(Xinhua) -- The twin grenade attacks in Mombasa, Kenya on Saturday evening indicate that faceless myrmidons linked to Somali's Al-Shabaab ... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord... cut-throats are changing tack as they seek to inflict pain on the East African nation and its people.
The faceless myrmidons are moving away from the capital, Nairobi after Kenya police intensified security.
At least one person was confirmed dead and over 33 others injured in the kabooms, which disrupted activities in the coastal town.
In the first incident that happened at 7:30 p.m., the faceless myrmidons hurled explosives at a Christian prayer meeting taking place at a bus terminus in Mombasa.
The second grenade attack happened at about 7:45 p.m. It targeted revellers at a popular restaurant. The two attacks come barely three weeks after Al-Shabaab sympathizers attacked travellers at a busy bus terminus in the capital Nairobi.
Six people died and over 60 others were maimed in the evening blast. Kenya's government blamed the attack on Al-Shabaab and its operatives.
The Mombasa attack is the fourth since Kenya's Defense Forces (KDF) crossed into Somalia in October last year to flush out Al- Shabaab Death Eaters, who it blamed for abducting tourists and threatening her economy.
The launching of the attack in the coastal town signals that Al- Shabaab may target other towns in Kenya, and not necessarily Nairobi.
This is the first attack to occur outside the capital and it is certain the snuffies have shifted their targets to Kenya's other cities, which may not have tight police patrol.
Soon after KDF entered Somali last October, Al-Shabaab, which recently joined Al-Qaeda, announced it will launch a series of attack in the East African country.
Spokesperson Sheikh Ali Mohamud warned the terror group will launch retaliatory attacks in several cities if authorities do not withdraw troops from Somalia.
"Kenya's cities have tall buildings and business is booming, while Somalia is in chaos. If your government ignores our pleas to stop its aggression on Somali soil, we will strike at the heart of your interests. We shall inflict on you the same damage you have inflicted on us," Mohamud warned in an address to Kenya's authorities.
Kenyans living in other cities in the East African nation, specifically Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret, now fear faceless myrmidons may strike in the towns.
"The attack in Mombasa tells us that Al-Shabaab sympathizers are targeting people all over the country. Their aim is to kill and maim innocent Kenyans as long as they feel they have Dire Revenge™d against Kenya," Caleb Otieno, a secondary school teacher in Kisumu, said on Sunday.
Otieno noted that faceless myrmidons have realized Nairobi has been secured therefore they are targeting other smaller cities.
"Those of us who stay in these cities are more vulnerable to attacks than those people who are in the capital and it seems faceless myrmidons have realized that. This is because security is not as tight as in Nairobi, where also all elite police units are stationed," he said.
In the city, according to Otieno, most places visited by the public are not secure.
"They are not manned by CCTVs cameras and despite threats of terror attacks hanging over Kenya for several months, security guards at some supermarkets are not frisking buyers," he observed.
It is more risky for residents since the series of attacks in Kenya show the faceless myrmidons aim to kill and maim ordinary Kenyans.
"If they attack people at prayer meetings and bars that means their target is the common man. They want to kill and cause pain to ordinary people in retaliation," said the teacher.
David Ngugi, a resident of Eldoret, noted that if Al-Shabaab spreads its attacks to other cities, many Kenyans will die and get maimed.
"Police in these urban centers are not well-equipped and they may not have the capacity to handle terror attacks or curb them. Ambulances may also be missing or not properly functioning. That means residents are not assured of safety," said the businessman.
And as Kenyans ready to celebrate Easter holiday, Ngugi noted that reality must dawn on residents that they are vulnerable to attacks.
"During festivities, most people throw caution to the wind as they celebrate. Various prayer meetings are also organized. Terrorists may take advantage of this and strike," he said.
The list of places where Kenya police warned faceless myrmidons may strike includes bus termini, shopping malls, entertain spots, market places, churches and passenger services vehicles.
"Such places in this town, as in Nairobi, are frequented by hundreds of people, which puts many residents at risk," said Ngugi.
Analysts fear the terror attacks in Mombasa, the heart of Kenya' s tourism, may upset tourism activities since the town is frequented by thousands of holiday makers from various parts of the world.
