Somali mortars miss US politician

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DigitalSoldier

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7996795.stm

A US congressman has had a narrow escape on a visit to Mogadishu after Somali insurgents fired mortars towards his plane as it was about to take off.

Airport officials told the BBC one mortar had landed near the airport as Donald Payne's plane was due to fly and five others after his plane departed.

Mr Payne had just met leaders of Somalia's government in the capital.

The al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the mortar attack.

"We carried out mortar attacks against the enemy of Allah who arrived to spread democracy in Somalia," a spokesman for the group named as Sheikh Husein Ali Fidow was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.

"This government is welcoming America, which is our prime enemy and we will never stop attacking them."

The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says Mr Payne had just left a half-hour news conference at the presidential palace in the capital when the attack happened, according to airport officials.
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And

US crew urge Obama to end piracy

American crew members of a ship that was at the centre of a hostage drama have urged US President Barack Obama to end the "crisis" of Somali piracy.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7996659.stm
 
With help from the AU :p

The US is currently struggling to fight 2 wars I think a third will put too much strain on their forces.

But is a nuke really such a bad option ? :D
 
Hehe.
Problem is knowing the yanks it'll miss and land on one of China's investments!
 
theratman said:
How do they intend to stop piracy?Nuke somalia?
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I personally think they should be bombed while out at sea... its free territory :D not all the citizens can be held guilty of the pirates crimes
I don't like Americans much anyway... but if they did attack on land... we all would like them even less :rolleyes:
 
TonyHawk said:
I personally think they should be bombed while out at sea... its free territory :D not all the citizens can be held guilty of the pirates crimes
I don't like Americans much anyway... but if they did attack on land... we all would like them even less :rolleyes:
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Somalia is such a lawless piece of crap place I'm not so sure everybody would like them less.
 
TMoose said:
Somalia is such a lawless piece of crap place I'm not so sure everybody would like them less.
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You right, and when I read this report it sounded so much like what the ANC is hell bent on SA becoming.

Pentagon looks to move battle against pirates ashore

Pentagon planners are preparing a variety of options for dealing with Somali pirates, and a United Nations resolution gives them the authority to conduct operations inside Somalia.

"The ultimate solution for piracy is on land," said Vice Adm. William Gortney, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the Combined Maritime Forces.

"Piracy around the world stems from activity where there is lawlessness, lack of governance, economic instability; things of that nature. And wherever you have that, you're going to have criminal activity at sea," he said at a Monday briefing.
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Sounds like a definition of where SA is heading.
 
Imagine if the Zondo Taxi association, previously known as the Amanzimtoti Taxi Association, decided to put in place a water taxi service, and started hijacking ships along the Bluff and Toti coast, operating from the Umlaas Canal. One successfull hijack will net them more than they make in a month on the roads. Plus they would have the protection f the south african legal system, provided they could supply tapes to protect themselves, and of course copied Hong Kong legalese.
 
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