"Somalia air raids hit nomads, 70 dead" - were the headlines - please...

[wake.up.america]

Somalia air raids hit nomads,70 dead --- please confirm or refute this report from Oxfam with link

[MissWaverly]

1. here's one of the links from my thread

strikes on al-Qa'ida chiefs kill nomads
By Anne Penketh and Steve Bloomfield
Published: 13 January 2007
The herdsmen had gathered with their animals around large fires at night to ward off mosquitoes. But lit up by the flames, they became latest victims of America's war on terror. It was their tragedy to be misidentified in a secret operation by special forces attempting to kill three top al-Qa'ida leaders in south-ern Somalia.

Oxfam yesterday confirmed at least 70 nomads in the Afmadow district near the border with Kenya had been killed. The nomads were bombed at night and during the day while searching for water sources.

The operation, which opened a new front in Washington's anti-terror campaign, seems to have backfired spectacularly in the five days since it was launched. In addition to the scores of Somali civilians killed, the simmering civil war in the failed state has been rekindled.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article21497...

You can read other links on my letter to Senator Mikulski, in General Discussion Politics
that is what my letter was about yesterday. Miss Waverly

[TexasProgresive]

2. Nothing new-

From the Independent yesterday:

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article2149716.ece

[MissWaverly]

3. Here's info from the NY Times

Pentagon Sees Move in Somalia as Blueprint
By Mark Mazzetti
Published: January 13, 2007

Pentagon officials said it is still not known whether any senior Qaeda suspects or their allies were killed in the airstrike on Sunday, carried out by an AC-130 gunship. A small team of American Special Operations troops has been to the scene of the airstrike, in a remote stretch near the Kenya border, to collect forensic evidence in the effort to identify the victims.
Some critics of the Pentagon’s aggressive use of Special Operations troops, including some Democratic members of Congress, have argued that using American forces outside of declared combat zones gives the Pentagon too much authority in sovereign nations and blurs the lines between soldiers and spies.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/13/world/africa/13proxy....

[wake.up.america]

5. I am in a middle of debate with a person who claims the story has no merit...

I read the Oxfam report in the Independent newspaper, but have yet to see any confirmation of the report that 70 civilians were killed..

[MissWaverly]

9. check this link tomorrow

it is the source for Africa news, they fully explain the attacks and confirm many were
killed, Somali officials are quoted here.

US launches air strike on Somalia; President Yusuf says U.S "has a right to bombard terrorist suspects...."
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP/Jan 9, 2007) &endash; A U.S. airstrike hit targets in southern Somalia where Islamic militants were believed to be sheltering suspects in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies, Somali officials and witnesses said Tuesday. Many people were reported killed.

http://www.usafricaonline.com/usstrikes.omalia2007.html

[MissWaverly]

13. here's info from Ireland

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - U.S. forces hunting al Qaeda suspects hit four sites in air strikes in southern Somalia on Wednesday, a Somali government source said, as international criticism mounted over Washington's military intervention.

"As we speak now, the area is being bombarded by the American air force," the source told Reuters.
Four places were hit -- Hayo, Garer, Bankajirow and Badmadowe, the source said. "Bankajirow was the last Islamist holdout. Bankajirow and Badmadowe were hit hardest," he added.
Pentagon officials confirmed one air attack on Monday, as part of a wider offensive involving Ethiopian planes.

http://home.eircom.net/content/reuters/worldnews/9657748?view=Eircomnet#

[Robbien]

4. Somali tribesmen sitting around a campfire got bombed all to bits

Bushbots declare victory.

[Swamp Rat]

8. Death from above, out of nowhere.

A tribe of thirsty peasants lay scattered, dead.

[MADem]

6. Herdsmen, hmmmm? Didn't the Monkey make some smartass remark about Clinton's efforts to nab OBL

...something about how he didn't want to hit a tent and a camel in the ass in the desert???

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. I just love the smell of freedom in the A.M., it's so consumeresque. Gotta

replace all them million dollar bombs used to kill poor herdsmen over there so we don't have to put up with their goats over here.

[MissWaverly]

10. Bush is being castigated in Egypt

for killing dozens of Somalis, they say that he is a modern day Dracula who invaded Afghanistan, and then invaded Iraq and is now looking for islamic people everywhere.

[partylessinOhio]

11. The shame of AmeriKa! he (little h) has besmirched us all by his insane

murder of innocents in the Middle East.

The World should condemn us for these murders.


I am so sorry World to sit in the same country as this evil, not in my name...

[MissWaverly]

12. I think that we should cooperate with the locals

share information, this swat team approach makes no sense to me at all.
Remember our legal system is supposed to be based on beyond a reasonable doubt,
what are we going to say now, yeah, you're dead, sorry, our mistake. This approach
is absurd.

[mod mom]

14. Winning the hearts and minds of the world.

[MissWaverly]

15. Yes, and then suppress it

well, the villagers will not forget, it's so sad

[mod mom]

16. Sadly it was probably an attempt to get the news cycle off his poor speech.

[MissWaverly]

17. Yes, I don't think it was part of the build up to his speech

sad, very sad