Islamist Terrorist / U.S. Spy

There can be little doubt about this man's courage and the danger in which he lives, only doubts about from where most of that danger actually originates.   April 05, 2013, - Vigilis  

 

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP)  September 12, 2013 — A rapping jihadi from Alabama who ascended the ranks of Somalia's al-Qaida-linked militant group and was on the FBI's Most Wanted list with a $5 million reward for his capture was killed Thursday in an ambush ordered by the militant group's leader ... who gave his name as Sheik Abu Mohammed.  

Omar Hammami, a native of Daphne, Alabama, who was known as Abu Mansoor Al-Amriki, or "the American," died in southern Somalia following several months on the run after a falling-out with al-Shabab's top leader, the militants said.

Reports of Hammami's death crop up every few months in Somalia, only for him to resurface a short while later. But a U.S. terrorism expert who closely follows the inner workings of al-Shabab says he thinks that the current reports of the death are accurate.

..."Hammami brought a lot of unwelcome outside scrutiny on Shabab from the international jihadist community[color emphasis added]. His story will likely be a case study on what can go wrong when Westerners join jihadist movements," Berger said.

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Notes with M.E.'s Comments

1)  Hammami was once a prominent figure in Shabaab's propaganda arm, having also served as a recruiter, financier, and military commander.  U.S. officials say al-Shabab ranlk include several hundred foreign fighters, including several dozen Somali-Americans from Minnesota.  ... Simply amazing! Who would have expected young Hammami to be so talented?

2) In 2010, US officials said they knew of no other American citizen who had risen as high as Hammami in Al-Shabaab. [ibid]    ... and even the U.S. Government admitted this!

3) Al-Shabaab has lost overt most control of major town and cities in southern and central Somalia, it still dominates many villages and rural areas. [ibid] ... Al-Shabab does not appear to be winning its terrorism campaign in Somalia. Perhaps an embedded spy has been working with forces against them.

4) Al-Shabab and al-Qaida announced their formal merger in February 2012, but the Somali militant group maintained a reputation as being hostile to foreign fighters. [ibid]  ... hostile to foreign fighters, with foreign fighters in its ranks?  Wouldn't untrusting of foreign fighters be a more accurate description?

5) The US has kept Hammami on its list of global terrorists with ties to al Qaeda since July 2011. In November 2012, the FBI added Hammami to its "Most Wanted Terrorist" list and in 2013 offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. [ibid]  ... was the reward intended as evidence Hammami was not actually working with the U.S.?  While we should probably never expect an official answer, this may be as close to transparency for a spy as it ever gets. 

It also helps explain why a father might feign ignorance of his son's true principles, "whatever they were."


How did Hammami (a.k.a. Abu Mansour al Amriki) antagonize al-Shabab? Hammami accused al-Shabab's leaders of living extravagant lifestyles with the taxes fighters collect from Somali residents. Another Hammami grievance was that Somali militant leaders sideline foreign militants inside al-Shabab and are concerned only about fighting in Somalia, not globally. Shabaab's leaders believed Hammami a narcissistic self-promoter using high-profile media attention to sow dissent between the Somali group and foreign fighters.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

US vs. Syria: What to Expect and Why

Guest cartoonist and close friend Juan Caruso offers his appraisal of developments now captivating the media:



US vs. Syria: What to Expect and Why by Juan Caruso

Russia last week sent an anti-submarine ship and a cruiser to the zone. 

“CBS News correspondent David Martin reports two submarines — one American, one British — are in the eastern Mediterranean along with four American destroyers and a fifth on the way — all armed with cruise missiles. That’s more than enough firepower for a strike Pentagon officials say would be limited to fewer than 50 targets.”

Frightening news? No, but the U.S. mainstream media presentation of political posturing is calculated to be as alarming as possible without appearing irresponsible.  Attracting more attention to the Middle East simply snares more readers, viewers, and listeners, which sells more advertising.

Drastic military action has neither been in the cards nor has it ever been the objective of the "red-line" warning President Obama believed he would never have to enforce.  Now, Obama needs a minimalist action, convincing symbolism, if you please, as a last-resort follow through on a U.S. promise.

Putin has both publicly warned Obama and advance positioned ASW ships in the zone in which our missile launchers would operate. He would leave egg on Russsia’s face if he failed to interfere with a U.S. cruise missile attack.

Putin does not suffer embarrassment any more lightly than Obama. For that fact alone, we may also conclude that the two leaders have already agreed on a token strike on a token target that would count more toward usual mainstream propaganda in the U.S., and less for factual substance for Russian allies.

Obama may accomplish his limited objective with a drone strike or two on a Syrian military officer with an impressive rank and little fame, and another strike on an empty Syrian military facility. Putin, may have obtained and sent Obama the name and location of an unfortunate Syrian officer with Assad’s blessing. Putin would gladly allow the US to proceed with a few hated drones as indications of how weak and powerless the U.S. is --- a paper tiger.

Over the last 5 years President Obama has sent innumerable drones attacks targets (primarily terrorist assassinations) on two continents without declarations of war against against the host countries (think Pakistan and Somalia). Why are U.S. cruise missle ships pre-positioned,off Syria then?  There are three C.Y.A. reasons:

• Military Symbolism
• Political Decoys
• Plausible Deterrence

Still don't believe me? Wait and see for yourself; time will tell.

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 Submarines are always silent and strange.