EUROPE ATTACKS SOMALIA

Somalia is one of those seven nations named on the list revealed to General Wesley Clark shortly after the inside job 9/11 that were to be attacked.

There was a conference regarding Somalia a few months ago in London at which attacks on Somalia were discussed but not explicitly agreed. A few weeks later Great Britain announced that it was now switching the focus of its anti-terrorism campaign from Afghanistan to Somalia, and a treaty was amended to allow attacks on the Somali mainland.

That first attack on the Somali mainland has now taken place.

Please note the language used in the following report.

First, "Europe" is the attacking force, not NATO, under UN SCR 1851 (so has backing from Russia and China).

Second, the purpose given in this case is "humanitarian". R2P is the new mantra. Pirates based in Somalia have been stealing aid. But Somalia is, as the UK now alleges, the most dangerous place in the world because of the presence and alleged strength of al Qaeda there, who reportedly control the bulk of the country except for the main population centres. And Somalia was recently reported to have vast oil resources just off the coast.

Third, this first report of the attack suggests that no Somali citizens were killed, and the attacks were all from the air and there were no boots on the ground. But we all know that airborne attacks are rarely 100% accurate and "collateral damage" usually occurs. Just ask civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Libya about the accuracy of airborne attacks by the military forces of the West.

Is this yet another case of killing civilians to save them? Await further reports.

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From http://www.eunavfor.eu/2012/05/eu-naval-force-delivers-blow-against-somali-pirates-on-shoreline/

EU Naval Force Delivers Blow Against Somali Pirates On Shoreline
May 15, 2012, published in Featured, News, Press Releases by EU NAVFOR Public Affairs Office

15th May – Earlier today, following the decision taken on 23 March 2012 by the Council of the European Union to allow the EU Naval Force to take disruption action against known pirate supplies on the shore, EU forces conducted an operation to destroy pirate equipment on the Somali coastline.

The operation was conducted in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1851 and has the full support of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. The focused, precise and proportionate action was conducted from the air and all forces returned safely to EU warships on completion. Whilst assessment is on-going, surveillance of the area during the action indicates that no Somalis were injured ashore as a result of EU action.

Speaking about the operation, the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Duncan Potts said “We believe this action by the EU Naval Force will further increase the pressure on, and disrupt pirates’ efforts to get out to sea to attack merchant shipping and dhows. The local Somali people and fishermen – many of whom have suffered so much because of piracy in the region, can be reassured that our focus was on known pirate supplies and will remain so in the future.”

At no point did EU Naval Force ‘boots’ go ashore. Rear Admiral Potts went on to say “The EU Naval Force action against pirate supplies on the shoreline is merely an extension of the disruption actions carried out against pirate ships at sea, and Operation Atalanta remains committed to fighting piracy off the Horn of Africa and the humanitarian mission of protecting World Food Programme ships that bring vital aid to the Somali people.”

Operation Atalanta is part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to tackling symptoms and root causes of piracy in the Horn of Africa and the EU strategic framework for that region adopted in November 2011. Currently there are 9 warships in the EU Naval Force and 5 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

The reach of Somali pirates is vast; they have attacked merchant ships up to 1,750 miles off the Somali coast. Preventing them getting out to sea is a crucial step in removing their impunity ashore and to further the success of counter-piracy operations.