"The Examiner: United States invades Somalia
The Examiner
14.09.2009
By Michael Wagner
United States invades Somalia
It is official now. According to the Associated Press, witnesses have spotted U.S. troops invading the town of Barawe, Somalia, near Mogadishu. Spelled out, the war on terror has found a new home front.
No longer will the United States simply occupy over 100 countries, including South Korea and Germany. The war on terror has moved troops from the United Nations and the United States to wars on the fronts of Afghanastan, Iraq, and now seemingly, to the small militant controlled nation of Somalia. All the while, the United States is keeping its eyes on North Korea, Russia, and China.
Despite promises from the Democratic party, who gained majority control of the House and Senate during the elections in 2006, to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the war has since taken a turn toward expansion.
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has now pledged U.S. military support to help keep the government in charge of the nation, which has been ruled mostly by anarchy since 1991.
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The Associated Press
By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and ANNE GEARAN
14.09.2009
US troops raid Somali town controlled by fighters
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Foreign troops in helicopters strafed a car Monday in a Somali town controlled by Islamist insurgents, killing two men and capturing two others who were wounded
Two U.S. military officials said forces from the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command were involved. The officials gave no details about the raid or its target, and they spoke on condition of anonymity because the operation was secret.
The U.N.-backed government, with support from African Union peacekeepers, holds only a few blocks of Mogadishu, the war-ravaged capital.
Witness Abdi Ahmed said six helicopters buzzed the village before two of the aircraft opened fire. After the helicopters fired, soldiers in military fatigues got out and left with the two wounded men.
Witness Dahir Ahmed said the helicopters took off from a warship flying a French flag,
French military spokesman Christophe Prazuck
“They are not French helicopters,” he said. France previously has launched commando raids to rescue French nationals."
Precum şi un articol publicat aici http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g7OaI4_kjeHA-o4UhlmP7vlWmrrwD9ANARF80 în care se spune:
"US troops raid Somali town controlled by fighters
By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and ANNE GEARAN (AP) – 4 days ago
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Foreign troops in helicopters strafed a car Monday in a Somali town controlled by Islamist insurgents, killing two men and capturing two others who were wounded, witnesses said. U.S. military officials said U.S. forces were involved in the raid.
The commando-style action took place in a village near Barawe amid growing fears that al-Qaida is gaining a foothold in this lawless nation.
Two U.S. military officials said forces from the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command were involved. The officials gave no details about the raid or its target, and they spoke on condition of anonymity because the operation was secret.
Many experts fear Somalia is becoming a haven for al-Qaida, a place for terrorists to train and gather strength — much like Afghanistan in the 1990s. The U.N.-backed government, with support from African Union peacekeepers, holds only a few blocks of Mogadishu, the war-ravaged capital.
Last year, U.S. missiles killed reputed al-Qaida commander Aden Hashi Ayro — the first major success after a string of U.S. military attacks in 2008.
Like much of Somalia, Barawe and its surrounding villages are controlled by the militant group al-Shabab, which the U.S. accuses of having ties to al-Qaida. Al-Shabab, which has foreign fighters in its ranks, seeks to overthrow the government and impose a strict form of Islam in Somalia.
Witness Abdi Ahmed said six helicopters buzzed the village before two of the aircraft opened fire. After the helicopters fired, soldiers in military fatigues got out and left with the two wounded men.
"There was only a burning vehicle and two dead bodies lying beside it," said Mohamed Ali Aden, a bus driver who drove past the burnt-out car minutes after the attack, some 155 miles (250 kilometers) south of Mogadishu.
Somalia's weak government has very few resources and does not have helicopters or other modern equipment.
Witness Dahir Ahmed said the helicopters took off from a warship flying a French flag, but that could not be confirmed and French military spokesman Christophe Prazuck denied the attack was a French operation.
"They are not French helicopters," he said. France previously has launched commando raids to rescue French nationals.
The U.S. government, haunted by a deadly 1993 U.S. military assault in Mogadishu chronicled in "Black Hawk Down," is trying to neutralize the growing terrorist threat without sending in troops.
Somalia has been ravaged by violence and anarchy since warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and then turned on each other. A moderate Islamist was elected president in January in hopes that he could unite the country's feuding factions, but the violence has continued unabated.
Mogadishu sees near-daily battles between government and insurgent forces. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed.
Somalia's lawlessness also has allowed piracy to flourish off its coast, making the Gulf of Aden one of the most dangerous waterways in the world.
AP National Security Writer Anne Gearan reported from Washington, DC.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved."
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