Lots going on in the Horn of Africa.
Pirates operating out of Somalia (some of them captured an Iranian ship carrying radioactive materials for some unknown purpose).
Al Qaeda was driven out of Mogadishu (Somalia) by Ethiopian troops who are still occupying it. Ethiopians were supposed to withdraw but are suddenly increasing their troop levels apparently.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g7OaI4_kjeHA-o4UhlmP7vlWmrrwD94V83180
We have a major special forces base in Djibouti, right next door to Eritrea.
Eritrea is of course at war with Ethiopia and has been for years.
And Eritrea is at a choke point on the Red Sea. From there they could choke off sea traffic to the Saudis’ Red Sea ports, while simultaneously closing down the Persian Gulf to oil traffic.
Somewhere in there is the answer to what Iran is doing in Eritrea.
After long being a part of the Kingdom of Ethiopia, in 1995/6 Eritrea received it’s independence, pressure being applied by the Saudis and Pakistani to coerce the USG and Ethiopia to accept the creation of virtually the last new nation in the world.
Last year, there were persistent reports of Pakistan’s ISI financing and arming groups that were part of Somalia’s Islamist councils, overthrown temporarily by the Ethiopians.
Eritrea, in it’s short existence has proved to be the vanguard and the tip of the spear of the WorldWide Jihad.
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