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.
Music to our ears.
It's a 105mm, similar to what was on the early model M-1 Abrams tank.
Has the president done a presser yet?
Would not surprise me a bit.
It's after 10pm EST, he's in bed.
Did they get Joe and his mint tea as well? No? Can't have everything I guess.
Nah, the Angel of Death rides inside the AC-130. Sensor Operator, IIRC, "the Gal in the Booth". She, an Air Force Captain, would get on the radio and tell the Taliban, that they, or at least some of them, were just killed by a girl. Translation services were provided by the Northern Alliance folks who were on the same frequency, along with the Talibunnies of course.
Maybe she's still out there somewhere, probably a Major, at least, by now.
You are amazing. Thank you for these photos!
Our troops ROCK!
Forgot the link to the story, from right here on FR.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/897227/posts
Little excerpt from that post:
General Dostum (the Afghan commander) was utterly amazed when he heard of Ally. He immediately called his Taliban foes on the appropriate frequency, and then asked for Allison to speak on the U.S. radio. Dostum first announced in Dari to the Taliban leader that "the United States has so little respect for you that they are using their WOMEN to fight you!" Then Dostum held his handset up and Allison would talk over the frequency, announcing that she had heard how badly the Taliban treated women, and she was here to give them a little payback. This was also translated to the enemy over their frequencies. The extreme gravity of the insult to an Islamic fundamentalist "holy warrior" cannot be translated.
(From pg. 99 in another part of Afghanistan) Dabbling in psychological operations, the (Special Forces) team asked TASK FORCE DAGGER to give them an AC-130 gunship for a few nights. Once again, the weapons release officer was the efficient and attractive Air Force captain named Allison. When the bird came overhead, TIGER 01 would announce to the Taliban in Dari and Arabic that the "Angel of Death" had arrived and she had something to give them. Ally would then follow on the Taliban's command frequency, speaking with her soft, sensuous voice in English, calmly explaining to the enemy that she knew how they treated women, so it was only fair that she get an opportunity to repay their kindness. More than a few SF operators got a woody listening to her sultry description of the havoc that was about to be unleashed. Then, Ally voice would abruptly disappear as the Spectre's 105mm cannons and mini-guns would let loose, wreaking death and destruction of biblical proportions on the Taliban's trench lines.
Looks like the pissant pussies at CBS have all wet their panties already. Ditto for Edwards, Kerry, Democrats, etc.
Fantastic! What a great graphic! And I love what it says too.
Can't read the whole thread. When do we know if we got them??
Israel? C-130H
Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf looks on during talks with faction leaders and elders west of the capital Mogadishu, December 30, 2006. Yusuf entered Mogadishu on Monday, capping a remarkable turn-around in the capital Islamists ruled for six months until they were ousted before the New Year
A Somali refugee girl licks a cup with food received during school hours in Ifo camp near Dadaab, some 80 km (50 miles) from Liboi on the border with Somalia in north-eastern Kenya, January 8, 2007.
Somali police forces sitting on a pick-up truck patrol the streets of the capital Mogadishu, January 7, 2007.
Government soldiers stand guard at the Villa Somalia compound in Mogadishu, Monday, Jan. 8, 2007 where the Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf is staying after he arrived in the Somali capital on Monday. Somalia's president flew into the beleaguered capital, Mogadishu by plane Monday, his first visit since taking office in 2004. President Abdullahi Yusuf arrived despite mounting security concerns and ten days after his forces backed by Ethiopian troops, tanks and warplanes drove a rival Islamic movement out of the city.
This one's real purty ..
Give 'em HELL, boys and girls!
TANKS,,,,That Funi...;0)
The AC-130 is a GUN ship. They don't use no steenking missiles.
They could write messages on the 105 or 120 mm shells though. Or on the 40 mm . If they write really small, they could write on the 20 or 25 mm Gatling rounds. U model, aka Spooky, has the 120 mm and the 25 mm, while the H model, aka Sceptre, has the 105 and 20 mm guns.
Remember, he's already got prime time air scheduled for Wednesday.
You suppose this might be used as an illustration of the "New Direction" in the WoT?
New Somalia thread up, but I don't think it's discussing the air attacks:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1764499/posts
I don't like the idea of a Carrier Battle Group in that narrow water. Nor our submarines, designed for open ocean operations. Still all the targets in Iran should be reachable from the Arabian Sea, at least with tanking, which could be provided from Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq (we are there for multiple reasons) or at worst from Diego Garcia or Bishkek Kirghistan. In fact the more norther targets can be covered by USAF operating out of there.
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