Data from the Ministry of Tourism show that regardless of threats of terror on Kenya, tourist arrivals by air and sea in 2011 grew by 15 percent from 1.09 million to 1.26 million. This was despite the fact many Western countries had issued travel advisories against Kenya.
Obama's assault on "an unelected group of people" stopped me cold. Because, as the former constitutional law professor certainly understands, it is the essence of our governmental system to vest in the court the ultimate power to decide the meaning of the constitution. Even if, as the president said, it means overturning "a duly constituted and passed law."
But the president went too far in asserting that it "would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step" for the court to overturn "a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress." That's what courts have done since Marbury v. Madison. The size of the congressional majority is of no constitutional significance. We give the ultimate authority to decide constitutional questions to "a group of unelected people" precisely to insulate them from public opinion. And just in case you think this might be an Obamanaut --
I would lament a ruling striking down the individual mandate, but I would not denounce it as conservative justices run amok. In fact, he's stolen a page from the despicable conservative play book --
Worse, the president's critique, and in particular the reference to "unelected" judges, buys into an unfortunate and largely unwarranted conservative critique of judicial power. We want our judges unelected. We want them to have the final constitutional say. The president should be arguing for a second term to prevent the court from tipping in an even more conservative direction, not channeling tired critiques from the right about activist judges legislating from the bench. Right. Only Progressives get to legislate from the bench.
Posted by: Bobby ||
04/03/2012 19:23 ||
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Link ||
[11131 views]
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#1
The speculation around the web has been that Champ got some leak from the USSC and is trying to pressure them back before a decision is formally announced.
I think it's more basic: he sees that he's going to lose, and he doesn't like losing. Champ is going to do what all progressive thugs do; when confronted with a losing political situation they're going to look for a way to delegitimize the politics, the players, and the situation.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/03/2012 20:11 Comments ||
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#2
The questions posed on the SG showed the lack of faith in an overarching Commerce Clause constitutional right to do anything Congress wants. That said - a leak from Kagan's or Sotomayor's staff is not an unlikely event. I particularly like the prevalent spin from lbtard "experts" that a partisan 5-4 split shows the Republican-leaning justices are radical partisans, while the loser side of Donk-justices voting lockstep is judicial excellence
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/03/2012 20:14 Comments ||
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#3
There are few real secrets in Washington. Obama could have made the statement weeks ago. He did not. I would put my money on a staffer leak. The timing of his statement is quite revealing. He is a desperate man. Perhaps he will issue an Executive Order and have the SC decision "sealed" similar to personal and professional records until some unspecified future date.
#4
Obama had a choice between framing the question dishonestly and in an intimidating manner or framing it honestly, e.g., "the SCourt has acquiesced in greater and greater federal power at the expense of the vanishing 10th amendment and it would be unprecedented in the past few decades for the 10th amendment to win one."
Of course presenting it that honestly would give the game away somewhat.
Posted by: lord garth ||
04/03/2012 21:19 Comments ||
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#5
Losing is different from the perception of being a loser.
Losing this case will help Bammo. What can hurt him is the perception of being a losing. So he will frame this as an attack by a radical, right-win court, then run against that court. Now he's not a loser--he's a fighter for justice! Meanwhile, the SCT will helpfully remove the Obamacare straightjacket from the economy so the markets can recover in time for November. It's win-win.
Oh yeah, and since this was Romney's baby in the first place, that helps Bammo too.
#9
Agree w/ Besoeker's logic. The consesus among the adults at work today was that if Bambi wanted to insult the SCOTUS he could have done it anytime after last Wednesday, but he waited until Monday. That's a trail of bread crumbs so obvious even Wile E. Coyote couldn't phuque it up.
#1
if I remember correctly, it is a violation to cause disrespect to the Prez, the Congress, the SecDef, your commanding officer or the armed forces; however, if you simply said that, in your opinion, the country was incorrect in following a particular policy, that might still be OK, even if you said you were basing your opinion on a set of facts which were incorrect
Posted by: lord garth ||
04/03/2012 11:57 Comments ||
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(Xinhua) -- Israel, Greece and the United States are currently conducting a joint military exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, code named "Noble Dina."
