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Somalia may come next in wider war on terrorism (REVENGE FOR THE SLAIN)
The Daily Telegraph ^ | November 26, 2001 | Adrian Blomfield

Posted on 11/25/2001 3:30:06 PM PST by MadIvan

AS THE Taliban crumble, speculation is again rife that American sights could be turned on another of the world's most chaotic countries: Somalia.

President Bush has already given clear warnings. Shortly after the September 11 attacks he placed the Somali militant group al-Itihaad al-Islamiya on a list of outlawed terrorist organisations.

This month he froze the assets of al-Barakat, Somalia's biggest business conglomerate, described by the US as "quartermasters of terror". Intelligence and diplomatic sources say al-Qa'eda has been operating training camps alongside its colleagues in al-Itihaad.

They have pooled resources, observers say, since 1992 when al-Itihaad leaders met Osama bin Laden in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Intelligence sources say that in 1998 bin Laden congratulated his operators on the bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

There have been persistent rumours that bin Laden could flee to Somalia. Some reports say he is already there. Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, said last week that he could have fled via Pakistan to Somalia, Sudan or Yemen, which are also on Washington's potential hit list.

Al-Qa'eda is reported to have training camps in Yemen's northern mountains, where several thousand guerrillas are believed to be awaiting orders. Eight British Arabs convicted in Yemen of murdering four tourists in 1998 identified Islamic army camps in Aden. These could be targets.

Sanctions against Sudan, which remains on Washington's list of countries that sponsor terrorism, were dropped in September after President Omar al-Bashir declared himself a member of the coalition against terrorism.

But Hassan al-Turabi, the leading opposition figure, was bin Laden's closest associate in Sudan, where he lived between 1992 and 1996. There is speculation that followers of Turabi, who is married to bin Laden's niece, could be pursued by the Americans.

Somalia could be the easiest of the three countries to strike. It has been an open secret for months that al-Itihaad's main training base is near the coastal town of Ras Kamboni, on the Kenyan border.

According to Somalis in the area, members of al-Qa'eda began to infiltrate the south of the country in 1996 posing as Islamic missionaries. They built training camps and took control of several towns.

Locals tell of Arab recruits training in the camps and imposing a terrifying, Taliban-style sharia law. "These people have a kind of poison in them," said Muhammed, a cattle trader who fled the area this year. "They did terrible things to people they suspected of being opposed to them and their teachings. They would rip out their eyes and chop off their hands.

"They would beat people and cut the body to allow the wounds to become infested with maggots. Others they tied their hands and feet and drowned them in the river." Smoking was forbidden. Caught once, a guilty man would receive 40 lashes. Caught again, he would be executed.

Yet it remains unclear how the Americans could eradicate the terrorism threat in Somalia. Many accounts say the terrorists fled after September 11. Boats were seen leaving Ras Kamboni night after night, sailing out into the Indian Ocean.

"If there was a war to be fought against terrorism in Somalia then I think the Americans have missed the boat," said one diplomat.

There are also doubts over whether America has the stomach for a war in Somalia. In late 1992 Mr Bush's father sent troops there on a peacekeeping operation. It was a disaster, with at least 17 Americans killed in a single incident, and they soon pulled out.


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I think America has a stomach for a war. Somalia was a "feed the world" type mission that was led by Weird Bill. Totally different scenario. Well I'm game, let's shoot the little bastards who dragged those poor American soliders through Mogadishu.

I think Blair is game too, in fact.

Regards, Ivan

But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, "This was their finest hour."

Today is Trinity Sunday. Centuries ago words were written to be a call and a spur to the faithful servants of Truth and Justice: "Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour, and be in readiness for the conflict; for it is better for us to perish in battle than to look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar. As the Will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be." - Winston Churchill, 1940

This then, my lords and gentlemen, is the message which we send forth today to all states and nations, bound or free, to all the men in all the lands who care for freedom's cause. To our Allies and well-wishers in Europe, to our American friends and helpers drawing ever closer in their might across the ocean, this is the message-lift up your hearts, all will come right. Out of depths of sorrow and sacrifice will be born again the glory of mankind. - Winston Churchill, 1941

"What kind of a people do they think we are? Is it possible that they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them until they have been taught a lesson which they and the world will never forget?" - Winston Churchill, 1941


1 posted on 11/25/2001 3:30:07 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: MomwithHope; lainde; jjbrouwer; Vigilanteman; Chemist_Geek; Churchillspirit; BlessedBeGod...
Bump!
2 posted on 11/25/2001 3:30:29 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: MadIvan
Somalia could use a bit of civillising.

But, House Saddam is probably next on the B52 strike list.

3 posted on 11/25/2001 3:35:27 PM PST by LibKill
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To: MadIvan
Well I'm game, let's shoot the little bastards who dragged those poor American soliders through Mogadishu...which happened because Klinton isn't qualified to suck the farts out of taxi cab seats, much less be Commander-in-Chief.
4 posted on 11/25/2001 3:37:28 PM PST by Hillary 666
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To: Hillary 666
ROFL! That is an expression I am going to remember!

