Posted on 01/05/2007 9:06:24 AM PST by Man of the Right
January 3, 2007: Ethiopia plans to get its troops out of the country with a month. Somalis don't like foreigners, and love to attack and rob outlanders, even if the prey is heavily armed. Meanwhile, captured foreigners, suspected of being Islamic terrorists, are being brought in. The Transitional Government is going to try and disarm the population, or at least collect "excess weapons" and stuff not needed for personal protection (machine-guns, mortars and other heavy weapons.) Kenyan border guards have arrested at least a dozen men, suspected of being Islamic Courts officials, as they tried to cross the border.
Years of low-key military assistance to Ethiopia have paid off. U.S. military trainers have helped raise the skill levels of Ethiopian troops and leaders. American instructors also provided assistance to Ethiopian planners, which helped make the Somalia operation possible. Meanwhile, in Djibouti, just north of Somalia, members of 1,500 man American counter-terrorism task force are on the move. The general direction is south, and the mission is to help round up Islamic terrorists now on the run again, with their Somali refuge gone.
Ethiopians don't have the stupid RoEs that hamstring our troops, nor does the MSM trumpet their every casualty and setback. Nor are they (or we) being opposed at every turn by Euroweenies and crypto-Commies.
Also, we were working with a friendly regime in Ethiopia; its a little harder to do stuff in a hostile country like Iran.
They havent got Imbreads and they arent following PC rules to fight islamics. Another thing. They are in, but they arent out yet. They have no Saddam to find, they could care less who dies when they leave. Still ,they have done a good job. Now if they take no prisoners and wipe out terrorists with a will ,they might get away with it.
Whew - good to see some of our strategy is working. Small-scale counter-insurgency operations is where the global war on Islamo-Facsists will be won.
I'm guessing there are no imbedded "journalists" with that task force.
Get some boys!
Paybacks going to be a itch for the ICU..
All the more reason to work through proxies wherever possible. Events in Somalia are below the MSM's radar screen.
I agree.
There's no booze. Yes, there are no journalists.
They are XIANS. We are trying to fix the House of Mordor in Iraq. Just slightly more daunting I would guess.
CTU Special Forces BUMP!
Incorrect on all counts. Regardless of what's been spent, the U.S. has outflanked Iran. U.S. troops are in force along Iran's Western border (e.g. Iraq), Northern border (e.g. Turkey), Eastern border (e.g. Afghanistan), and Southern coast (e.g. USN).
That's not by accident, dear child.
Nor is it for free.
As for Ethiopia projecting power, that nation (perhaps the oldest official nation in Africa) has had a credible military for 2000 years, including bloodying Italy circa 1936 to 1941. It's hardly a surprise that the last 5 years of U.S. training (thank you, President Bush) has improved Ethiopia's military, and certainly not surprising that Ethiopia can project force inside Africa.
Well, not surprising to anyone who gets their news from non-sheeple-news-media, anyway.
Anybody have any info on the American force in Djibuti?
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