Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

[flintlock]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

Apparently they got my note in the suggestion box.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/...o/us_us_piracy

The global shipping industry should consider placing armed guards on its boats to ward off pirates who have become increasingly violent, the U.S. military commander who oversees the African coastline said Friday. Gen. David Petraeus who came to the Capitol to talk about a wide variety of issues told a House committee Friday that just trying to outrun or block pirates from boarding cargo ships isn't enough to deter sea bandits off the Somali coast who are becoming more aggressive. The Pentagon is starting to study how to better protect merchant shipping, but hasn't yet come up with a formal plan.

Have to chuckle a bit at that last sentence. This has been going on for how long??

[metalman]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

Apparently they got my note in the suggestion box.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/...o/us_us_piracy

Have to chuckle a bit at that last sentence. This has been going on for how long??

presenting the hoth ion canon...



gov't says, 'we win!'

weapons mfg says, 'we win!'

pirates say, 'wtf'??? ... as they vaporize, along with your tax $$$.

[Diarmuid]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

Apparently those sophisticated Somali pirates from one of the poorest countries in the world are running an ' information network' and it 'extends to Yemen, Dubai and the Suez canal.' which
'enables the more organised pirate groups to study their targets in advance', and 'know everything from the layout of the vessel to its ports of call' and 'cargo, nationality and course of the vessel.'


- seems like they have some very connected friends, if the content of the article is to be believed. ;)

Article from the Gaurdian newspaper in the UK.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009...n-intelligence

Somali pirates guided by London intelligence team, report says

Document obtained by Spanish radio station says 'well-placed informers' in constant contact by satellite telephone

• Giles Tremlett in Madrid
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 11 May 2009 12.59 BST
• Article history

The Somali pirates attacking shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are directed to their targets by a "consultant" team in London, according to a European military intelligence document obtained by a Spanish radio station.
The document, obtained by Cadena SER radio, says the team and the pirates remain in contact by satellite telephone.
It says that pirate groups have "well-placed informers" in London who are in regular contact with control centres in Somalia where decisions on which vessels to attack are made. These London-based "consultants" help the pirates select targets, providing information on the ships' cargoes and courses.
In at least one case the pirates have remained in contact with their London informants from the hijacked ship, according to one targeted shipping company.
The pirates' information network extends to Yemen, Dubai and the Suez canal.
The intelligence report is understood to have been issued to European navies.
"The information that merchant ships sailing through the area volunteer to various international organisations is ending up in the pirates' hands," Cadena SER reported the report as saying.
This enables the more organised pirate groups to study their targets in advance, even spending several days training teams for specific hijacks. Senior pirates then join the vessel once it has been sailed close to Somalia.
Captains of attacked ships have found that pirates know everything from the layout of the vessel to its ports of call. Vessels targeted as a result of this kind of intelligence included the Greek cargo ship Titan, the Turkish merchant ship Karagol and the Spanish trawler Felipe Ruano.
In each case, says the document, the pirates had full knowledge of the cargo, nationality and course of the vessel.
The national flag of a ship is also taken into account when choosing a target, with British vessels being increasingly avoided, according to the report. It was not clear whether this was because pirates did not want to draw the attention of British police to their information sources in London.
European countries have set up Operation Atalanta to co-ordinate their military efforts in the area.

[Slimprofits]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman



Mogadishu gun battle 0:47
CNN exclusive footage of Islamic militants attacking the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Somalia.
• Minnesota men charged in Somali recruiting
• Fresh fighting erupts in Somalia

[flintlock]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

I kept waiting for that MG to hit the guy in his face.

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

I kept waiting for that MG to hit the guy in his face.

Firing that PK without a butt group or a pintle mount is village idiot kinda stuff.

The pole in the video could have led to a rather catastrophic muzzle clearance problem as well.

[MulaMan]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

Why does the Black Caucus feel they have a more prominent role simply because the current U.S. President is black?.

Did you ask that same question in regards to all the religious wingnut political groups after GW Bush was elected?

Just wondering.

