When Somali Pirates(!) Attack

Okay, at long last, here's a review of some recent stories of note.

USA Today ran a story recently about pre-deployment training received by soldiers deploying to Iraq. I don't agree with all of their assessments, but the article is worth reading, and the three video clips available at the top of the page are worth watching. If anything, I think it's rather impressive that the Department of Defense has been so quick to implement training and procurement programs relating to the IED threat. Prior to the invasion in 2003, the type of IEDs our fighting forces have encountered in Iraq and Afghanistan were virtually non-existent. In only four years, we have adapted considerably, a trait not normally associated with the military. I'm sure that, technically speaking, some of these changes could have been implemented sooner, but no military operates under perfect conditions; further, journalists often overlook the complexity that military leaders must deal with. At any rate, read the article and check out the videos.

A few days ago, I wrote about the homicide bombing in Baghlan province, Afghanistan. I noted that it was suspected that terrorists linked to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar may have been responsible. In a recent BBC News article, more information is brought to light.

Shukria Barakzai, an MP with the opposition Third Line political group, believes the Taleban were responsible.

"No-one else could do it," she says. "Suicide attacks came (to Afghanistan) with them. Even during the Soviet regime, there were no suicide attacks. They are un-Islamic."

There is a good reason why, even if they were involved in the Baghlan bombing, the Taleban would want to distance themselves from it.

When air strikes by Nato and US-led forces kill Afghan civilians, the Taleban uses the deaths to discredit the international military presence here.

For them to cause the deaths of so many civilians would stir up widespread public anger.

Sort of peculiar. Generally, bombings like this have one of two major purposes: to target a particular individual, or to get attention by claiming responsibility. While it's possible that both the Taliban and Hekmatyar's goon squads are denying responsibility because they were able to successfully kill their intended target, fear of unpopularity or retribution has never really stopped al Qaeda and the Taleban from carrying out attacks, circulating propaganda, or broadcasting on a pirate radio station in the past. I'm largely unfamiliar with Hekmatyar, but the Taliban seem to have no qualms with killing for the sake of killing and then taking credit for it. It will be interesting to see if anyone steps forward to take credit for this cowardly act.

Following up on this article, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has encouraged Japan to take a more active role in Asian security affairs. This statement comes after recent Japanese political disputes prevented the renewal of Japan's refueling mission for coalition forces operating in Afghanistan. (AP, BBC, CNN) It's encouraging to see that the Japanese are working to renew the mission. Japan has much to gain through continued depacification, and the world has much to gain by extension.

The U.S. Navy has terminated the General Dynamics contract for a fourth Littoral Combat Ship. The Navy remains committed to procuring more of these vessels, but they have terminated both the General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin contracts due to continued disputes over cost over-runs. Meanwhile, there's some possibility that western nations may encourage a revitalization of Russian military aircraft manufacturing by ordering new Myasishchev M-55 surveillance aircraft. Additional information about the aircraft itself is sparse, but Wikipedia has a short entry.

There are two wacky entries, one political, the other just funny. First, Venezuelan autocrat Hugo Chavez referred to former Spanish leader Jose Maria Aznar as a "fascist" and said that Aznar was less human than a snake. The King of Spain, then responded by saying to Chavez, "Why don't you shut up?" According to the BBC:

According to reports, the king used a familiar term normally used only for close acquaintances - or children.

Ohhh! Snap! Meanwhile, in a "booking error", a young lady dressed as a policewoman went to a classroom in the United Kingdom and stripped in front of a room full of sixteen year olds! How fascinating that the "horrified" teacher and the "shocked class" didn't do anything to stop her from stripping to a Britney Spears song. Ladies and gentlemen, the most exciting thing that ever happened at my high school was when the seniors released several hundred crickets into the school. Crickets. Seriously.

Finally, a story that's had a lot of traction lately... About Somali pirates! Here's a run-down of the events, since there are so many links:

23rd August: Ransom paid to free Danish ship

29th October: U.S. warships pursue hijacked Japanese ship into Somali waters(BBC, CNN)

30th/31st October: North Korean sailors overpower Somali boarding party (Fox, BBC, CNN)

02nd November: U.S. Navy Monitoring Pirates on Japanese Tanker off Somalia

02th November: 2 November 2007 Report: Somali pirates want U.S. Navy to back off

04th November: Somali pirates free two vessels

05th November U.S. Navy Helps Free Taiwanese Ships Held By Somali Pirates (AP, BBC, AP)

Wow, those must be some angry and disappointed Somali pirates! Yarrrr!

Alright, folks, have a great Monday and watch for my inaugural "China Watch" post in a few days.