View Full Version : US 'to aid Islamist areas of famine-hit Somalia'
The US has said it will send aid to famine-hit areas of Somalia controlled by the Islamist group al-Shabab.
But US aid officials say assurances must be given that the insurgents will not interfere with its distribution.
The US considers al-Shabab a terrorist group and last year stopped aid to the large area of Somalia it controls.
The UN has declared a famine in two areas of southern Somalia as the region experiences the worst drought in more than half a century.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group which controls large swathes of south and central Somalia, had imposed a ban on foreign aid agencies in its territories in 2009, but has recently allowed limited access.
The deputy administrator of the US Agency for International Development, Donald Steinberg, said the aid must not benefit al-Shabab.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14222584
Note: 20 July 2011 Last updated at 20:35 GMT
mookiemookie
07-20-11, 08:09 PM
Why? "Hearts and minds?" I think we lost that battle long time ago.
em2nought
07-20-11, 08:19 PM
If we send anything it should be Alpo because dogs are the only foreigners that like americans. :D
Yes you can "interpret" it also, :cool:
Anthony W.
07-20-11, 10:41 PM
If we send in aid, it better not be from unescorted ships. If we're going to be doing aid, it should be aerial drops. Hold on... Why are we aiding lawless, ungoverned people that are generally don't like us? And why is "Islamist" specified? Don't a lot of "Islamists" (not Muslims) from that part of the world... Uh... Shoot at us?
Maybe I'm not giving them enough credit - but if there is a single AK47 when they get ready to land the aid - I'd say pull out.
Takeda Shingen
07-21-11, 01:00 AM
And why is "Islamist" specified?
Because it sounds sensational; it gets you to read the paper, click the link or watch the news. It is how all media operates, and has since time immemorial. It is effective at many levels; after all, Vendor got both you and I to click and post here.
Anthony W.
07-21-11, 02:02 AM
Because it sounds sensational; it gets you to read the paper, click the link or watch the news. It is how all media operates, and has since time immemorial. It is effective at many levels; after all, Vendor got both you and I to click and post here.
So true
Onkel Neal
07-21-11, 02:34 AM
What, again? What's wrong with those people?
Last time we sent aid, they rose us and fought us.
Snestorm
07-21-11, 02:53 AM
If we send anything it should be Alpo because dogs are the only foreigners that like americans. :D
Not true.
Snestorm
07-21-11, 02:57 AM
USA's Government is over generouse with US People's money.
A domestic welfare state is bad enough, but an internationalised welfare state needs to be curbed, yesterday.
Because it sounds sensational; it gets you to read the paper, click the link or watch the news. It is how all media operates, and has since time immemorial. It is effective at many levels; after all, Vendor got both you and I to click and post here. Precise, :03: ^1+
Jimbuna
07-21-11, 06:58 AM
Why? "Hearts and minds?" I think we lost that battle long time ago.
I only hope Cameron doesn't find out and start following the US lead.
Nothing is incredible these days, Cameron opens the safe wallet again.....:hmmm:
Somalia's al-Shabab Islamists have denied lifting their 2009 ban on Western aid agencies and say UN reports of famine are "sheer propaganda".
The UN on Wednesday said that parts of Somalia were suffering a famine after the worst drought in 60 years.
A spokesman for al-Shabab, which has ties to al-Qaeda and controls much of the country, accused aid groups of being political.
But the UN insists famine exists and it will continue its aid efforts.
Most Western aid agencies quit Somalia in 2009 following al-Shabab's threats.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) was one of those banned.
It says it is planning to airlift food into the capital, Mogadishu, in the coming days to help the thousands of malnourished children who face starvation in the country.
Some 10 million people are said to need food aid across East Africa but Somalia is by far the worst affected country, as there is no national government to co-ordinate aid after two decades of fighting.
