Cruise Missile Attacks In Yemen
According to ABC News, U.S. forces yesterday carried out cruise missile attacks on Al Qaeda operatives in Yemen. Excerpts:
On orders from President Barack Obama, the U.S. military launched cruise missiles early Thursday against two suspected al-Qaeda sites in Yemen, administration officials told ABC News in a report broadcast on ABC World News with Charles Gibson.No indications yet what the launch platform was, but I'd guess it could be a destroyer or cruiser on station with CTF 151 as easily as a passing submarine.
One of the targeted sites was a suspected al Qaeda training camp north of the capitol, Sanaa, and the second target was a location where officials said "an imminent attack against a U.S. asset was being planned."
The Yemen attacks by the U.S. military represent a major escalation of the Obama administration's campaign against al Qaeda.
It's interesting to me that the Administration seems to be learning from real-world experience that you just can't defeat terrorists using "law enforcement".
posted by Bubblehead at 5:50 PM
27 Comments:
Later news reports indicate the were launched from aircraft.
12/18/2009 6:46 PM
With all the air support there, and lack of AAW threats, makes sense.
Same for the large grey targets crus'in around look'in for pirates. Their Tomahawks are much cheaper than an SSN (or SSGN) launched one.
12/18/2009 7:02 PM
A better question is by what right does the US presume to launch cruise missiles at so called terrorist targets? We are not the world's police force, and we should let Saudi Arabia handle the dispute it has with Yemen.
12/18/2009 8:17 PM
I am inclined to add that at no point did this Administration express an intent to confront Al Qaeda or other terrorist organizations solely by law enforcement. Its effort to adequately address the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, attention that senior military leadership has called the most it has been given since the invasion in 2001, is an obvious refutation of the implied disdain for current policy toward the prosecution of the "war on terrorism" contained in the original post, a disappointing politicization of an otherwise outstanding blog.
12/18/2009 9:20 PM
Anon 8:17 - our right is by having been attacked by said terrorist organization.
As far as I can tell this attack was conducted with the permission of the Yemen government and in furtherance of our war aims. I don't see how Saudi Arabia, in this case, has anything to do with the issue.
Carl
12/18/2009 9:35 PM
The last paragraph of this report http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/18/launched-missile-strikes-al-qaeda-yemen-sources-say/
says "A Yemeni official contacted by ABC News insisted that the attacks were carried out by Yemen, not the United States. Yemeni forces also reportedly have targeted Al Qaeda in raids conducted at three locations." Gee who to believe?
12/18/2009 10:30 PM
Those who question these attacks are probably also among the first to complain that we did not do enough to prevent an attack against us after it has happened.
12/18/2009 11:44 PM
"We are not the world's police force..."
Sing with me here: "America, #&%$ Yeah...Comin' to save the Mother$(#^in day yeah"
From another article:
"Until tonight, American officials had hedged about any U.S. role in the strikes against Yemen and news reports from Yemen attributed the attacks to the Yemen Air Force.
President Obama placed a call after the strikes to "congratulate" the President of Yemen, Ali Abdallah Salih, on his efforts against al Qaeda, according to White House officials."
Interesting.
12/19/2009 5:40 AM
Are Obama’s domestic issues getting so bad that he is using a page from Clinton's playbook? "If things are going bad at home use a military attack to look good." Just being cynical, I trust him less than I did Clinton.
Math Teacher in NY
EMCS/SS Retired
12/19/2009 7:16 AM
@Anon: Get qualified, nub!
KSA is fighting Houthi (Zaidi) who came across the border.
AQ is big in Yemen and threaten the weak Yemeni government.
Jane Novak at armiesofliberation.com has what I consider the best open source news network on Yemen in English. She also posts at My Pet Jawa.
No other open source has reported this as a strike. News agencies are thin on the ground--mostly hanging in Jizan or San3a--and BS floats quickly. I recommend multiple news sourcing and a huge grain of salt.
12/19/2009 7:32 AM
clarification: as a US cruise missile strike. Lots of other reports though.
12/19/2009 7:34 AM
@Anon 8:17 PM
"A better question is by what right does the US presume to launch cruise missiles at so called terrorist targets? We are not the world's police force, and we should let Saudi Arabia handle the dispute it has with Yemen."
Until the right of U.S. citizens to self defense is removed by trial lawyers, seeking higher crime rates and personl profit from public coffers at $130/hour, a better question is, What makes YOU ask?
