In a story that first appeared late yesterday, American Navy Seals and U.S. Special Forces were at work in simultaneous attacks on terrorists deep into their own territories. The fact the American forces could execute these plans is especially comforting and worthy of praise because that truly takes terror to the terrorists. American forces attacked terrorist targets in Libya and Somalia.
“[...] the U.S. Army's Delta Force carried out a raid in Libya's capital, Tripoli, to seize a Libyan al-Qaida leader wanted for the 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed more than 220 people, the military official said. Delta Force carries out counterterrorism operations in North Africa.
The Pentagon identified the captured al-Qaida leader as Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, known by his alias Anas al-Libi, who has been on the FBI's most wanted terrorists list since it was introduced shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.”http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/military-strike-reported-southern-somali-town-20479798
The Seal Team that was attacking terrorists in Somalia met strong resistance and had to withdraw, however, demonstrating willingness to attack terrorists is impressive.
These missions are incredibly dangerous though are justified when pursuing highly valued targets who can provide vast intelligence when captured alive.
Navy Seals were attempting to get the leader of the attacks perpetrated by Solmian terrorists against a shopping mall in Kenya.
There are no American casualties resulting from these efforts.
What makes this story political is that Congress has shutdown the government and threatens economic damage to the nation through mismanagement while soldiers are performing flawlessly under the leadership from the Commander-in-Chief.
“US Forces Hit Extremists Behind E. Africa Attacks
MOGADISHU, Somalia October 5, 2013 (AP)
By KIMBERLY DOZIER, ABDI GULED and JASON STRAZIUSO Associated PressIn a stealthy seaside assault in Somalia and in a raid in Libya's capital, U.S. special forces on Saturday struck out against Islamic extremists who have carried out terrorist attacks in East Africa, snatching a Libyan al-Qaida leader allegedly involved in the bombings of U.S. embassies 15 years ago but aborting a mission to capture a terrorist suspect linked to last month's Nairobi shopping mall attack after a fierce firefight.
A U.S. Navy SEAL team swam ashore near a town in southern Somalia before militants of the al-Qaida-linked terrorist group al-Shabab rose for dawn prayers, U.S. and Somali officials told The Associated Press. The raid on a house in the town of Barawe targeted a specific al-Qaida suspect related to the mall attack, but the operation did not get its target, one current and one former U.S. military official told AP.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the raid publicly.In Washington, Pentagon spokesman George Little confirmed that U.S. military personnel had been involved in a counterterrorism operation against a known al-Shabab terrorist in Somalia, but did not provide details.
U.S. officials said there were no U.S. casualties in either the Somali or Libyan operation.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/military-strike-reported-southern-somali-town-20479798
