U.S. special forces in Somalia

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4461924.html

By PAULINE JELINEK Associated Press Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press


WASHINGTON — U.S. special operations forces are in Somalia hunting suspected al-Qaida fighters, but Pentagon officials dismissed the idea they are planning to send any large number of ground troops to the African nation.

U.S. and Somali officials said Wednesday a small American team has been providing military advice to Ethiopian and Somali forces on the ground. The officials provided little detail and spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

The U.S. forces entered Somalia with Ethiopian forces late last month when Ethiopians launched their attack against the Islamic movement said to be sheltering al-Qaida figures, one of the officials said.

They spoke days after an American airstrike on a suspected al-Qaida target that U.S. officials have said killed up to 10 people.

The Navy has moved additional forces into waters off the Somali coast, where they have conducted security missions, monitoring maritime traffic and intercepting and interrogating crew on suspicious ships.

[Rick Myers]

1. Where the Hell are they flying the AC-130 missions from?

Deigo Garcia? Italy? Israel? The Gulf? How are we getting BIG gunships in and out of Somalia?

[hack89]

2. We have a base a Djibouti

the French have an air base there. Either that or Oman

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Djibouti most likely

looks like the Somalis are getting pretty po'd about this whole thing.

Turns out we didn't kill the bad guys after all and killed 100+ civilians instead.

General Boykin just wanted to kill a few more brown people for Jesus before he retires.

[saigon68]

3. A third War is Starting or ReStarting

"Black Hawk Down"

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Surge into Somalia, comrades." - Commander AWOL

"I'm sure we can find a way for my republicon oil & munitions cronies to make a Big Buck."

- Commander AWOL

[lonestarnot]

5. In more ways that one, "Black Hawk Down."

[seemslikeadream]

6. Somalia welcomes oil interest

http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/nta53713.htm

22-08-05 Somalia's fledgling government welcomes approaches by firms keen to hunt for oil or gas on its territory but has yet to open any such discussions, President Abdullahi Yusuf said.
Somalia's oil and gas potential attracted attention from Western major oil producers before the country collapsed in chaos in 1991, and diplomats say Asian firms have shown recent interest amid efforts to stabilise the Horn of Africa country. Somalia lies across the Gulf of Aden from the Arabian peninsula and next to Ethiopia's Ogaden region, which has proven reserves of natural gas.

Yusuf, trying to build an effective central government following his election by lawmakers at peace talks last year, told: "Any company that is interested in the natural resources of Somalia can come (to talk) to the government, no matter from which country."
"After all, we will look after our interest. Let them compete, and the best company will win," he said during a visit to Nairobi en route to Saudi Arabia to discuss possible aid for Somalia.

Somalia has no proven oil reserves and only 200 bn cf of proven natural gas reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration. However, companies including Total, Amoco, Chevron and Conoco and Phillips, which have since merged into ConocoPhillips, held exploration concessions in northern Somalia in the 1980s.
The firms declared force majeure following the collapse of the central government in 1991. Force majeure is a clause in a contract exempting the parties from their obligations under the agreement as a result of conditions beyond their control.

[Oak2004]

8. Now what a coinkidink

Country has oil. US bombs country.

Never seen that before, have you?

[saigon68]

9. Iraq-Nam Redux