So...Is "Pirate" the new "Terrorist"? Will we be invading Somalia soon?

[Junkdrawer]

When long-standing problems start dominating the news, I get a tad suspicious.

Here's an LA Time piece from 1993...


Copyright 1993 The Times Mirror Company
Los Angeles Times

January 18, 1993

THE OIL FACTOR IN SOMALIA

FOUR AMERICAN PETROLEUM GIANTS HAD AGREEMENTS WITH THE AFRICAN NATION BEFORE ITS CIVIL WAR BEGAN. THEY COULD REAP BIG REWARDS IF PEACE IS RESTORED

By MARK FINEMAN
DATELINE: MOGADISHU, Somalia

Far beneath the surface of the tragic drama of Somalia, four major U.S. oil companies are quietly sitting on a prospective fortune in exclusive concessions to explore and exploit tens of millions of acres of the Somali countryside.

That land, in the opinion of geologists and industry sources, could yield significant amounts of oil and natural gas if the U.S.-led military mission can restore peace to the impoverished East African nation.

According to documents obtained by The Times, nearly two-thirds of Somalia was allocated to the American oil giants Conoco, Amoco, Chevron and Phillips in the final years before Somalia's pro-U.S. President Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown and the nation plunged into chaos in January, 1991. Industry sources said the companies holding the rights to the most promising concessions are hoping that the Bush Administration's decision to send U.S. troops to safeguard aid shipments to Somalia will also help protect their multimillion-dollar investments there.

Officially, the Administration and the State Department insist that the U.S. military mission in Somalia is strictly humanitarian. Oil industry spokesmen dismissed as "absurd" and "nonsense" allegations by aid experts, veteran East Africa analysts and several prominent Somalis that President Bush, a former Texas oilman, was moved to act in Somalia, at least in part, by the U.S. corporate oil stake.

But corporate and scientific documents disclosed that the American companies are well positioned to pursue Somalia's most promising potential oil reserves the moment the nation is pacified. And the State Department and U.S. military officials acknowledge that one of those oil companies has done more than simply sit back and hope for peace.

....

http://www.raceandhistory.com/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/15

[MountainLaurel]

1. You may not be too far off

A friend's husband is in the Navy, and she mentioned last week something about his ship and the pirates.

[KamaAina]

2. Didn't we already try that?

I seem to remember some movie about it that had the Chicago Blackhawks going down... :eyes:

[Junkdrawer]

4. This time for sure....

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. No, but the problem of piracy is a product of that invasion

direct product

What will happen is what the French have been lobbying for, an international NAVAL force patrolling those waters.

The admin suggesting the companies arm their merchantmen flies in the face of international law

[tekisui]

5. We undertake actions in Somalia from time to time

going after terrorists, not necessarily pirates. But, pirates are no different than terrorists, except that they are seeking money and not political outcomes.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/08/world/main2335451.shtml
U.S. Strikes In Somalia Reportedly Kill 31

[foxfeet]

6. I doubt we'd do so unilaterally at this point.

The Europeans are already somewhat engaged and the Indians already fired upon a pirate vessel. A multinational force probably isn't out of the question, though.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. The EU has a force in -situ already

And the french have been asking for the return of the convoy system

So that is coming

As to the Fifth Fleet, this time I fear we will not be in command

[AngryAmish]

8. No, we are going to pay the Ethiopians to do it again

Every few years they roll into Somalia, pound the shit out of them, then go home. They just rolled in a few years ago but I bet Bush will pay them to do it again.

[Lint Head]

9. Maybe we should have a war on pirates!

:dem: