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Africa North
US wants clarity about attack in Algeria
2013-01-23
The US government is working with the Algerians to get a more complete picture of how a four-day terrorist attack and hostage situation at a desert gas complex in Algeria unfolded, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Tuesday, dpa reported.

"We are in touch with the Algerians to try to gain a fuller understanding of what took place," Nuland said. The US wants to know how the terrorists were able to seize control of the facility and wants to understand the decisions that the Algerians made.

Nuland also said the FBI has opened an investigation into the attack in cooperation with Algerian officials and other relevant partners.
So the FBI will get to the BP site within days of the attack and didn't get to our consulate in Benghazi for weeks...
Britain and other nations have criticized Algeria's response, saying it was harsh and hasty, but the United States has not as of yet. Nuland said the situation was very fluid and the people on the ground had to make very difficult decisions. She said the investigation was being coordinated with Algerian officials and other relevant partners.

The US recognizes that Algeria was dealing with "a ruthless terrorist operation," Nuland said. "It was obviously a complex attack, very difficult."

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal on Monday blamed Islamist militants operating out of northern Mali for carrying out the attack. He defended the rescue attempt, saying when the security of the country is at stake "there is no possible discussion."
Sadly that's correct. Doesn't help that Algeria lacks a police/army unit to deal with hostage taking the way we do, so their only real choice is to plaster the terrorists and hope for the best.
Nuland declined to provide details about the assistance the US offered to the Algerian government except to say that "we had open channels of communication among our terrorism experts all the way through."
Posted by:Steve White

#11  It seems to me that this terrorist attack was well planned, well supplied and equipped, with infiltrators on the inside. Once the nature of the attack was understood by the Algerian govt, time was of the essence. They did not know if the terrorists would blow up the facility or what.

So the govt went in with a strong force. In the end 30 hostages died out of 600 working there. 5%. And the plant was not blown up.

The deaths of the hostages is tragic however, the terrorists lost this one.

In order for the civilized world to have some good come out of this, it must be determined who or what entity financed and masterminded this attack and decapitate their org.

Until civilization is willing to do this, other govts need to STFU or man up.
Posted by: Alaska Paul    2013-01-23 20:05  

#10  what's been interesting about this incident has been the muted criticism from Western Govt's

Likely because it's dawning on them, as well as Asian nations bordering China, that there will be no US leadership to count on when a crisis comes. Like Algeria, they will be on their own to either take action (like France in Mali) or to work with other nations.
Posted by: Pappy   2013-01-23 14:34  

#9  what's been interesting about this incident has been the muted criticism from Western Govt's. We still don't know an exact body count for the hostages ... but it's somewhere around 45-50. It appears that the Algerians ran their own operation - before western security teams could really get set up (though that's not totally clear). Some Gov'ts, like Japan, had definitely asked for a more careful approach ... yet the Algerians took a tough line and just cleared the facility. Hostage lives notwithstanding.

You would think there would be more outcries from London, Tokyo and Washington DC. But there are not. You have to wonder why.

meanwhile, the MORAL for any westerner who takes a job in N. Africa is pretty clear. If the shinola hits the fan, you'd better fight or run straight away. Otherwise your survival chances are slim.
Posted by: Raider   2013-01-23 12:38  

#8  Savor the irony.
Posted by: Pappy   2013-01-23 12:10  

#7  Good one Besoeker!
Posted by: AlanC   2013-01-23 12:07  

#6  So I'm sitting here in awe of Algerian tactics and a French led counter-attack.

Where the crap am I?
(looks around quizzingly, sniffs coffee)

Mercek - obviously is was the NRA videos you racist.
/sarc(?)

(wuz thinking, the US had 3-4 days to get a camera on that facility, were they not able to do so or are we doing a PR minuet?)
Posted by: swksvolFF   2013-01-23 10:27  

#5  Britain and other nations have criticized Algeria's response, saying it was harsh and hasty

"Harsh and hasty", the longstanding enemy of prolonged and agonizing.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-01-23 08:56  

#4  Furiously scouring You Tube for a movie to blame it on...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2013-01-23 08:07  

#3  Britain and other nations have criticized Algeria's response, saying it was harsh and hasty,

I dunno, hash & hasty seem about right to me.
Posted by: AlanC   2013-01-23 07:33  

#2  The US recognizes that Algeria was dealing with "a ruthless terrorist operation," Nuland said. "It was obviously a complex attack, very difficult."

Now were suddenly conversant in terrorist and AQ "complex attacks". Although at this point, I'm not certain anyone in Washington really wants to flip over the Benghazi rock, it will be interesting see hear what the Hildebeast has to say.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-01-23 02:37  

#1  Why should the Algerians be more forthcoming than State and the Administration on Benghazi?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-01-23 00:18  

00:00