The United States has reportedly threatened to invade Eritrea and subject it to “the same fate as Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks” for providing support to the al-Shabaab resistance movement in Somalia, which the US has since attempted to link with al-Qaeda. The Daily Telegraph quotes one source as saying “There are consequences for working with al-Shabaab when President Obama cannot afford to look weak on terrorism.”
Situated along the Red Sea, the State of Eritrea is a nation of under 5 million people with a long history of foreign occupation. Bought by an Italian shipping company in 1869, the region remained under Italian rule until 1941, when Britain took control of them. British control was formalized under UN auspices in 1947, and the United Nations ceded the region to Ethiopia.
What followed was a particularly bloodly 30-year long battle of secession between Ethiopia and an Eritrean rebel faction (the Eritrean Liberation Front), which ended in 1993 when Ethiopia finally gave in to demands for an independence referrendum, which passed with 99.79% of the votes in favor. Eritrea has remained on poor terms with Ethiopia since, fighting a border war which ended with the installation of a UN commission to establish the still tenuous border between the two.
In 2006, Ethiopia invaded Somalia with American support, vowing to crush the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) movement and prop up the self-proclaimed Transitional National Government (TNG) of Somalia, which had recently been chased from a Kenya hotel for failing to pay their bills and was attempting to assert control over the stateless region. Eritrea backed the ICU, and later the al-Shabaab movement ostensibly to repay Somali support for their own independence bid. Though the TNG remained on the verge of collapse, Ethiopia declared “mission accomplished” in December of 2008, withdrawing its troops and claiming it had foiled a “plan orchestrated by Eritrea.”
The Bush Administration attempted to have Eritrea declared a “state-sponsor of terrorism” numerous times for backing forces in opposition to the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia. Eritrea publicly denounced “foreign intervention” in Somalia and said the Ethiopian pullout had vindicated their position that military occupation would not stabilize the nation.
Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki remains defiant, saying he will continue to oppose the Western-backed TNG’s attempt to assert control over the nation. “There is no government, there is not even a naiton of Somalia existing,” the president insisted, calling for a peace conference in which all parties, including those branded by the US and Ethiopia as “extremists” would have a voice. “Peace is not guaranteed without a government agreed by all Somalis.”
wow it seem Americans are being lie to again by their government first fact is Eritrea has no al-Qaeda-links to terrorists second fact is Eritrea is half Muslim half Christian third fact is Eritrea’s president is Christian fourth fact is Eritrean government does have connections Somalia political groups but that has nothing to do with harming America . why does Eritrea have links with Somalia groups because first it’s a regional country i.e. both countries are in east Africa so we have national interest second Somalia was invaded by Ethiopia .Eritrea didn’t support this invasion because it’s illegal under UN rules and so reacted by helping the ousted government of Somali the Somalia government is Muslims and so is 90% of the population of Somalia.
If you wish to learn more about Eritrean government its official website is
http://www.shabait.com/staging/index.html
Another fact is Eritrea poses no threat to America at all the only reason why American government is mad at Eritrea is because we supported the ousted Somalia government while they supported Ethiopia and the invasion there are no al-Qaeda in Somalia and if there was it would be a insignificant number and would still pose no threat to America full stop
Christianity came off the shore of Eritrea the red sea and Ethiopia so please stop lying by saying Eritrea is a Muslim state because its a secular one Eritrea has been fighting terrorism way before America has the conflict between the two states is political nothing more or less i.e. America wants a American Somalia government formed with Ethiopia’s help Eritrea arch enemy
Why is there so much misinformation on the internet i thought this stop with Iraq , weapons of mass destruction which was never there and George bush
No links between Somali pirates, al Qaeda – U.S.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LP667541…
the link above is by Africom commander General William
Somalis reject Bin Laden threats
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7954670.stm
the facts are NO group in east Africa poses a threat to America security or has the means to let alone Eritrea the truth is America poses a threat to east Africa security not yours all in the names of securing resources any way that’s my opinion but my conclusion is closer to the truth than this papers headline
American military/ CIA need to Stop creating fake terrorist wherever you have interest i.e. resources in round the world because we are going to create real terrorist in the process how despise American government for invading their country and killing their people. Famous example when America went to Iraq to find bombs but found nothing remember they use terrorist also as a excuse to enter war but found at the beginning of the war only the Iraq government forces fighting them now its 2009 and we have multiple militia clans made up of Sunni and shai forces some really claiming al qade really fighting you this was American made terrorist get it America government make terrorist by entering other countries stop that and you stop making them
US role in planning Ethiopia's invasion
who wrote this is crazy person he need to go to hospital.
This person needs his head examined! Such stupid and irresponsible "Journalism"!
Yes, this jerk dectator has to go.
Oh, I'm sure someone will be churning out satellite imagery of what might be North Korean missiles with Pakistani warheads there soon.
Or maybe just a teeny-weeny bioweapons laboratory in the backyard of some kindergarten so's we can add these beasties are using children as human shields too?
By the way, do the Americans still operate a electronic listening post in or around Asmara? They did in the 1960s: I almost got my a55 kicked there in 1966 because a few patrons in a local café thought I worked there. Everybody in the whole place suddenly became really warm and human as soon as I said I didn't.
I read that the Capitol of Eritrea is a good place to live. Cheap, cool weather, not much crime and affordable. The USA will take care of that.
Well, it's official!
Washington is an enclave for the mentally deranged!
Put up high fences with razor wire around D.C. and cut off all utilities and communications, because that place makes people crazy.
It's time for change: http://back-to-freedom.blogspot.com/
I am so glad that the world gets to see what every Eritrean has known for decades, that the US wants to control Eritrea. From John Foster Dulles to Obama, the policy has been steady. President Carter even broke US laws by delivering arms to Ethiopia while they were a Marxist country. What the US fails to understand is the Eritrean mentality, and we are not the sort of nation that can be dictated or bullied, because there is no shame in dying in your own country. What is shameful is to travel thousands of miles to die on foreign soil. If he children of those making these decisions were in any danger , theUS would have very different policies regarding invasions . The US knows very well that Eritrea does not tolerate terrorism, especially from Muslim extremists. It would be too dangerous to our own nations, as we are almost evenly divided between Christians and Jews. I cannot believe that Asmara tried to have better relations with the US, haven't we learned our lesson yet?President Isaias has openly accused the US of these very actions, and now we have the proof. I wonder if he will still be branded as paranoid? It is not paranoia if someone is really following you.
The paper empire will soon come to the painful realization, that Eritrea is unlike any of its African peers. They will have to do a hell of a whole lot more, than barking and passing pointless sanctions (I mean cmon, freezing the assets of government officials? seriously?) to bring this proud nation down.
the only thing that they are good @ would be invading and disturbing peace of nation so i wouldn't be surprised. It dont matter what you do or say we will never nell down that is not us, and yes you have the power to invade us but know still we wont give up. We never were and we never will be another one of your toys