Article: Bombing Somalia

Why the Hell are we bombing Somalia? Purportedly to take out a "known al-Qaeda terrorist". Apparently, it took three missiles to take out that one "terrorist," and we killed at least 4 people and wounded at least 20 others. The U.S. attack was confirmed by Bryan Whitman, a spokesman for the Pentagon. According to an AFP report, Dhoble "is home to thousands of refugees who fled clashes in Mogadishu." The U.S., however, identifies it as an "Islamist" town. David Axe at Wired.com's "Danger Room" argues that "bombing Somalia is a bad idea." The United States aided Ethiopia in overthrowing the legitimate Somalian government which started an Islamic insurgency. It also left the people of Somalia starving. The turmoil created a hot spot for radical recruiting and massive violence. The current bombing killed and injured civilians. Further, the Somalians know that the U.S. assisted in the Ethiopian invasion. This does nothing to improve the image of the United States within the region. If al Qaeda actually is recruiting and organizing in Somalia, they are likely to gain more than they lose by the most recent "shock and awe" approach to the "war on terrorism." Tid-bit: It is reported that three Tomahawk missiles were fired from a submarine off the coast of Somalia. Each missile costs $1.4 million for a total of approximately $4.2 million. See also: American attack targets al-Qa'eda in Somalia. Mike Pflanz, Telegraph/UK. 3/04/08. Behind the Ethiopian Blitz. David Axe. War is Boring. 1/16/07.