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Somalia Analyst Calls for Law Enforcement Approach to Terrorists
Voice of America ^ | September 15, 2009 | Joe DeCapua

Posted on 09/15/2009 12:02:26 PM PDT by La Lydia

Since the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, some have called for a law enforcement response rather than a military one. Monday's U.S. Special Forces raid on Somalia, which killed a suspected terrorist, has raised the issue again. Dan Volman, director of the African Security Research Project, questions the wisdom of the raid.

"I think it's in some ways a real serious mistake and I think it will undermine a lot of the efforts by the United States and other parties to achieve a peaceful resolution or at least some kind of resolution…in Somalia," he says.

He says the raid indicates "the Obama administration remains committed to the global war on terrorism, which I think is a faulty strategy."

Volman says the raid "stigmatizes" the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG), making it appear "as an agent of the United States government." He says that may make it more difficult for the TFG to "reach out and create some kind of broad-based government."

"I'm well aware that al-Qaeda is a criminal organization, that it carries out terrible crimes around the world. But I would argue…that al-Qaeda and these kinds of terrorist activities do not directly threaten the vital national security interests of the United States," he says. Instead, he says, they pose a greater threat to the Somalia and other countries around the world...

Volman says terrorist acts should be treated as "terrible" crimes, not as a "military action. Not as a threat to the vital national security interests of the United States."

"Just to give one example…the United States would like to capture al-Qaeda agents. First of all, they could be put on trial, which means that their guilt can be established…. But also so that they can be questioned…. If you simply kill them you lose any possibility of getting any useful information from them."...


TOPICS: War on Terror
KEYWORDS: islam; military; terror; violence
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Wasn't this the thinking that got us 9/11 in the first place?
1 posted on 09/15/2009 12:02:26 PM PDT by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia
You guys arrest.

We'll kill.

Capiche?

2 posted on 09/15/2009 12:06:32 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Put butter on your tag line.)
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To: La Lydia

Yup.

How about we send over elements of the US Park Police, and have them pull over everyone in the country; cite’em and drag’em into federal court for speeding or reckless driving?


3 posted on 09/15/2009 12:06:46 PM PDT by RexBeach
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To: Lazamataz

...so I think what you’re saying is “Foxtrot Oscar, Mr. Big Shot terrorism expert”. If so, I say, “Hear, hear!”

Colonel, USAFR


4 posted on 09/15/2009 12:08:36 PM PDT by jagusafr (Kill the red lizard, Lord! - nod to C.S. Lewis)
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To: La Lydia

The world had it right for 1400 years. Our ‘police’ approach is imaginative and already tested and demonstrated as suicidal. The results are ignored. As the Chinese might observe, the West claps with one hand, Islamists with both.


5 posted on 09/15/2009 12:09:38 PM PDT by givemELL (Does Taiwan Meet the Criteria to Qualify as an "Overseas Territory of the United States"? by Richar)
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To: RexBeach

Now they won’t talk if arrested. We aren’t good a trying them and we stand the risk of the being freed in the US with a greencard. Some men just need killin.
We tried a law enforcement approacl to LQ and it got us 911.


6 posted on 09/15/2009 12:10:54 PM PDT by Oldexpat
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To: jagusafr

Roger that. Transmission recieved correctly.


7 posted on 09/15/2009 12:15:11 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Put butter on your tag line.)
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To: La Lydia

Apply Sharia Law.


8 posted on 09/15/2009 12:16:26 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Big Ears + Big Spending --> BigEarMarx, the man behind TOTUS)
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To: RexBeach

And littering.


9 posted on 09/15/2009 12:17:41 PM PDT by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia
"If you simply kill them you lose any possibility of getting any useful information from them."

The only useful information is typically "Allah Akbar!"

10 posted on 09/15/2009 12:18:32 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Big Ears + Big Spending --> BigEarMarx, the man behind TOTUS)
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To: La Lydia

Another Quisling...


11 posted on 09/15/2009 12:19:46 PM PDT by xcamel (The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it. - H. L. Mencken)
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To: La Lydia
More "enlightened" idiocy.

Which, of course, means the Obama Administration will love it.

12 posted on 09/15/2009 12:25:44 PM PDT by TheClintons-STILLAnti-American (u)
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To: La Lydia
Yeah law enforcement is working so well in that savage pestilence ridden hell hole.
13 posted on 09/15/2009 12:25:49 PM PDT by Cheetahcat (Zero the Wright kind of Racist! We are in a state of War with Democrats)
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To: La Lydia

why is Voice of America producing anti-american agitprop?


14 posted on 09/15/2009 12:43:11 PM PDT by lack-of-trust
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To: lack-of-trust

I wondered that myself. Maybe it’s the new regime.


15 posted on 09/15/2009 12:43:45 PM PDT by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia
"Just to give one example…the United States would like to capture al-Qaeda agents. First of all, they could be put on trial, which means that their guilt can be established…. But also so that they can be questioned…. If you simply kill them you lose any possibility of getting any useful information from them."

The current administration won't allow them to be questioned using the means necessary to elicit truthful responses.

16 posted on 09/15/2009 12:45:36 PM PDT by Real Cynic No More (The only thing standing between us and complete victory over the evildoers is POLITICS!)
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To: RexBeach
How about we send over elements of the US Park Police, and have them pull over everyone in the country; cite’em and drag’em into federal court for speeding or reckless driving?

Just don't waterboard them!

And make sure the police know how to read Miranda in Somali...

17 posted on 09/15/2009 12:47:51 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (If Dick Cheney = Darth Vader, then Joe Biden = Dark Helmet)
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To: Real Cynic No More

Yes, my vote goes to the “simply kill them” option. As many as we can, as fast as we can. The episode that sparked this “essay” was immensely gratifying to me. The first helicopter blew them to smithereens, the second one swooped in and grabbed the corpse to we could prove it was his.


18 posted on 09/15/2009 12:49:22 PM PDT by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia
Volman says the raid "stigmatizes" the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG), making it appear "as an agent of the United States government." He says that may make it more difficult for the TFG to "reach out and create some kind of broad-based government."

Oh, poor babies...our analyst is afraid the Somalis will be "stigmatized". I'd rather taze them, bro.

19 posted on 09/15/2009 12:51:10 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (If Dick Cheney = Darth Vader, then Joe Biden = Dark Helmet)
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To: La Lydia

I don’t WANT a “peaceful solution” to terrorism. I want all the terrorists DEAD.


20 posted on 09/15/2009 1:00:20 PM PDT by Politicalmom (Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government. -- James Madison)
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