The Great Chase
January 9, 2007:
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia/articles/20070109.aspx
For the last few days, Ethiopian and Transitional Government troops have captured Ras Kamboni, a small port near the Kenyan border. This place has long been an Islamic Courts stronghold and training camp. American warships are off the coast some 22 kilometers, in international waters, checking any boats trying to leave Somalia. With the Islamic Courts smashed, the most organized and dedicated fighting force in the country is gone. But not completely, most members of the Islamic courts are still around, and will revive the organization in the next few months. They will be opposed by a stronger Transitional Government. Both organizations rely on the allegiance of clans for their power, and clans will often go with one side or the other, depending on which side traditional enemy clans have joined. The Ethiopians are not going to stick around, as they are ancient enemies of the Somalis, and are much hated in Somalia. Besides, all the Ethiopians wanted to do was knock the Islamic Courts down a few notches. The Ethiopians know they might have to come back and do in again in a year or so, but they've been slapping down the Somalis for centuries.
American Special Forces are helping in the hunt for known al Qaeda members who have been seen in Somalia in the last few months. Many captured Islamic Courts fighters tell of Arab, and other foreigner, fighters who have been helping them. The bodies of some of these foreigners have been found. The "foreigners" do not appear inclined to be taken alive.
January 8, 2007: In Mogadishu, Somalis Islamic radicals attacked a camp used by Ethiopian troops. Further south, on the Kenyan border, some American Special Forces troops are operating with Ethiopian troops, and an American AC-130 gunship is flying missions, apparently from Djibouti, against Islamic Courts and al Qaeda targets along the Kenyan border, including a small island near Ras Kamboni, where "foreigners" (al Qaeda members) were reported hiding..
(snip)
I'm sure we've a few drones doing their good deeds too !