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Battle of Ras Kamboni (2007)
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dav...@agent.com
May 19, 2013, 10:39:40 AM5/19/13
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Battle of Ras Kamboni (2007)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of Ras Kamboni was a battle in the '06-07 Somali War
fought by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) & affiliated militias
against Ethiopian & the Somali Transitional FedGov (TFG) forces
for control of Ras Kamboni, a town near the Kenyan border which
once served as a training camp for the militant Islamist group
Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya. The battle began on Jan/5/07, when TFG &
Ethiopian forces launched their assault. On Jan/7/07, the U.S.
entered the conflict by launching airstrikes using an AC-130
gunship against suspected Al Qaeda members operating within the
ranks of the ICU. Int'l concern & controversy arose over civilian
casualties in additional airstrikes around Ras Kamboni and in
Afmadow province, and whether these were the result of U.S.
actions or Ethiopian aircraft operating in the area. The town
finally fell to the TFG & Ethiopian forces on Jan/12/07.
Background
U.S. security concerns in the Horn of Africa, particularly at Ras
Kamboni, heightened after the 9/11 attacks. On Dec/16/01, Paul
Wolfowitz said the U.S. was meeting with various Somali/Ethiopian
contacts to "observe, survey possible escape routes, possible
sanctuaries" for Al Qaeda operatives. On Mar/2/02 a briefing was
held in the Pentagon discussing the possible use of Ras Kamboni
by terrorist groups, including al-Ittihaad al-Islamiya (AIAI) &
Al Qaeda. In Dec/02, the U.S. established the Combined Joint Task
Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) to monitor developments in the
region and to train local militaries in counterterrorism. When
Ethiopian troops entered the Somalian conflict in Dec/06, a small
number of U.S. special forces accompanied them to give military
advice & to track suspected al-Qaida fighters.
On Dec/28/06, withdrawal of the ICU to Ras Kamboni was reported as
a possibility after the Fall of Mogadishu to Somali TFG & Ethiopian
forces.
After their loss at the Battle of Jilib & the Fall of Kismayo on
Jan/1/07, ICU fighters split into different groups, with some
heading northwest towards Dhobley & Afmadow, others moving to the
remote, hilly areas of Buur Gaabo, and the remainder withdrawing
southwest towards the peninsula town of Ras Kamboni.
On Jan/2/07, Ethiopian MiG jets began to patrol over Ras Kamboni
but no attacks were reported. U.S. Marines operating from Lamu,
Kenya, were said to be assisting Kenyan forces patrolling the
border with Somalia to intercept Islamists.
Unknown gunmen thought to be Somali Islamists fired shots at a
Kenyan security helicopter patrolling near the border with Somalia.
The helicopter was flying over the southeastern Kenyan border town
of Hulugho. The report did not say if the aircraft was damaged but
said gunmen fired small arms from the region of Ras Kamboni, the
base for the fleeing Islamists.
The U.S. Fifth Fleet's Carrier Strike Group 8, along with the
British-led multinational maritime task force, Combined Task
Force 150 (CTF-150), based out of Bahrain are patrolling off the
Somali coast to prevent terrorists from launching an "attack or
to transport personnel, weapons or other material", said Commander
Kevin Aandahl. The U.S. ships deployed to the area include the
USS Ramage guided missile destroyer, the USS Bunker Hill and USS
Anzio guided missile cruisers, the USS Ashland amphibious landing
ship and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.
Battle
January 5
On Jan/5/07, TFG Defense Minister Col Barre Aden Shirre Hiiraale
announced: "Today we will launch a massive assault on the Islamic
courts militias. We will use infantry troops and fighter jets...
They have dug huge trenches around Ras Kamboni but have only two
options: to drown in the sea or to fight and die."
January 6
Fighting continued Jan/6 in the forests south of Kismayo near the
Kenyan border, where it was reported the Islamists were holding
out armed with over 100 technicals.
