70 Nomads killed in Somalia story run by Voice of America

[MissWaverly]

There has been some debate here that this is an urban legend, that it never really happened,
Voice of America is running the below statement on its website.

Ethiopian and U.S. forces have carried out air attacks in southern Somalia against suspected Islamist militants who retreated there, as well as suspected al-Qaida terrorists.
The British aid group Oxfam, Friday reported the recent air raids in southern Somalia have killed some 70 people in Afmadow district, nomads gathered around fires at night.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-01-12-voa18.cfm

[Igel]

1. Point of clarification.

VOA confirms that Oxfam claimed 70 nomads were killed, not VOA confirms that 70 nomads were killed.

There is a rather significant difference.

[MissWaverly]

2. I find the fact that Voice of America ran the story a major

verification, why would they do that when they could have just ignored it.

[MissWaverly]

3. Story has now hit CNN

Recent air attacks against the fleeing Islamic movement have killed 70 nomadic herdsmen in the last four days, British charity Oxfam said Friday, citing its local Somali partner organizations. It said the deaths occurred near Afmadow, about 220 miles southwest of Mogadishu.

The United States has said it only conducted one air strike and no civilians were killed. The Ethiopian military has used attack helicopters against militants in Somalia.
The U.N. food agency said it has started distributing food to 18,000 Somalis, many of whom were women and children who fled fighting in the south. The agency said ongoing military activity meant they could not get food to another 190,000 people who were desperately in need.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/01/12/somalia.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

[burythehatchet]

4. George Bush thanks them for their sacrifice in the Long War

[MissWaverly]

6. Notice how the story has been pruned of US involvement

the bit about us attacking the nomads from the air as they sat around their camp fires has been lost.

[Beelzebud]

5. The night this happened I made a comment about using 9/11 to murder.

Soemone said I should cut that sort of talk out because we didn't know what happened here.

Well, sorry, but you let me know when this government of ours has earned the right to get the benefit of doubt about shit like this.

We use the memory of those that died on 9/11 to MURDER people all over the world now.

[MissWaverly]

7. they say the US is opening up another theater of war in Africa

We have to gain control, this government is intent on gun boat diplomacy, and although
the news in the US is carefully filtered, the entire world knows about the deaths of
these nomads, we are going to have no credibility in the eyes of the world community.
This is not about revenge for 9-11, it is about oil.

About those who criticized you, you ever notice it's never the right time or the right
moment to criticize what happened, no, criticize those who say it was not right. What
has been done in our name since 9-11, it is not right by any standard.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. Wonder when Tony Snow will announce that Somalia

is the greatest financier of global terrorism... x(

[MissWaverly]

10. all they have to say is suspected Al Quaida terrorists

and they have permission to send in military troops, this cannot be a long term strategy,
there are terrorists in 40-60 countries around the globe, it will not win the hearts and minds of the people.

[MissWaverly]

11. I wish the Congress would cut through this spin

Only investigations can create accountability, folks, our armed forces now have a directive
to become directly involved in any foreign country under the War on Terror doctrine, we
cannot become the world's swat team, nor should we.

[MissWaverly]

9. real scoop on the scale of America raid from Irish press

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#