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2006-10-15 Africa Horn

Somalia's Islamic Radicals Repel Attack on Kismayo

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Posted by Steve White 2006-10-15 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Regarding the lenght of the fire exchange, the probably high number of shots fired, and the incredibly low numbers casualties (most of them bystanders)... I wonder how much of the somali warfighting is "tribal", IE posturing and scaring off the ennemy? I'm not implying they're cowards or anything, I'm sure most of these guys have seen more combat than a majority of western soldiers, but I don't know if their notion of "fighting" is the same as ours.
For example, from the little I understand, the "traditional" african way of war (might not be true for actual guerillas and foreign-trained armies like nigeria or the rwandese tutsis, or all the french warschools-educated officers around, dunno) is to have the kid soldiers approach the target firing wildly on full auto; if the defenders feel they're outnumbered/outgunned, they flee without resistance, and the target is taken.

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-10-15 12:05|| 2006-10-15 12:05|| Front Page Top

#2 I think you're on to something 5089.

IE posturing and scaring off the ennemy?

Think of the pali peoples love of air shots, romantic masks and dashing pose.

Posted by Shipman 2006-10-15 13:19|| 2006-10-15 13:19|| Front Page Top

#3 It has been a truism in Africa that the general approach to combat has been spray and pray : put it on full auto and empty a magazine in the general direction of the enemy. The professional militaries on the continent spend a lot of time drumming aimed shots only into the minds of their troops. Even African troops that qualify as Special Forces have those issues - US, British, French, Israeli, and South African Special Forces all complained about how difficult it was to teach basic marksmanship to African troops, and how quickly they would lose their fire discipline in the field.

Posted by Shieldwolf 2006-10-15 21:05|| 2006-10-15 21:05|| Front Page Top

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