Al-Qaeda Affiliate Responsible For Somalian Genocide, Not Famine

From EDITOR'S Desk
September 05, 2011

SOMALIA NEWS - Somalia is suffering the worst. In sixty years this is the worst drought in the country. In last 3 months about 29,000 children have died, and in next few weeks about 100,000 more Somalis are expected to die. Who is responsible? Is it only famine that have destroyed the country to such an extent?

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, has destroyed Somalia.

The Taliban-like organization has imposed strict Sharia law in the country taking over much of southern Somalia territory. It disallows all those humanitarian organizations which are associated in any way with the Western world in aiding the starving Somalis.

In January 2010, the al-Shabab expelled World Food Programme of United Nation. The group accused the programme being a United States proxy.

Is United States to be blamed for the famine?

United Nation has described the country for past several years as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. About 11.8 million people across "Horn of Africa" - eastern peninsula of Africa including Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti - have been affected of this crisis.

Somalia's current population is about 9.9 million, and one quarter of it has been displaced. About 1,500 people are escaping every day across the border in Kenya, in a refugee camp there. According to United Nation, more than 3.7 million people there need food and water, and it includes 1.25 million children. The United Nation data further reveals that 63% of southern Somalia is either starving or is at risk of starvation. The situation is far worst because only 20% of the people are being reached by relief workers.

In the present situation, a war is undergoing between the Federal Transitional Government (FTG) and al-Shabab. The group, which loosely translates as "the youth," enforces Sharia law and ruthlessly murders anyone trying taking over Somalia. The FTG is being supported by African Union troops and the West.

The biggest disadvantage of humanitarian aid is Al-Shabab stealing away all for feeding its militants, and even selling the aids to enable the fighting run longer and to continue it unending. A big question arises for the International community whether to continue the humanitarian aid.

The recent statement of Sheikh Muktar Abu Zubeir, leader of al-Shabab, says - "Aid agencies and some countries declared famine and pretend they want to help you. They do so for these reasons: for trade purposes, to convert you from your religion and to colonise you."

Are Somalis dying because of famine?

Are they dying because of the terror group preventing relief from getting to Somalis?

There are many regions around the world that suffer from drought but those regions cope up with the situation without ending up in famine. Even southern U.S. faces drought.

The U.S., so far, has provided more than $600 million aid support to Somalia, which is the highest than aids of any country. Way back in 2008 Washington designated al-Shabab to be a terrorist organization, and made it illegal to providing any aid to areas in control of the group. Even two charities were barred from drilling a bore hole as the water could be used by al-Shabab.

With all the blames on U.S. by critics, the state Department states to relax enforcement against charities providing humanitarian aid in Somalia. More to this, U.S. Agency for International Development announced further of providing additional $23 million to the Horn of Africa. Somalia alone gets $10 million from this amount.

Since 1969 the country has been in turmoil when military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre seized the control. He brought element of Islamic rule into the government. However, in 1991 his government collapsed and till date the country is suffering from getting any central government control.

Somalia gained independence in 1960 from western colonialists.

In 1993 a U.S. humanitarian effort was made with the U.N. to provide aid. It was the earlier days of draught. In the effort eighteen troops were killed in Somalia by militants, backed by Osama bin Laden. The situation and incidence have been documented in a movie named Blackhawk Down.

The Somalia-based operation of Laden blew up U.S. embassies in 1998 in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Kenya. In the bombings 320 people were killed. In 2009 U.S. found and killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, top al-Qaeda operative behind the bombings.

By 2008 the terror group colluded with the Somali pirates for stealing ransoms and bounties. Now Somalia is in shambles with most of the infrastructures wiped out including schools and landline phones.

What should be done about Somalia?

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September 05, 2011 | 0 comments

Who Gains Who Loses After Laden's Death

PERSPECTIVE
TUESDAY, May 10, 2011

US President Barack Obama - THUMBS UP

The US President has seen his dismal approvals surge by as much as 15 percent points. More usefully, killing Obama bin Laden has killed off Republicans claims he was a security wimp. But it isn't all politics. Obama has been just as determined as George W. Bush on destroying Al Qaeda.

Indian PM Manmohan Singh - SMALL UP

India gains because Pakistan is down. Sort of. India has been busy pointing out that the Pakistani military is in ca boots with every possible terrorist you can name. But Singh is too focussed on his peace drive to make much of what's happening in Afghanistan. Perhaps Kayani will be more realistic about his country's future - in which case the talks may actually be fruitful.

General Ashfaq Kayani of Pakistan Army - BIG DOWN

There is strong speculation the Pakistani army chief will be told to retire. Otherwise, Kayani was looking good. He had Hamid Karzai over a barrel, Manmohan Singh in a corner. The US was pumping in billions. He could still win Afghanistan but for many Pakistanis he will just bet the soldier who let the country's guard down.

Al Qaeda - BIG DOWN

Given that so many of its affiliates and members had sworn oath of fealty to Bin Laden himself the groups main problem will be keeping everything together. Al Qaeda needs some spectacular evil otherwise it may find itself overtaken by other, younger terror groups. We know one thing: Ayman al Zawahiri, the bookish number two, won't hack it when it comes to street cred.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai - SMALL UP

After the Abbottabad incident, Karzai crowed how it had once again been shown that terrorism wasn't an Afghan phenomenon, it was a Pakistani one. But he still has too few options. He's being forced to seek talks with the Taliban and toe the Pakistani line. Bin Laden's death may help, but his problems are Af and Pak, not Arab.

Taliban - POTENTIAL UP

The Taliban are a cluster of Afghan militant groups. Their friendship with the Arab-dominated Al Qaeda made them the targets of the US military machine. They now have the chance to become bigger than everyone. If they play their cards right they could get the US to begin leaving Afghanistan. If they play them better they could end up ruling Kabul again.