Regards, Ivan
5 posted on 11/25/2001 3:42:58 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: MadIvan
Somalia was a "feed the world" type mission that was led by Weird Bill

Agreed, Ivan. More of Little Big Fraud®'s "legacy....."

6 posted on 11/25/2001 3:45:09 PM PST by backhoe
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To: MadIvan
Locals tell of Arab recruits training in the camps and imposing a terrifying, Taliban-style sharia law. "These people have a kind of poison in them," said Muhammed, a cattle trader who fled the area this year. "They did terrible things to people they suspected of being opposed to them and their teachings. They would rip out their eyes and chop off their hands."

No mercy for these bastards. Track them all over the world and kill them. Period!

7 posted on 11/25/2001 3:50:11 PM PST by blam
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To: MadIvan
There are also doubts over whether America has the stomach for a war in Somalia. In late 1992 Mr Bush's father sent troops there on a peacekeeping operation. It was a disaster, with at least 17 Americans killed in a single incident, and they soon pulled out.

Actually, this is wrong! GWH Bush sent in forces on a HUMANITARIAN mission. Upon taking over in January, 1993, Clinton advisors Anthony Lake, Madeline Albright, and Les Aspin (with Clinton's approval) turned it into a "nation-building" exercise focusing on getting the war lord Muhammad Aidid. Colin Powell, still Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, was opposed to this sea-change in the mission.

The 19, NOT 17, who died, did so on October 3rd, 1993, due to lack of armor, AC-130 gunships, and other assets that left the 75th Ranger Regiment without an escape plan after two black hawks were shot down. The armour WAS requested by Gen Montgomery in September, many weeks before the ill-fated raid. Les Aspin resigned as Sec of Defense two weeks after the debacle.

8 posted on 11/25/2001 3:52:47 PM PST by Alas Babylon!
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To: Alas Babylon!
The Truth. Thanks.
9 posted on 11/25/2001 4:00:50 PM PST by NeonKnight
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To: MadIvan
Always good running into you, MadIvan. I've never had the words to express the horror I've felt over Somalia. That should have been the end of Bill Clinton. The article sort of gave the idea the Rangers incident happened under Bush, didn't it?
10 posted on 11/25/2001 4:01:07 PM PST by AuntB
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To: MadIvan
Good ole Winston Churchill!

Lets hope the US goes for a clean sweep of the lot.

11 posted on 11/25/2001 4:03:30 PM PST by klee
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To: blam
DEATH TO ALL TERRORISTS!
12 posted on 11/25/2001 4:04:12 PM PST by deathtoallterrorists
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To: MadIvan
The Somalis are probably going to laugh at this, until they hear the first B52 bomber overhead running an ArcLight.

We're aren't delivering pizzas this time.

13 posted on 11/25/2001 4:08:43 PM PST by Centurion2000
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To: Alas Babylon!; MadIvan
You are right, and the author of the article got an unfair dig on Bush I. It was Clinton and Aspen that screwed up the Somali mission. They changed the goals to nation building, and did not give the requested support to the Rangers.
14 posted on 11/25/2001 4:16:37 PM PST by OK
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To: Alas Babylon!
The area commander in charge of this operation had to go begging to the UN for heavy equipment to mount a rescue of his troops. Five hours later he borrowed some equipment from the Pakastinis.
15 posted on 11/25/2001 4:17:44 PM PST by blam
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: MadIvan
There are also doubts over whether America has the stomach for a war in Somalia.

There were also doubts over whether America has the stomach for a war in Afghanistan. We're coming back to Somalia! And, it's not Kliñtóñ's military any more.

17 posted on 11/25/2001 4:22:42 PM PST by Barnacle
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To: blam
Yup, just read Black Hawk Down!. He got 4 Pakistani tanks and about 12 Malaysian German-made APC's but had to negoiate half the night for them. The Pentagon (under Aspin) and White House refused General Montgomery's request for M-1 Abrams and Bradley fighting vehicles as they feared the press would savage them (politics!). Had they had them, I doubt 19 Rangers and Delta Force Operators would have died.

Worse yet, about a month after the incident, and we had Mike Durant back, Clinton pulled our forces out. We left, tail 'tween legs. You could say the likes of Bin Laden were only emboldened by this. And the rest, WTC bombing, Kohbar Towers, African Embassies, 9/11, is history.

18 posted on 11/25/2001 4:26:35 PM PST by Alas Babylon!
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To: Alas Babylon!
Excellent job clarifying what really happened. And here I thought all you did was stir people up on Sunday mornings.
19 posted on 11/25/2001 4:30:42 PM PST by be-baw
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To: Alas Babylon!
"You could say the likes of Bin Laden were only emboldened by this. And the rest, WTC bombing, Kohbar Towers, African Embassies, 9/11, is history."

Yup. I have Black Hawk Down on order.

20 posted on 11/25/2001 4:35:49 PM PST by blam
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