January 8
[Us-attack-in-somalia-01082007-2134.svg]
On Jan/8/07, Col. Hiraale announced TFG & Ethiopian forces were
close to entering Ras Kamboni after two days of fierce battles.
Premature reports came of the fall of Ras Kamboni. One was from
TFG member Abdirashid Hidig. A second came from a TFG military
divisional commander, Abdirisak Afgadud: "Our forces accompanied
by our Ethiopian friends have totally cracked down on the remnants
of the Islamists in the border area." Defense Minister Hiraale
corrected & clarified the reports, saying fighting was ongoing.
50 wounded Ethiopian troops were reported evacuated by helicopter.
To the north of Ras Kamboni, elsewhere in Badhadhe province, an
Ethiopian force intercepted Islamist forces in the area of the
Kenyan border town of Amuma, Garissa district. Seven vehicles
were destroyed. A platoon of Kenyan border police were in the
area to enforce the border closure. In Afmadow province, Ethiopia
launched airstrikes against targets near Afmadow and Dhobley.
Also on Jan/8, it was reported that an AC-130 gunship belonging
to the U.S. military had attacked a suspected Al-Qaeda operative,
along with other Islamist fighters, on Badmadow Island near Ras
Kamboni in southern Somalia the day before (Jan/7). The aircraft
flew out of its base in Djibouti. The U.S. reported 8-10 deaths,
mostly Somalis, but the identity of the dead or wounded was not
yet established. Reports said DNA testing was being done to
establish identities but U.S. sources denied that top al-Qaida
targets were among those killed. "The U.S. were trying to kill
the al-Qaeda terrorists who carried out the bomb attacks on their
embassies in Kenya and Tanzania", Deputy Prime Minister Hussein
Aideed told The Associated Press. "They have our full support for
the attacks."
The targeted leaders were tracked by the use of unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs) as they headed south from Mogadishu starting on
Dec/28. It was also reported the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D.
Eisenhower had been moved into striking distance.
January 9
On Jan/9, a second AC-130 strike was reported at Hayo on the road
between the provincial capital of Afmadow & Dhobley near the
Kenyan border. Later more reports stated that more than 50,
mostly Islamist leaders, have died in U.S. air strikes. A strike
by two unidentified attack helicopters was also reported hitting
near Afmadow. Somali Defense Ministry personnel stated this was a
third U.S. attack, but eyewitness accounts could not establish
the nationality of the helicopters. Unconfirmed reports claimed
the attacks killed 31 civilians. It was later asserted by a U.S.
military official the helicopters may have been Ethiopian Mi-24
Hinds. This would not have been the first case of off-target air-
strikes for the Ethiopian attack helicopters. On Jan/3, they had
attacked Harehare village, across the Kenyan border, mistaking it
for Islamist positions at the town of Dhobley.
January 10
On Jan/10, Defense Dept spokesman Bryan Whitman ID'd Somalia as
part of the war on terror: "As we pursue the war on terror we'll
seek out, attempt to identify, locate, capture and if necessary
kill terrorists & to thwart their activities." A second planned
attack was reportedly called off after losing track of the target.
Also on this day, a pair of reports arose which were covered
widely in the media, but later contradicted by U.S. sources.
The first was a report by Somali presidential chief of staff,
Abdirizak Hassan, who stated the U.S. airstrikes had killed Al
Qaeda member F.A. Mohammed, & leaders of the Islamic Courts Union
including A.M. Ali (former chief of security for Mogadishu),
A. Janaqow, & a 3rd unidentified person. The bodies had reportedly
been recovered by Ethiopian military personnel. This report was
refuted the next day by a confidential U.S. source, who said the
hunt for the three Al Qaeda members continues, though it was not
mentioned whether the other ICU leaders mentioned were alive or
dead.