Your question hints at your opinion sympathies on THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
Madison '74 B
12/19/2009 11:54 AM
HOOYAH CHANGE! Oh yeah, that's the same thing GDub would do. HHHHMMM..... So much for all the Democrats and their savior. It's funny how his outlook and actions did a 180 when he got to office and got the real scoop on world events!
12/19/2009 6:44 PM
www.stratfor.com
good site for open source intelligence and analysis
http://www.stratfor.com/memberships/150923/analysis/20091218_yemen_source_says_us_involved_airstrike
12/19/2009 6:46 PM
"Are Obama’s domestic issues getting so bad that he is using a page from Clinton's playbook? "If things are going bad at home use a military attack to look good." Just being cynical, I trust him less than I did Clinton.
Math Teacher in NY
EMCS/SS Retired"
Ummm, yes. I submit for evidence the lapdog MSM article lead:
"On orders from President Barack Obama, the U.S. military launched cruise missiles . . ."
Would this have been written in the same manner for W? Me thinks not. Oba-Mao's ratings are in the tank, the DNC is set to take a beating in Nov (see all the DNC Congress-critters running for retirement), and as bootlicking sycophants for BO, the MSM has everything to lose when BO falls hard and fast.
12/19/2009 7:25 PM
A country like Yemen, we should have a absolute communication embargo going in and out of the country...electronic communications. Especially, we should competely prohibit any communications traffic going in and leaving the country. Satellite, radios, internet and cable...a complete blackout. Do whatever it take to stop and destroy the communication infrastructure.
If they want to use communications into and out of the world to insight and suck in funding for terrorism...then they should be prohibited with talking to the world or receiving communications into the country.
I fully approve of this tomahawk attack.
12/19/2009 7:37 PM
Bottom line: if he wears a towel on his head, he fair game for a Tomahawk headache!
12/20/2009 10:53 AM
Anybody seen this? Buffalo CO releived.
http://www.guampdn.com/article/20091221/NEWS01/912210317/1002/Submarine-commander-relieved-from-post
12/20/2009 7:55 PM
Crap...I know the ENG on the BUFFALO...haven't talked to him in a while. Looks like being a CO / XO is the latest version of musical chairs out there.
12/20/2009 8:19 PM
Another non-USNA CO bites the dust after only 4-5 months. Henry graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering in 1991.
Are we seeing a possible pattern yet, gentlemen? I had asked this question earlier.
Possibility: In order to facilitate the entry of female officers (who will undoubtedly be USNA grads at first) into subs, the ways may have to be greased for launch.
Just a thought, not a prediction, so there is no call for anyone below flag rank to be upset.
12/20/2009 9:21 PM
Was at a ADM's call with COMSUBFOR, and he laid out the plan for the entry of women starting in 2011. The plan now is to place 16 women (ENS) on 8 boats (SSBN), two on the same crew. Along with them, the CHOP will be a LT previously served in another community. That way, you have a senior LT mentoring with two ENS sharing a three man (I guess 3 woman now?). As the URL women advance, the need for a woman CHOP may not be required.
Just thought I would share that...particularly with the speculation that COs are getting fired to "grease" the path. Anyone know what happend on BUFFALO?
I am going to laugh when all the women in the sub force quit...and when asked why, they say the saw things a lot of the men are saying. Maybe they will start to listen...but then that may be wishful thinking.
12/21/2009 4:56 AM
Vigilis said:
Possibility: In order to facilitate the entry of female officers (who will undoubtedly be USNA grads at first) into subs, the ways may have to be greased for launch.
I'm not following, how will this CO being fired "grease the ways" for the first females on subs?
12/21/2009 7:48 AM
The US just (on/before 20 Dec) sent 6 yemenis from Gitmo back to Yemen. Could be a payoff for letting the US blow up some al qaeda?
12/21/2009 11:13 AM
Maybe they jammed transmitters up their cans and used 'em for homing devices!
12/21/2009 2:52 PM
"Was at a ADM's call with COMSUBFOR . . ."
Any man who wears a freakin' class ring outside his wedding band is a dork. I might have guessed that this doofus would sell out for PC purposes.
Can't ait for the first underway hauled back in for a "female problem."
12/21/2009 3:53 PM
By this time next year, it will happen. Once we do indeed add a few slits to the boat's complement, we will eventually have to surface and return to port or have her air-lifted in order for her to complete a Papsmere and/or deal with an ingrown cunt hair.
Stand the hell by Boys and watch what happens next.
1/03/2010 10:40 PM
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9/22/2012 4:12 PM
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