Thousands of people are fleeing areas under al-Shabab control to camps set up in areas of the capital controlled by the weak interim government, which is battling the Islamist insurgents.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14246764
Note: Update Record,22 July 2011 Last updated at 11:32 GMT
Jimbuna
07-22-11, 08:40 AM
USA's Government is over generouse with US People's money.
A domestic welfare state is bad enough, but an internationalised welfare state needs to be curbed, yesterday.
Sorry, just noticed this.
I doubt any country could afford to bank roll an 'internationalised welfare state' these days.
Snestorm
07-24-11, 04:53 AM
Sorry, just noticed this.
I doubt any country could afford to bank roll an 'internationalised welfare state' these days.
Exactly the point.
They can't afford it (they're in the hole), but that doesn't seem to slow them down.
And it's not just a problem in USA.
That this applies to other countries, and their commitments on the issue.
The Red Cross says it has delivered food into one of Somalia's worst hit drought areas, controlled by the Islamist militant group al-Shabab.
Working through a local committee, the Red Cross delivered by lorry food for 24,000 people.
The badly needed aid was distributed to families in the town of Baardhere, north-west of the capital Mogadishu.
But the World Food Programme says it cannot reach 2.2m people inside Somalia.
The food was delivered by the Red Cross was sent in from Mogadishu and given to locals and others who had come to the town to escape the famine.
The delivery took place on Saturday, and the Red Cross are now moving on to other areas.
The aid consisted of beans, rice and oil - enough rations to last a family one month.
This indicates that although al-Shabab has halted food aid by some agencies in areas they control, other agencies can operate in their territory.
Banned aid
This is vital, if the flow of Somalis into neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia is to be reduced.
The World Food Programme is among the agencies banned by the Islamists.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14267538
Note: Update Record,24 July 2011 Last updated at 11:03 GMT
Heavy fighting has broken out in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, a day after the UN World Food Programme airlifted in its first famine emergency aid.
At least four people are reported to have been killed as government forces, backed by African Union troops, attacked Islamist insurgents.
The BBC's Mohamed Dhore in Mogadishu says the clashes are in northern areas and unlikely to affect the aid effort.
Thousands have arrived into government-controlled suburbs in search of food.
Correspondents say if the pro-government forces manage to gain more ground this could enable aid agencies to increase the areas where they can deliver food aid to victims of the severe drought.
The WFP delivery is the first airlift of food aid since the UN declared a famine in two southern areas of Somalia last week.
Al-Shabab, the al-Qaeda linked group which controls much of Somalia, has banned the WFP from its areas.
Our correspondent says the fighting started just after dawn when the government and African peacekeeping troops launched an offensive on an al-Shabab stronghold in the north of the city, about 7km (four miles) from the airport.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14323426
Note: Update Record,28 July 2011 Last updated at 11:53 GMT
Jimbuna
07-28-11, 11:08 AM
Exactly the point.
They can't afford it (they're in the hole), but that doesn't seem to slow them down.
And it's not just a problem in USA.
Well, it looks like they've always got enough ammo and weapons so I'd stop the aid shipments until the fighting stopped.
Al-Shabaab: The enemy uses the drought
The drought in Somalia, "used by external enemies," claims a spokesman for the Islamist Al-Shabaab. The strategy is to move people to the Christian neighborhood where their faith is broken down, said Ali Muhamud Rage in operating the radio.
Any word on how much money some of these rich Islamic countries going too kick in, never hear about the Saudies ever kicking in any money except for terrorist attacks.
Jimbuna
07-30-11, 07:51 PM
Any word on how much money some of these rich Islamic countries going too kick in, never hear about the Saudies ever kicking in any money except for terrorist attacks.
I doubt anyone truly knows the available sums involved....perhaps Vendor does.
Snestorm
07-30-11, 09:03 PM
Well, it looks like they've always got enough ammo and weapons so I'd stop the aid shipments until the fighting stopped.
Or until the US Government gets their own debt under control.
