Nine Killed in US Commando Raid on Somalia
Obama Praises Panetta in Wake of Attack on Kidnappers
At least nine people were killed overnight when US Navy Seals attacked a compound in Somalia, freeing a pair of foreign hostages. US officials say that none of the soldiers involved was injured in the raid.
President Obama praised the attack, saying it proved that the US “will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice.” He was also reported to have praised Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for the attack at his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, saying “Leon. Good job tonight.”
The nine people killed were all reported to have been involved in the kidnapping, but their actual identities were not clear. Officials say that none of them had any known links with any militant factions in Somalia, nor any links with any pirate groups. Despite this, President Obama termed them all “criminals and pirates.”
The Seals from the offensive were reportedly from the same unit as those who attacked Abbottabad, Pakistan last year and assassinated Osama bin Laden.
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MoT
January 26th, 2012 at 5:50 am
"Obama termed them all “criminals and pirates.”… Clearly whenever Pharaoh speaks it must be so.
Hierarchy
January 26th, 2012 at 11:24 am
Clearly they were simply good hearted people that just happened to be misunderstood.
Get real kid.
elmoron
January 26th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
And clearly they won't be missed.
curmudgeonvt
January 26th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
I have great disdain for those who advocate and execute war for less than cataclysmic, nation defending reasons…this was a proper use of a tool for a good reason. They were kidnappers and deserved, and received no quarter. Good job, Navy.
thedissenter
January 26th, 2012 at 6:48 pm
Imagine this, the almighty SEALS have to go against Somali pirates (a/k/a tired, hungry teenagers armed with sticks and stones) in order to prove to the world how mighty they really are and to retain their military hegemony thru fear. Sad times for the Empire indeed.