The second report mentioned at least four more AC-130 airstrikes
targeted Ras Kamboni. Other sites were also said to have been
targeted by U.S. aircraft around southern Somalia. Somali pol
A.M. Hidig toured the area by helicopter & spoke of 50 killed in
the attacks. He said additional targets hit include Hayo, Garer,
Bankajirow & Badmadowe. Clan elder H.F. Qorshel claimed 64 people
were killed & 100 wounded around Afmadow in 3 days of attacks.
However, confidential sources denied the additional attacks were
made by the U.S. Ethiopian aircraft are also known to be operating
in the combat area.
January 11
On Jan/11, the American ambassador to Kenya said that the U.S.
claimed Al-Qaeda suspect F.A. Mohammed was actually still alive &
that none of the Al-Qaeda members were killed in the air attack
but some of the ICU were killed. Later in the day, anonymous U.S.
sources stated that U.S. forces from the CIA's elite Special
Activities Division were on the ground in Somalia targeting and
then identifying the persons who had been killed in the gunship
attack.
January 12
On Jan/12, TFG Defense Minister B.A.S. Hiiraale announced Ras
Kamboni had fallen to the Somali gov't & Ethiopian forces after
five days of heavy fighting. Remnants of the Islamist forces were
being pursued into the nearby forests and fighting would continue.
A small team of U.S. forces investigated the site of the U.S.
gunship attack to search for info about the identity & fate of
the targeted individuals.
January 17
Theresa Whelan, U.S. deputy asst sec'y of defense for African
affairs, in a press conference said she believed the raid killed
eight soldiers of A.H.F. Ayro, head of an Islamist militia. Ayro
was believed to have been wounded in the attack & perhaps killed.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of Ras Kamboni was a battle in the '06-07 Somali War
fought by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) & affiliated militias
against Ethiopian & the Somali Transitional FedGov (TFG) forces
for control of Ras Kamboni, a town near the Kenyan border which
once served as a training camp for the militant Islamist group
Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya. The battle began on Jan/5/07, when TFG &
Ethiopian forces launched their assault. On Jan/7/07, the U.S.
entered the conflict by launching airstrikes using an AC-130
gunship against suspected Al Qaeda members operating within the
ranks of the ICU. Int'l concern & controversy arose over civilian
casualties in additional airstrikes around Ras Kamboni and in
Afmadow province, and whether these were the result of U.S.
actions or Ethiopian aircraft operating in the area. The town
finally fell to the TFG & Ethiopian forces on Jan/12/07.
Background
U.S. security concerns in the Horn of Africa, particularly at Ras
Kamboni, heightened after the 9/11 attacks. On Dec/16/01, Paul
Wolfowitz said the U.S. was meeting with various Somali/Ethiopian
contacts to "observe, survey possible escape routes, possible
sanctuaries" for Al Qaeda operatives. On Mar/2/02 a briefing was
held in the Pentagon discussing the possible use of Ras Kamboni
by terrorist groups, including al-Ittihaad al-Islamiya (AIAI) &
Al Qaeda. In Dec/02, the U.S. established the Combined Joint Task
Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) to monitor developments in the
region and to train local militaries in counterterrorism. When
Ethiopian troops entered the Somalian conflict in Dec/06, a small
number of U.S. special forces accompanied them to give military
advice & to track suspected al-Qaida fighters.
On Dec/28/06, withdrawal of the ICU to Ras Kamboni was reported as
a possibility after the Fall of Mogadishu to Somali TFG & Ethiopian
forces.
After their loss at the Battle of Jilib & the Fall of Kismayo on
Jan/1/07, ICU fighters split into different groups, with some
heading northwest towards Dhobley & Afmadow, others moving to the
remote, hilly areas of Buur Gaabo, and the remainder withdrawing
southwest towards the peninsula town of Ras Kamboni.
On Jan/2/07, Ethiopian MiG jets began to patrol over Ras Kamboni
but no attacks were reported. U.S. Marines operating from Lamu,
Kenya, were said to be assisting Kenyan forces patrolling the
border with Somalia to intercept Islamists.
Unknown gunmen thought to be Somali Islamists fired shots at a
Kenyan security helicopter patrolling near the border with Somalia.