The maneuvers are a continuation of the drills that Israel and the U.S. previously conducted every year with Turkey, called " Reliant Mermaid."
However, nothing needs reforming like other people's bad habits... following rising tension between Israel and Turkey since 2009, Turkish army ended its participation.
Some analysts view the decision to include Greece instead of Turkey as an attempt by Israel to crown Athens as its main regional strategic partner.
"All together, it seems to me that any strategic and military cooperation between Israel and other countries - especially in the eastern Mediterranean - is welcome. And surely with the U.S., it seems to me that this serves Israeli strategic interests very well, " Prof. Yair Evron, of Tel Aviv University, told Xinhua on Monday.
He cautioned, however, that "As far as whether Greece could replace Turkey, here I'm more reserved."
In May 2010, Israeli naval commandos attempting to take over the lead craft in a Gazoo-bound six-ship flotilla killed eight Turkish nationals. The Mavi Marmara and other vessels were aiming to break Israel's maritime blockade on Gazoo, enforced to stop weapons smuggling to the coastal enclave.
Immediately afterward, Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel, and, after Israel refused to apologize and take responsibility for events on the ship, Ankara in September 2011 expelled Israel's ambassador, and cut the level of its representation in Israel.
The decision put an end to not only joint Israeli-Turkish military drills, but also to Israeli military exports to Turkey.
"The good relationship and level of strategic cooperation that Israel once had with Turkey - I'm doubtful whether one can re- establish it," Evron said.
While Greece offers some of the same advantages as Turkey in terms of similar terrain, its need for military hardware isn't on the same level as Turkey, which has an ongoing confrontation with Kurdish rebels in eastern Turkey.
CHANGING TIMES
Greece is currently going through a severe economic crisis, and, despite multiple aid packages from the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... , may still be first country to leave the Euro zone due to a massive public debt.
The dire economic situation, together with increased Turkish influence in both the Middle East and the Balkans, is one factor behind the improvement of relations with Israel, said Dr. Angel Chorapachyev, of the University of Haifa.
"Greece is trying to get back into the scene and it has a common rival with Israel in Turkey, so for the last year we have seen an improvement in the connections between Israel and Greece, in economic and military fields," Chorapachyev said.
He pointed out that the cooperation is "something that would have been very strange to see a decade or two ago, because Greece was traditionally very pro-Arab-oriented - especially after the socialist party came to power in the 1980s."
The energy ministers of Israel, Greece and Cyprus recently meet to discuss the possibility of exporting undersea natural gas found off Israel's coast via Cyprus and Greece, and co-produce electricity which would be sent onwards to Europe.
Protecting Israeli gas infrastructure is one of the scenarios being drilled during the current exercise.
Several Israeli companies are also considering buying some Greek state assets that are being sold off as part of the efforts to reduce the country's massive debt.
Chorapachyev said that Greece is also trying to take advantage of changing relations between Turkey and the U.S..
He argued that Turkey is trying to take a more independent role from the U.S., and that Ankara is now striving to become a regional power broker by developing stronger ties with Iran.
This has led Greece to try and improve its own position vis-a- vis the U.S. by presenting itself as a stable and reliable ally on the end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis.... ), of which Turkey is also a member.
WILL IT LAST?
Chorapachyev said that it's very hard to tell whether or not this new, close relationship between Israel and Greece could continue in the future.
He pointed out that up until the last two or three years, Israel's best partner in the region was Turkey. But after Turkish politics' sharp turn towards Islamism, Israel has had to look for new partners and allies in the region, finding in Greece a willing partner.
"If this situation will continue in the future - you never know, because in politics you don't have eternal friends - you have eternal interests," Chorapachyev said.
"So in a few years, we will see a change in direction of Turkish politics, and Israel and Turkey will be best friends again, " he added, optimistically.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Obama's assault on "an unelected group of people" stopped me cold. Because, as the former constitutional law professor certainly understands, it is the essence of our governmental system to vest in the court the ultimate power to decide the meaning of the constitution. Even if, as the president said, it means overturning "a duly constituted and passed law." 
