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| Africa Horn |
| French commandos attack al-Shabab base, explosions, gunfire heard |
| 2013-01-12 |
| MOGADISHU, Somalia -- French commandoes on Saturday attacked a base of Islamist militants in Somalia in a hostage rescue attempt, a Somali intelligence official said. Residents of the town said they heard explosions and gunfire. The attack occurred in the town of Bulomarer, and come on the heels of French military intervention in Mali, another African country. With France having acted Friday to help Mali against al-Qaida-linked militants who hold more than half of that country and are encroaching further on government-held territory, the raid in Somalia could have been aimed at preventing al-Shabab fighters from harming the French hostage in reprisal. |
| Posted by:Anguper Hupomosing9418 |
| #10 The French are quite well-versed in these operations. I heard on the radio that (possibly) one of the commandos was captured. If so, that would be a terrible tragedy. . . |
| Posted by: Mellow Jihadi 2013-01-12 18:21 |
| #9 Viva la France! |
| Posted by: Sierra Faith 2013-01-12 12:49 |
| #8 You could almost get the impression the French really don't want jihadis controlling the south shore of the Mediterranean. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2013-01-12 11:52 |
| #7 The French have always backed their former colonies (with one exception). |
| Posted by: Pappy 2013-01-12 11:32 |
| #6 "Since 11 September, 2001, the pundits of the French have been telling them that the old United States is gone, replaced by a new unilateralist United States, willing to dispense with the United Nations and ignore NATO, trying to divide a Europe that it once did so much to unify, destroying the international order that it built after World War II. This is the lesson widely drawn in France from U.S. actions in Iraq and the wave of anti-French feeling sweeping the United States. The French conclude from this that the unity of Europe is more urgent than ever. The economic giant the European Union must build a corresponding political and military-strategic component and develop the will to use it. Only then can Europe become a “counterweight” to U.S. power and form a genuine partnership of equals. Europe must be an independent force in a multi-polar world, a leader in the construction of international institutions and a force for democracy, assuming the role that the United States has now apparently renounced. Churchill once said he would call upon the New World to save the Old; France is calling upon the Old World, or at least “old Europe,” to save the New. " From http://www.watsoninstitute.org/bjwa/archive/10.2/Anti-Americanism/Wall.pdf "War must be a last resort, and preemptive war is unacceptable" unless you are France. |
| Posted by: Mike Ramsey 2013-01-12 09:25 |
| #5 Doubt it was the handling or gas mileage. :-( |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-01-12 09:05 |
| #4 Why do I feel a sudden urge to buy a Pugeot? |
| Posted by: Fred 2013-01-12 08:53 |
| #3 Hopefully they coordinated the attack and did not shoot any Belgiums soldiers as they did in Shaba (Katanga) Province of Zaire in 1978. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-01-12 08:40 |
| #2 Media reports say 3 French KIA including the hostage. Beaucoup bad guys killed. |
| Posted by: Bangkok Billy 2013-01-12 07:29 |
| #1 Any captured Islamist would be made to listen to Mireille Mathieu 16 hours a day? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2013-01-12 06:46 |