The helicopter was flying over the southeastern Kenyan border town
of Hulugho. The report did not say if the aircraft was damaged but
said gunmen fired small arms from the region of Ras Kamboni, the
base for the fleeing Islamists.
The U.S. Fifth Fleet's Carrier Strike Group 8, along with the
British-led multinational maritime task force, Combined Task
Force 150 (CTF-150), based out of Bahrain are patrolling off the
Somali coast to prevent terrorists from launching an "attack or
to transport personnel, weapons or other material", said Commander
Kevin Aandahl. The U.S. ships deployed to the area include the
USS Ramage guided missile destroyer, the USS Bunker Hill and USS
Anzio guided missile cruisers, the USS Ashland amphibious landing
ship and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.
Battle
January 5
On Jan/5/07, TFG Defense Minister Col Barre Aden Shirre Hiiraale
announced: "Today we will launch a massive assault on the Islamic
courts militias. We will use infantry troops and fighter jets...
They have dug huge trenches around Ras Kamboni but have only two
options: to drown in the sea or to fight and die."
January 6
Fighting continued Jan/6 in the forests south of Kismayo near the
Kenyan border, where it was reported the Islamists were holding
out armed with over 100 technicals.
January 8
[Us-attack-in-somalia-01082007-2134.svg]
On Jan/8/07, Col. Hiraale announced TFG & Ethiopian forces were
close to entering Ras Kamboni after two days of fierce battles.
Premature reports came of the fall of Ras Kamboni. One was from
TFG member Abdirashid Hidig. A second came from a TFG military
divisional commander, Abdirisak Afgadud: "Our forces accompanied
by our Ethiopian friends have totally cracked down on the remnants
of the Islamists in the border area." Defense Minister Hiraale
corrected & clarified the reports, saying fighting was ongoing.
50 wounded Ethiopian troops were reported evacuated by helicopter.
To the north of Ras Kamboni, elsewhere in Badhadhe province, an
Ethiopian force intercepted Islamist forces in the area of the
Kenyan border town of Amuma, Garissa district. Seven vehicles
were destroyed. A platoon of Kenyan border police were in the
area to enforce the border closure. In Afmadow province, Ethiopia
launched airstrikes against targets near Afmadow and Dhobley.
Also on Jan/8, it was reported that an AC-130 gunship belonging
to the U.S. military had attacked a suspected Al-Qaeda operative,
along with other Islamist fighters, on Badmadow Island near Ras
Kamboni in southern Somalia the day before (Jan/7). The aircraft
flew out of its base in Djibouti. The U.S. reported 8-10 deaths,
mostly Somalis, but the identity of the dead or wounded was not
yet established. Reports said DNA testing was being done to
establish identities but U.S. sources denied that top al-Qaida
targets were among those killed. "The U.S. were trying to kill
the al-Qaeda terrorists who carried out the bomb attacks on their
embassies in Kenya and Tanzania", Deputy Prime Minister Hussein
Aideed told The Associated Press. "They have our full support for
the attacks."
The targeted leaders were tracked by the use of unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs) as they headed south from Mogadishu starting on
Dec/28. It was also reported the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D.
Eisenhower had been moved into striking distance.
January 9
On Jan/9, a second AC-130 strike was reported at Hayo on the road
between the provincial capital of Afmadow & Dhobley near the
Kenyan border. Later more reports stated that more than 50,
mostly Islamist leaders, have died in U.S. air strikes. A strike
by two unidentified attack helicopters was also reported hitting
near Afmadow. Somali Defense Ministry personnel stated this was a
third U.S. attack, but eyewitness accounts could not establish
the nationality of the helicopters. Unconfirmed reports claimed
the attacks killed 31 civilians. It was later asserted by a U.S.
military official the helicopters may have been Ethiopian Mi-24
Hinds. This would not have been the first case of off-target air-
strikes for the Ethiopian attack helicopters. On Jan/3, they had
attacked Harehare village, across the Kenyan border, mistaking it
for Islamist positions at the town of Dhobley.
