f@#$ing HURTS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEPxa0_UB0o&feature=related |
Posted by: Play4Keeps 2009-04-11 15:28 |
#17 Why you say that Grom? Should we have put up with Iran's c__p if they were Christian or Jewish or Communist extremists instead? |
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2009-04-11 14:36 |
#16 As far as presidential tests go, this is the part at the top of the page where you put your name. *shakes head* Are you kidding me, Barry? This is what you want your name to be? |
Posted by: Mike N. 2009-04-11 14:35 |
#15 This is the pre-real-test quiz. The strategy is that 0bama knows it isn't the real test, so he's letting them get lulled into a sense of false security. Then when the real test comes, BAM, POW, he'll knock them out of the park! Just like Marvel. |
Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-04-11 14:31 |
#14 So this is the big test that guy sitting in the VP seat is talking about. Well, he was right, I'm not happy with what our leader is doing. He was right a second time as well, I have to be patient and wait, wait for the next election, if my country still exists. I bet Jimmy Carter is proud! |
Posted by: 49 Pan 2009-04-11 14:26 |
#13 Paul Revere is riding. Nobody is listening. |
Posted by: Mike N. 2009-04-11 13:41 |
#12 Past time, grom. >:-( |
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-04-11 13:01 |
#11 IMO, Barbara, it's time for Paul Revere to ride again. |
Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-04-11 12:57 |
#10 "the comparison is unfair to Jimmah cause we learned a lot about Islam since then" Correction, grom: Some of us have learned. The so-called "leadership" in D.C.? Not so much. |
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-04-11 12:53 |
#9 Come-on Silk, Besoeker: the comparison is unfair to Jimmah cause we learned alot about Islam since then. |
Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-04-11 12:41 |
#8 But Spiny! That would violate the Pirate's civil rights! Which would be JUST AWFUL! One of them might get a hangnail or a Quaran might be looked at the wrong way! Can't have that! /Sadly - I think I really do need a SARC tag here.... |
Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-04-11 12:35 |
#7 Thanks for the executive summary Blondie. I believe you've just about nailed it. |
Posted by: Besoeker 2009-04-11 10:14 |
#6 We've got an American held hostage by savages, a bunch of military assets standing by waiting for instructions from a book smart/life stupid commander in chief who's more interested in finding out "what it all means and what their motivation is", in a situation where the UN is beyond useless and pretty much no foreign government would condemn us if we went off and killed the MF'ers. When did I see this bad movie before? |
Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-04-11 10:00 |
#5 Cluck, cluck. |
Posted by: Perfesser 2009-04-11 09:52 |
#4 simple solution. utilize percussion devices to stun all on board, have team in water ready to rescue our guy.or helicopter dropped..is there any proof that any pirates understand english? Hell if its clear they dont, our ship could give the captive advance notice of what is about to happen. if a suitable percussion instrument isnt available use a sleeping agent in combination with a fog so they cant know which to pick up and dispose of, drop a few dozen pieces in one boat, covered by smoke.... |
Posted by: Spiny Gl 2511 2009-04-11 09:38 |
#3 Mulled whine. |
Posted by: Spot 2009-04-11 08:20 |
#2 Obama Team Mulls Fixed it |
Posted by: Formerly Dan 2009-04-11 08:12 |
#1 increased financial pressure and diplomatic activity, including stepped-up efforts to resolve the larger political turmoil in Somalia. ....ie, forcing Somalia to accept US taxpayer funded bialouts in the form of economic aid, accademic visas, Harvard fellowships. Ending the legacy of hunger, racism, and white colonial oppression. These people are citizens of the world, potential ACORN volunteers and VOTERS! |
Posted by: Besoeker 2009-04-11 07:50 |