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| India-Pakistan |
| Qaeda leaving Pakistan for Somalia, Yemen |
| 2009-06-13 |
| Dozens of Al Qaeda fighters, and a handful of its leaders, are leaving the Tribal Areas and moving to Somalia and Yemen, US officials say. Some aides to President Barack Obama, according to New York Times, attribute the moves to intensified drone attacks. Another explanation is the growth of the jihadist campaigns in both Somalia and Yemen. Somalia now bears resemblance to Afghanistan immediately before the September 11. Yemen, too, has a weak government. There is no evidence so far, officials say, that Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahri are considering a move. Leon Panetta, the CIA director, said on Thursday the US must prevent Al Qaeda from creating a new sanctuary. The steady trickle of fighters could worsen the chaos in Somalia, where a militant group has attracted foreign jihadists in its quest to topple the weak government in Mogadishu. It could also swell the ranks of a growing menace in Yemen. |
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| #5 The Administration US State Dept. warnings have already begun. INTERVIEW-U.S. says Eritrea must stop Somalia meddlingBy Sue Pleming WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - Eritrea is playing an unhelpful role in nearby Somalia and must cease its actions there if it wants better relations with Washington, the Obama administration's top diplomat for Africa said on Monday. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson pointed a finger at Eritrea for stoking hostilities in Somalia, whose government is battling militants. "The role that Eritrea has played most recently has not been particularly helpful in helping to bring about a return to political stability and normalcy there (Somalia)," Carson said in an interview with Reuters. He accused Eritrea of "aiding and abetting" the movement of arms into Somalia and of supporting the militant Islamist group al Shabaab and its leaders. Somalia's government also has accused Eritrea of supporting Islamist militants with planeloads of AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons. Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki has denied the allegations, saying U.S. agents were spreading lies. LINK |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-06-13 17:27 |
| #4 Any bets on how soon Hussien Obama takes before we are once again on the ground in Somalia? |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2009-06-13 17:19 |
| #3 Al-Q learned an important lesson in Iraq and is instituting that lesson now : when US makes an concerted effort in a country, they must flee or die. We killed thousands of Al-Q gunnies in Afghanistan and Iraq in the past couple of years, and Pakistan has truly joined the struggle. So now Al-Q has to flee to the failing states where they have some clout and infrastructure. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2009-06-13 17:18 |
| #2 What Pakistan is doing is impressive. I didn't think it possible. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2009-06-13 11:38 |
| #1 And JSOC and the Predators will follow. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-06-13 10:43 |