[thunderdownunder]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

It will probably never be read but the solution to piracy is very simple.
It worked on the china seas pirates in the early 1900's
what you do is employ the same people who pirate to guard.
"Divide and conquer"
It kills it dead in the water (pun intended). Every thing else is a waste of resources.
Piracy is and always was a business for those who are desperate and poor. Pitting pirate against pirate isolates the problem and the result is they burn each other out - end of story.
Imagine if a shipping company offered $xxxxxx amount for safe passage through employment to those who know the system. Think of it as an insurance problem. It can be a win - win situation and a deductible cost.
Don't laugh, it works and I have proof and photos that back it up in the British port of Port Arthur(China) c 1906- 1908. Two years and it stopped simply because no one could be trusted

[LargoWinch]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

I would like to recommend this article about pirates in Somalia:

Thanks gasull, that is the most enlightening piece I read this week.


If the article is indeed true (and nothing lead me to believe otherwise); then the world is even sicker than I thought. Disgusting. Simply Disgusting. :mad:

[Slimprofits]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

I continue to predict (since the election of Obama with his team including folks such as Susan Rice) that the U.S. in Obama's first term will invade Somalia.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200908070898.html

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged continued U.S. support for the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and called on Eritrea to halt interference in Somalia.

Clinton appeared at a joint press conference at the U.S. Embassy August 6 following talks with Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. She said the talks with the TFG leader were "a thorough and productive discussion about the challenges facing his country and the efforts of the international community to support the Transitional Federal Government as it stands up for the people of Somalia and against the threat of violent extremism."

[..]

The United States has provided more than $150 million over the past two years to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops, and more will be provided in the next few months, she said.

Clinton also pledged to continue providing equipment and training for the TFG and supplying humanitarian assistance to the Somali people and is asking other states in the region to support the Djibouti process.

[Slimprofits]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

And it begins.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...WmrrwD9ANARF80

US troops raid Somali town controlled by fighters

By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and ANNE GEARAN (AP) – 6 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.

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

And it begins.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...WmrrwD9ANARF80

US troops raid Somali town controlled by fighters

By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and ANNE GEARAN (AP) – 6 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.

What begins exactly?

I'm not trying to start a monkeys flinging poo kind of fight, but if you are alluding to US occupation of Somalia, even in a limited way, would probably be very, very wrong.

Djibouti, neighbouring Somalia, has had a very substantial French/US military presence for YEARS.

And that includes probably quite regular overt/covert incursions into Somali territory with near impunity.

Staging out of Djibouti, and projecting force into Mad Max Somalia when necessary allows the west the ability to cut the head off anybody or anything foolish enough to get too visible in the crosshairs.

They get to have their cake and eat it too....meaning they get to kill/capture naughty Somalis(or others harboured there) without the cost of occupying that hellhole of a non-nation.

Could another Black Hawk Down incident occur?

Certainly......a helo and crew could be killed or injured, but would likely have considerable combat search and rescue resources on demand to mitigate the far higher risks/costs of occupation.

I see nothing in this article that leads me to believe a change in policy other than yet another generic incident of the occasionally reported and many, many unreported military incursions into Somalia.

[Slimprofits]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

maybe I haven't been paying enough attention to the region in recent years. I just don't recall any reported instances during the Bush admin. so the thinking was more attention was being paid to it.

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

Personally, I'm unsure as the whether the operational tempo/level of aggression aimed at containing the failed state of Somalia and capturing/killing the foreign insurgents it harbours will increase/plateau/or decrease under the new administration.

If I had to guess, I'd say Africa will once again play a central-ish role in US foreign policy......possibly a reboot of the post Vietnam 70's and early 80's...when the US was deeply involved with flipflopping allies Ethiopia/Somalia, helping the French contain Libya in Chad, and providing less than overt assistance to Angolan rebels and South Africa.

The framework for more focus on Africa has been laid with AFRICOM.

I'm thinking that instead of a repeat of countering massive Soviet/Cuban involvement across 3rd world Cold War battlelines, it will be China/US/EU battling for Africa commercially for it's resources and for commercially recycling those resource dollars.

In terms of seizing and holding ground militarily in Africa....again I think it will be a bit of a repeat of the 70's/80's.....arms & advisors, and lots and lots of less than overt activity......but with a geopolitical focus on "fighting forest fires", by cutting geopolitical "firebreaks", and letting the fires burn out to keep western costs and casualties as low as possible.

I'm in the region in a few weeks and keen to see more from the ground.

Just my 0.02c

[Slimprofits]

Re: Somali insurgents fire mortars at US congressman

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/06/wo...06somalia.html

U.S. Aiding Somalia in Its Plan to Retake Its Capital
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN
Published: March 5, 2010