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May 10, 2011 | 2 comments

Twitter Revolution: Bin Laden Raid Tweeted Live

By ONE Liners Agency
TUESDAY, May 03, 2011

The U.S. force raid on Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was tweeted live, unknowingly, by an IT consultant in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Sohaib Athar, living in Abbottabad where bin Laden was killed, tweeted initially before the assault that a overhead helicopter was hovering. He added that the helicopter may not be of Pakistan government.

Athar was not aware that he was tweeting about the biggest milestone of U.S. war against terrorism until Barack Obama announced on national television that Laden is dead.

At 1 a.m. local time Athar posted his first tweet. He said, "Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event)."

Next he tweeted about a loud sound of as explosion which is now known to all about the U.S. forces blowing up their damaged helicopter.

Athar tweeted, "A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S."

While the assault was in progress, this IT consultant also drew information from local friends in the area who were online at the same time.

He said in his tweet, "The few people online at this time of the night are saying one of the copters was not Pakistani..."

He continued, "People are saying it was not a technical fault and it was shot down. I heard it CIRCLE 3-4 times above, sounded purposeful."

According to the US officials, the raid was for 40 mins. Athar tweeted two hours later that still a military presence is there in the area.

Athar's biography in Twitter describes him as: "An IT consultant taking a break from the rat-race by hiding in the mountains with his laptops."

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May 03, 2011 | 0 comments

Al-Qaida Leaders Were In Pakistan On 9/11: WikiLeaks

By ETHAN Markoff

WORLD NEWS - Yet another sensational report published by whistle blower WikiLeaks, saying some senior al-Qaida leaders were in Pakistan's Karachi city on 9/11 twin towers attack day. The documents were published by Washington Post accessed by WikiLeaks, saying most al-Qaida leaders were returned to Afghanistan within a day from Karachi.

The media report revealed that the prime al-Qaida leaders were in Karachi on September 11, 2001. One leader was admitted at a hospital and treated for tonsillectomy and another was buying lab equipment for a biological weapons program. Other al-Qaida key members were in New York and Washington, enjoying the destruction on television. However, within a day most of the major leaders were back to Afghanistan.

The documents gathered by Washington Post from WikiLeaks speak of a big meeting of al-Qaida’s senior member in early December 2001 in Afghanistan's mountainous Zormat region. It also speaks about the al-Qaida’s chief Osama bin Laden who was seen in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. There in a small guesthouse he instigated militants to “fight against the infidel invaders in the name of Allah.”

For the next three months, Osama and his chief associate Ayman al Zawahiri traveled by car to several areas in Afghanistan and during this time he almost ran out of money and borrowed $7,000 from one of his protectors. He returned the money within a year.

WikiLeaks also documented some geographic locations for bin Laden in his clandestine resident in Pakistan.

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April 25, 2011 | 1 comments

Thousands Of Pakistanis flee From Homes Amidst Militant Operation

By BOB Goswami

PAKISTAN NEWS - The fierce battle between Pakistani military and militant groups in the tribal region of Mohmand forced civilians to evacuate the place and took shelter in temporary camps.

In the recent times Pakistani troops have been using heavy weapons and helicopters to wipe out suspected militant position and that has caused heavy toll on the local residents. It is reported that the region Mohmand, on the border with Afghanistan has been serving as a safe den for the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants.

"We are targeting militant hideouts there," military spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas confirmed.

The army called the operation a ‘search and clearance operation’ and reported to kill at least 70 militants.

In this battle civilians are greatly distressed by sudden bombarding and firing. A local administration told that residents displaced from Safi, Pindiali and Baizai districts to temporary camps. People are deeply feared about mines and other hazards and moved to safer places. Officials stated that total of displaced civilians were almost 25,000.

There are camps in the Nahaquai area and Danishkool, 40 and 25 km respectively from Ghalanai. Official report says at least 22,000 people have been registered in the two camps in last few days. Other than that people have also sought shelter in schools and government buildings.

In the recent times Mohmand area has been heavily disturbed by militant activities relative to other tribal areas in Pakistan. In recent weeks, terrorists have underwent shelling at dozen schools and assailed checkpoints.

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February 06, 2011 | 0 comments

Osama in Pakistan, says US Vice President

PAKISTAN & AFGHANISTAN NEWS: Joe Biden, US Vice President said that the Taliban and al-Qaida leaders are hiding in Pakistan's tribal areas, where the US is fighting a war on terror. Even Osama bin Laden is hiding there he said in an interview to CNN.

Biden said, "In the FATA, the western part of Pakistan in the mountains on the Afghan border, that is a war on terror. That's where al-Qaida lives. That's where bin Laden is. That's where the most radicalized part of the Taliban is"

He also added, "The situation we have as it relates to problems that exist in other parts of the world, they aren't all related to terror," while replying to a question that if the
the Obama administration has stopped use of the phrase "global war on terror."

The vice president asserted there is a war on terror. He said that terror is a legitimate threat. It is a threat which comes from al-Qaida and all other organisations that have morphed off of al-Qaida, but there are other interests that the government have beyond merely - for example, the crisis in the Middle East is not at all a global war on terror. But it matters to the US mightily whether or not to end up with an accommodation between the Israelis and the Palestinians," he said.

Joe Biden said Obama administration is fully concerned that al-Qaida has reconstituted itself under the administration of in the mountain regions on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Labels: Osama in Pakistan says US Vice President, Osama Bin Laden, Joe Biden, Vice President of USA, Pakistan News

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April 08, 2009 | 0 comments