Posted on 01/08/2007 3:53:36 PM PST by Rose in RoseBear
Edited on 01/08/2007 4:00:49 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
(CBS/AP) A U.S. Air Force gunship has conducted a strike against suspected members of al Qaeda in Somalia, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports exclusively.
The targets included the senior al Qaeda leader in East Africa and an al Qaeda operative wanted for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa, Martin reports. The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second, and sources say a lot of bodies were seen on the ground after the strike, but there is as yet, no confirmation of the identities.
The gunship flew from its base in Dijibouti down to the southern tip of Somalia, Martin reports, where the al Qaeda operatives had fled after being chased out of the capital of Mogadishu by Ethiopian troops backed by the United States.
Once they started moving, the al Qaeda operatives became easier to track, and the U.S. military started preparing for an air strike, using unmanned aerial drones to keep them under surveillance and moving the aircraft carrier Eisenhower out of the Persian Gulf toward Somalia. But when the order was given, the mission was assigned to the AC-130 gunship operated by the U.S. Special Operations command.
If the attack got the operatives it was aimed at, reports Martin, it would deal a major blow to al Qaeda in East Africa.
Meanwhile, a jungle hideout used by Islamic militants that is believed to be an al Qaeda base was on the verge of falling to Ethiopian and Somali troops, the defense minister said Monday.
While a lawmaker had earlier told The Associated Press that the base was captured, Somalia's Defense Minister Col. Barre "Hirale" Aden Shire said troops had yet to enter it and that limited skirmishes were still ongoing, though troops were poised to take the base.
Ethiopian soldiers, tanks and warplanes were involved in the two-day attack, a government military commander told the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Shire said there had been heavy fighting with high numbers of casualties.
"There are a lot of casualties from both sides," he said, declining to give details.
Residents in the coastal seaport of Kismayo, some 90 miles northeast of Ras Kamboni, said they saw wounded Ethiopian soldiers being loaded onto military helicopters for evacuation.
"I have seen about 50 injured Ethiopian troops being loaded onto a military chopper," said Farhiya Yusuf. She said 12 Ethiopian helicopters were stationed at the Kismayo airport.
Somali officials said the Islamic movement's main force is bottled up at Ras Kamboni, the southernmost tip of the country, cut off from escape at sea by patrolling U.S. warships and across the Kenyan border by the Kenyan military.
In Mogadishu, Somalia's president made his first visit to the capital since taking office in 2004. During the unannounced visit, President Abdullahi Yusuf was expected to meet with traditional Somali elders and stay at the former presidential palace that has been occupied by warlords for 15 years, government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said.
U.S. officials warned after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that extremists with ties to al Qaeda operated a training camp at Ras Kamboni and that al Qaeda members are believed to have visited it.
Three al Qaeda suspects wanted in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa are believed to be leaders of the Islamic movement. The Islamists deny having any links to al Qaeda.
Somalia's government had struggled to survive since forming with backing from the United Nations two years ago, and was under attack by the Islamic militia when Ethiopia's military intervened on Dec. 24 and turned the tide.
But many in predominantly Muslim Somalia resent the presence of troops from neighboring Ethiopia, which has a large Christian population. The countries fought two brutal wars, the last in 1977.
On Sunday, gunmen attacked Ethiopian troops, witnesses said, sparking a firefight in the second straight day of violence in the capital, Mogadishu.
Good news..BUMP!
Ever seen one up close? It's ugly as sin. I like that in a warplane. :)
To a bunch of Marines needing air cover, the A-10 would be a pretty sight.
SWEET.
Adding insult to injury! I love it!
Of course, the MSM is hoping the bodies are 'ours' not 'theirs'. And while we can assume it is the enemy; and when it is confirmed; the talking heads will have the fur flying no doubt. I mean, what WILL Pelosi say as well?
Whatever they say; we can offer a huge job well donw to our Troops!
GO GET EM BUMP!
US Launches Airstrikes in Somalia
http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,121849,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl
At least one U.S. airstrike in Somalia that targeted an al-Qaida cell wanted for two 1998 U.S. embassy bombings killed large numbers of Islamic extremists, government officials said Tuesday.
The attack came after the terror suspects were spotted hiding on a remote island on the southern tip of Somalia, close to the Kenyan border, Somali officials said.
Eyewitnesses also said another attack was carried out about 155 miles north of the original strike.
I think your point could be narrowed down a bit. Probably they know the bodies are some folks that we hit, but they are hoping they were, or could be portrayed as, just innocent civilians going about their daily lives. Maybe a wedding party, or a convoy of baby milk headed to some town with lots of moms and babies waiting for it and now they'll all starve...you know, something like that.
"This is just so entertaining - the democrat congress is off watching a football game and good ole Bush is bombing Somalia - I love it."
That's a perfect sum-up of the day!
Here's mine: Buckeyes kick the ball as W. kicks a**s.
.....Fox has become useless.......
Just for the record, you are making an unjustified assumption. The available facts were put forth.
Fox cannot report on a battle when it hans no facts to report. There are no reporters there live. Like Tarawa and Iwo Jima, the reports will follow. Secrecy trumps live reporting.
The moaning and bitching about lack of coverage indicates a lack of understanding of the news process. You cannot report what you don't know.
...CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports exclusively.......
Interesting. Did the command throw CBS a bone?
Fox got to ride into Baghdad. Is CBS getting the chance here?
PEACE THROUGH SUPERIOR FIRE POWER!!!!
Here, Spooky Spooky! Here, Spooky Spooky!
Airstrikes in Iraq also!
That my friend is a very good question. wish I had an answer.
We can't have an AC130 thread without a flashback to this video of one hard a work issuing dirt naps.
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?p=AC130&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&b=0&oid=d346ed719a265560&rurl=www.militaryimages.net&vdone=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fvideo%3Fp%3DAC130%26toggle%3D1%26cop%3Dmss%26ei%3DUTF-8
. . .Right, of course and for sure. And should there NOT be any of the above; we can be fairly certain that Reuters and/or AP will find them - if only by creating them so as to communicate in terms more can understand; their message re America; as the 'great satan'. . .
LOL...I should get paid to watch!!
I just consider it part of my job of serving FRee Republic...LOL
Time to finish the job that BOY CLINTON would not do - remember our guys being dragged through the strets of Mogudishu?
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