Posted on 11/21/2008 1:24:17 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
President Bush has been "briefed," as they say, about the extraordinary spate of Somali piracy that culminated this week in the seizure of the Sirius Star. Incredibly, this Saudi supertanker loaded with crude oil destined for the United States now joins a commandeered fleet of about a dozen ships and 200 crew being held by Somali pirates who, according to Jane's Terrorism and Security Monitor, may well have links to jihadists.
I'm wondering whether President Bush, at any point in his briefing, ever thought to ask his experts: "What is up with Somalia?"
I say this given the disjointed but unmistakable prominence of Somalis in recent news. Or, rather, in what would have been recent news, maybe, if the media weren't preoccupied with more weighty stories such as which Washington private school the Obama girls will attend next semester.
Within the last week, for example, the State Department confirmed that massive immigration fraud has been perpetrated overwhelmingly by Africans claimed as close kin (parent, spouse, minor child) by legal residents in the United States. (According to a report in the City Pages in Minneapolis, this scam has been netting some unknowns along the food chain up to $10,000 per head.) Given that Somalis form the largest bloc of African immigrants to the United States, this becomes another story with Somalis playing a starring role.
Evidence of "family" fakery came out in a very quietly released State Department fact sheet titled "Fraud in the Africa Priority Three (P-3) Program." This release surely would have dropped into the post-Election, pre-Inauguration void of bliss enveloping official Washington were it not for the invaluable blog Refugee Resettlement Watch, which broke the story online.
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
They’ve taken over the airport in Mpls.
There I have corrected it for you.
Yes! I like your idea better.
They've taken over the Seward neighborhood in South Mpls. and have enclaves all over the metro. It's common to see Somali salesclerks at Ridgedale and Eden Prairie Center. It's kind of jarring to see a woman in a headscarf and ankle-length skirt at the checkout in the swimwear department.
Any carriers who choose not to arm their ships are agreeing to take the risk and pay the ransom, IMHO.
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