Washington Post
December 18, 2008
Stephanie McCrummen
Yusuf’s Two Years of Rule Backed by Ethiopian Army, U.S.
NAIROBI — Somalia’s parliament voted Wednesday to begin impeachment proceedings against President Abdullahi Yusuf, another sign that his U.S.-backed government is unraveling.
“This is the end of the government. This is it,” said Mohamed Amin, a member of an opposition coalition that has [...]
Reuters
Wed 17 Dec 2008, 21:26 GMT
Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. chief and France on Wednesday cast doubt on U.S. calls to authorize a U.N. peacekeeping force for Somalia quickly, saying the situation was too dangerous for blue helmets.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday for the first time that the U.N. should [...]
Bloomberg
Hamsa Omar
Dec. 17, 2008
Somali pirates captured another ship in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia bringing to four the number of vessels seized yesterday — the same day the United Nations Security Council adopted a motion to allow land and air operations against pirates.
The pirates took control of the Chinese fishing boat, the [...]
Reuters
Tue 16 Dec 2008
Patrick Worsnip
UNITED NATIONS The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday authorized countries fighting piracy off the Somali coast to take action also on Somalia’s territory and in its airspace, subject to consent by the country’s government.
The United States said for the first time that the United Nations should deploy a peacekeeping force to [...]
New York Times
Jeffrey Gettleman
December 15, 2008
The New York Times
In Xarardheere, much of the economy is based on piracy.
ON THE ARABIAN SEA — Rear Adm. Giovanni Gumiero is going on a pirate hunt.
From the deck of an Italian destroyer cruising the pirate-infested waters off Somalia’s coast, he has all the modern tools at [...]
Sudan Tribune, France
Monday 15 December 2008.
(WASHINGTON) – After the Eritrean Foreign Ministry speculated last week that certain US officials are attempting to label Eritrea a state sponsor of terrorism, the US State Department affirmed that the country is still not considered as such. Presently the United States considers Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria as [...]
Reuters
Sat 13 Dec 2008
MANAMA, Dec 13 - The United States lacks the intelligence needed to pursue the fight against pirates on Somali soil, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Saturday.
His comments come days after the U.S. delegation at the United Nations circulated a draft resolution that would give countries the right to pursue pirates [...]
Washington Post
December 14, 2008
Colum Lynch
Peacekeeping Force Proposed to Stop Pirates, Reemergence of Islamist Militants
UNITED NATIONS — The Bush administration will mount a last-ditch push this week to muster international backing for a relatively small U.N. peacekeeping mission in Somalia, in an effort to help stem piracy and prevent the resurgence of Islamic militants in the [...]
BBC
December 13, 2008
The top US naval commander in the Gulf and Indian Ocean has dampened hopes that piracy off Somalia’s coast can be tackled by attacking bases on land.
Vice-Admiral Bill Gortney said that such a policy would be hampered by the difficulties of identifying the pirates and the risks of harming civilians.
He suggested [...]
Reuters
Fri 12 Dec 2008
Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations has been unable to put together a multinational military force to stabilize Somalia, which diplomats said means the lawless Horn of Africa country might be left to fend for itself.
In a report to the U.N. Security Council last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made clear that [...]