They've been giving away Tax Payer money, that they haven't got, for too long now.
Their either the biggest idiots on planet Earth, or they're trying to bankrupt and destroy USA deliberately.
Take your pick. Stupidity or Treason?
Anthony W.
07-31-11, 12:35 AM
Or until the US Government gets their own debt under control.
They've been giving away Tax Payer money, that they haven't got, for too long now.
Their either the biggest idiots on planet Earth, or they're trying to bankrupt and destroy USA deliberately.
Take your pick. Stupidity or Treason?
Leaning towards treason now.
Snestorm
07-31-11, 12:37 AM
Leaning towards treason now.
Same here.
I doubt anyone truly knows the available sums involved....perhaps Vendor does. And why exactly Vendor ..... and not a fact-based web services, or simply on the net,then talking about the sums that are relevant.
nikimcbee
07-31-11, 09:00 AM
I guess we forgot what happened the last time we helped these guys. In another thread, they were complaining about overpopulation. Seem like a natural fix to the problem.:dead:
I guess we forgot what happened the last time we helped these guys. In another thread, they were complaining about overpopulation. Seem like a natural fix to the problem.:dead: Like this,The Surf rider Condom Pack
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2638/surfridercondom.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/153/surfridercondom.jpg/)
Jimbuna
07-31-11, 09:19 AM
And why exactly Vendor ..... and not a fact-based web services, or simply on the net,then talking about the sums that are relevant.
Because you created said thread and I assumed (wrongly so it seems) you had studied the topic.
Because you created said thread and I assumed (wrongly so it seems) you had studied the topic. OK! That's right, I study carefully everything that I post, but along the way can it be that conditions change, and then it will be the subject of another thing, that is, with hindsight, it might be a little difficult to be constantly updated, with all that happens in our environment, although it would be optimal, ;)
Jimbuna
07-31-11, 09:31 AM
OK! That's right, I study carefully everything that I post, but along the way can it be that conditions change, and then it will be the subject of another thing, that is, with hindsight, it might be a little difficult to be constantly updated, with all that happens in our environment, although it would be optimal, ;)
That's correct but I honestly thought you may have had some detailed information.
That's correct but I honestly thought you may have had some detailed information. I can try to get more information from "our" external sources of work tomorrow, then it's a normal day and it is easier to get them from right people, for it may well be that they, correct numbers are on the table :yep:
Jimbuna
07-31-11, 09:48 AM
Hookay....the figure could be an interesting sum.
Hookay....the figure could be an interesting sum. :up:
Jimbuna
07-31-11, 10:15 AM
Looking forward to it :know:
Looking forward to it :know: I also :sign_yeah:
Tchocky
07-31-11, 11:03 AM
Any word on how much money some of these rich Islamic countries going too kick in, never hear about the Saudies ever kicking in any money except for terrorist attacks.
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabias-aid-to-somalia-1543058.htm
So far around $60 million.
But this is a single country, that these figures will appear...:hmmm:
nikimcbee
07-31-11, 11:17 AM
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabias-aid-to-somalia-1543058.htm
So far around $60 million.
Is that for food or weapons?
Tchocky
07-31-11, 11:22 AM
Is that for food or weapons?
I can click it and quote it for you.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has ordered a donation of 50 Million USD to the Somali refugees to be used in providing them with food supplies and that in cooperation with the World Food Program designated to this purpose. Another 10 Million USD will also be donated to provide the famine stricken refugees with the necessary medications and vaccinations and that in cooperation with the World Health Organization.
nikimcbee
07-31-11, 11:29 AM
I can click it and quote it for you.
:haha::salute:
Thank-you.
Jimbuna
07-31-11, 01:46 PM
That goes some way toward the $200 million I have heard reported on the television.
http://www.eritrea-unmission.org/062809Somalia.pdf
More info coming soon, :yep:
Jimbuna
08-01-11, 02:09 PM
Looking forward to it.
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