Article

2005-05-06 Africa: Horn

US Marines Land on Somali Coast to Hunt Militants

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2005-05-06 00:00:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Somalia: so many targets, so little time

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-05-06 00:17|| 2005-05-06 00:17|| Front Page Top

#2 Hunting the Somali elk ...

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2005-05-06 00:28|| 2005-05-06 00:28|| Front Page Top

#3 No elk there, just hyenas, Steve.

Posted by Sobiesky 2005-05-06 01:24|| 2005-05-06 01:24|| Front Page Top

#4 Time to order a lot of brown shorts, 'militants'...

Posted by Raj 2005-05-06 01:51|| 2005-05-06 01:51|| Front Page Top

#5 It's all about 3 things, IMHO:

1) High Value Targets - are there any worth a single American life? Or is this just ThugLand? I dunno. Obviously someone thinks there are. If not -- get the fuck out.

2) Firepower. Make it massive and on instant call -- or get the fuck out.

3) ROE. No limits, no questions, no press -- or get the fuck out.

Somali-whatever is far more deserving of MOABS than risking living breathing no-shit US troops, IMHO. Fuck 'em.

Posted by .com 2005-05-06 02:42|| 2005-05-06 02:42|| Front Page Top

#6 Except for the language, I am forced to agree with .com. Except that al Quaeda, et al, are looking for a new home, now that (in order) Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Lebanon have become uncomfortable for them. I see this more as Bush sending the Marines to deny Somalia to the terrorists, than in truly bringing peace and order to that pathetic excuse for a country. And perhaps protecting, a bit, the Somaliland enclave from joining the rest of Somalia in chaos.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-05-06 06:49|| 2005-05-06 06:49|| Front Page Top

#7 Time to field test the neutron bomb.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-05-06 07:15|| 2005-05-06 07:15|| Front Page Top

#8 I agree w/ you tw. But this looks like we're hunting someone specific: they showed some pictures they were carrying

Posted by too true 2005-05-06 07:32|| 2005-05-06 07:32|| Front Page Top

#9 Maybe setting-up for a little payback(with intrest)!

Posted by raptor 2005-05-06 07:51|| 2005-05-06 07:51|| Front Page Top

#10 I've never forced anyone in my life.

Posted by .com 2005-05-06 08:00|| 2005-05-06 08:00|| Front Page Top

#11 Oh yeah, I forgot: 8-|

Posted by .com 2005-05-06 08:12|| 2005-05-06 08:12|| Front Page Top

#12 Let's hope their hunt is successful on all levels. Mehopes the marines get the opportunity to instill a healthy fear in the local thugs while they are off a hunting.

Posted by Tkat 2005-05-06 09:14|| 2005-05-06 09:14|| Front Page Top

#13 Looks like bullshit folks. DOD briefing;

Q We have a story out of Somalia here quoting Somali officials as saying that a small number of U.S. Marines, apparently about 20, lightly armed, landed in Somaliland, which is apparently an enclave of Somalia on the coast, on Tuesday, showed some pictures of terrorists they were looking for, and then left. Is that true? Have any U.S. forces landed on the coast of Somalia for any reason -- looking for terrorists or otherwise?
GEN. CONWAY: I heard that report just shortly before stepping over here. I checked with my DDO and those people in our Regional Operations Directorate who are responsible for that portion of the world. The report is false. The Marines have not landed, but the situation is still well in hand.
Q The situation is still -- (laughter) -- well in hand?
GEN. CONWAY: (Chuckles.)
MR. DI RITA: Come on, Charlie. Work with us here.
Q So no U.S. troops have gone ashore --
GEN. CONWAY: That's correct, Charlie, that there's no indication that the people in the Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa have landed on the Somali coast. They're still in Djibouti and conducting operations.

My attenae went up on
1. Arab News
2. Who the hell goes into Somalia ''lightly armed''?

Posted by tu3031 2005-05-06 09:21|| 2005-05-06 09:21|| Front Page Top

#14 Hell guys, we have a base in Djibouti. Im sure we've been in and out of Somalia numerous times over the last 3 and a half years. And going in lightly, cause all we're doing is raiding for AQ types.

It would be more efficient if Somalia had a state, but nation building in Afghanistan and Iraq pretty much takes up all the capacity weve got in that skill.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2005-05-06 09:30|| 2005-05-06 09:30|| Front Page Top

#15 The situation is still well in hand, and there's ''no indication'' our guys have gone ashore. ''Shhhhhhh, we're huntin' whabits.''

Posted by BA">BA 2005-05-06 09:35|| 2005-05-06 09:35|| Front Page Top

#16 (start speculation)
No troops, but still well in-hand.
--> CIA?
(end)

(or should I start fitting myself for a Dale Gribble Signature model Aluminum Foil Hat?)

Posted by eLarson 2005-05-06 10:03|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2005-05-06 10:03|| Front Page Top

#17 The story, if what the general is saying is accurate, is a plant, but not one of ours.

Posted by badanov">badanov 2005-05-06 10:13|| http://www.rkka.org]">[http://www.rkka.org] 2005-05-06 10:13|| Front Page Top

#18 Brits or Ozzies?

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-05-06 10:18|| 2005-05-06 10:18|| Front Page Top

#19 ''there's no indication that the people in the Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa have landed on the Somali coast''

Note that this leaves room for Marines from lots of other commands.

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2005-05-06 10:33|| http://blog.simmins.org]">[http://blog.simmins.org] 2005-05-06 10:33|| Front Page Top

#20 "...there's no indication that the people in the Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa have landed on the Somali coast."

"These aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along..."

Posted by Steve 2005-05-06 12:49:23 PM|| 2005-05-06 12:49:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#21 And then we have this:

Somaliland accuses U.S. of violating airspace

http://story.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050506/pl_nm/security_somalia_usa_dc_1

Hmmmmmmmmmmm?

Posted by tu3031 2005-05-06 15:27|| 2005-05-06 15:27|| Front Page Top

#22 Good Hunting

Posted by Witt 2005-05-06 22:17|| 2005-05-06 22:17|| Front Page Top

23:57 3dc
23:46 Sobiesky
23:43 Tibor
23:33 Alaska Paul
23:33 tu3031
23:29 AJackson
23:29 Frank G
23:22 tu3031
23:18 BH
23:12 SR-71
23:10 Fred
23:10 ex-lib
23:07 Alaska Paul
23:03 Frank G
23:01 Alaska Paul
22:56 SR-71
22:47 Alaska Paul
22:45 Stephen
22:30 Witt
22:29 Spot
22:25 Stephen
22:18 Silentbrick
22:17 Witt
22:15 Pappy