January 10
On Jan/10, Defense Dept spokesman Bryan Whitman ID'd Somalia as
part of the war on terror: "As we pursue the war on terror we'll
seek out, attempt to identify, locate, capture and if necessary
kill terrorists & to thwart their activities." A second planned
attack was reportedly called off after losing track of the target.
Also on this day, a pair of reports arose which were covered
widely in the media, but later contradicted by U.S. sources.
The first was a report by Somali presidential chief of staff,
Abdirizak Hassan, who stated the U.S. airstrikes had killed Al
Qaeda member F.A. Mohammed, & leaders of the Islamic Courts Union
including A.M. Ali (former chief of security for Mogadishu),
A. Janaqow, & a 3rd unidentified person. The bodies had reportedly
been recovered by Ethiopian military personnel. This report was
refuted the next day by a confidential U.S. source, who said the
hunt for the three Al Qaeda members continues, though it was not
mentioned whether the other ICU leaders mentioned were alive or
dead.
The second report mentioned at least four more AC-130 airstrikes
targeted Ras Kamboni. Other sites were also said to have been
targeted by U.S. aircraft around southern Somalia. Somali pol
A.M. Hidig toured the area by helicopter & spoke of 50 killed in
the attacks. He said additional targets hit include Hayo, Garer,
Bankajirow & Badmadowe. Clan elder H.F. Qorshel claimed 64 people
were killed & 100 wounded around Afmadow in 3 days of attacks.
However, confidential sources denied the additional attacks were
made by the U.S. Ethiopian aircraft are also known to be operating
in the combat area.
January 11
On Jan/11, the American ambassador to Kenya said that the U.S.
claimed Al-Qaeda suspect F.A. Mohammed was actually still alive &
that none of the Al-Qaeda members were killed in the air attack
but some of the ICU were killed. Later in the day, anonymous U.S.
sources stated that U.S. forces from the CIA's elite Special
Activities Division were on the ground in Somalia targeting and
then identifying the persons who had been killed in the gunship
attack.
January 12
On Jan/12, TFG Defense Minister B.A.S. Hiiraale announced Ras
Kamboni had fallen to the Somali gov't & Ethiopian forces after
five days of heavy fighting. Remnants of the Islamist forces were
being pursued into the nearby forests and fighting would continue.
A small team of U.S. forces investigated the site of the U.S.
gunship attack to search for info about the identity & fate of
the targeted individuals.
January 17
Theresa Whelan, U.S. deputy asst sec'y of defense for African
affairs, in a press conference said she believed the raid killed
eight soldiers of A.H.F. Ayro, head of an Islamist militia. Ayro
was believed to have been wounded in the attack & perhaps killed.
Charlie M. 1958
May 19, 2013, 12:48:54 PM5/19/13
to
I misread the title of this thread and thought it was about a 2007
vintage /bottle/ of some wine I'd never heard of.
Once an alkie....
vintage /bottle/ of some wine I'd never heard of.
Once an alkie....
dav...@agent.com
May 23, 2013, 6:39:09 AM5/23/13
to
Owen White: The Bottle of Algiers: A Vineyard in French Algeria,
1869-1963
Date: 26 April 2012 - 6-8pm
Location: 260-216
Speaker: Owen White
We're pleased to invite you to our 1st mtg for Spring quarter,
which will take place April 26. Our guest will be Owen White
(History, Univ of Delaware). To get his paper entitled
�The Bottle of Algiers: A Vineyard in French Algeria, 1869-1963�
& to RSVP, contact Biliana Kassabova (bili...@stanford.edu)
As customary, we're meeting in Pigott Hall, Room 216 at 6pm for
dinner/drinks, followed by discussion of Prof White�s paper at
6:30. We look forward to seeing you!
Owen White (Ph.D, Univ of Oxford, '96) specializes in the
history of modern France & the French colonial empire, with
particular research interests in French West Africa & Algeria.
He has published articles on a variety of aspects of French
colonial history, and a book entitled Children of the French
Empire: Miscegenation and Colonial Society in French West
Africa, 1895-1960. His current research interests include
Catholic missionaries and the French Empire in the 19th & 20th
centuries, & the history of wine production in French Algeria.
dav...@agent.com
May 23, 2013, 6:46:37 AM5/23/13
to
Americana Liquor Bottle of the Alamo: $5.00
Seller: Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona
Location: Tucson, AZ
Manufacture/Markings: J.W. Dant
Approx Dimensions: 9"x 5"
Condition: used/has marks/dirt/scratches/cork is still there
Notes: is a donated item
dav...@agent.com
May 23, 2013, 7:00:07 AM5/23/13
to
Live in the USA: The Bottle of Gettysburg
Artist: The Reasoning
Type: Album
Released: November 14, 2011
Rating: 3.14 from 3 ratings
Genres: Neo-Prog
dav...@agent.com
May 23, 2013, 7:10:28 AM5/23/13
to
Tippecanoe Common Ale - Lafayette Brewing Co., Lafayette IN
Rating: 68
Style: California Common
Serving Type: Bottle
Alcohol by Volume: 5.8%
Aroma: Lightly bitter, a little roasted malt & hint of caramel.
Mild overall
Appearance: Hazy copper colored body with a thick head of cream
colored bubbles and lots of lacing
Flavor: Semi-sweet bready flavor up front, dry & a little bitter
in the finish. Lots of bold flavor
Mouthfeel: On the thicker side of medium. Lots of flavor & a dry
crisp texture pack a punch
I, like most people, have only ever had one "Common Ale" before
& it's Anchor Steam. California Common isn't a style of beer many
brewers do, in fact, you could say it's ...uncommon. Lame jokes
aside, I don't know why California Commons aren't more readily
available. Perhaps it has something to do with the popularity of
Anchor Steam, it's a nice beer and one that has definitely defined
it's style. If someone sells you a Common Ale and it doesn't taste
like Anchor Steam you might not get many repeat customers. That
being said, I'm anxious to try this Tippecanoe Common Ale from
Indiana. Will it taste like Anchor Steam? Will it matter?
=============
This bottle of Tippecanoe Common Ale pours a hazy copper color &
kicks up a thick foamy white head. The head settles to about the
thickness of your pinkie and leaves behind a ton of lacing. This
beer's aroma is mild but there is a vague bitterness, light roast
and caramel scent to it.
===========
Tippecanoe Common Ale isn't an Anchor Steam clone by any means.
There are some similarities between the two beers, but the
Tippecanoe is much more bold. There's a sweet maltiness to this
beer right up front but it turns bitter and dry as it fizzes over
your palate. This beer is somewhere between a Pale Ale and Anchor
Steam, definitely leaning more toward a darker bodied Pale Ale.
===========
I found myself liking this beer by the end, but I don't see myself
ordering this over an Anchor Steam beer any time soon. I could see
myself drinking this on a warm day instead of a lighter Pale Ale
though...
dav...@agent.com
May 23, 2013, 7:16:52 AM5/23/13
to
In addition to your Airstream rental:
When you arrive I can have the Airstream stocked with these
local favorites! You can just focus on relaxing Austin style!
South Austin Special:
* Bottle of Waterloo Gin
* 6 pack sampler of Austin Beerworks brew
* Austin Slow Burn Salsa
* El Milagro Tortilla Chips
* Pint of Amy�s Ice Cream
dav...@agent.com
May 24, 2013, 1:11:51 PM5/24/13
to
Bottle of Algiers: A Vineyard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Algiers_%281957%29
J.W. Dant Bottle of the Alamo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo 1836
Bottle of Gettysburg (song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg 1863
Bottle of Tippecanoe Ale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tippecanoe 1811
Bottle of Waterloo Gin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Waterloo 1815
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