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Although
denying it, French forces already in Djibouti are providing bases
for incoming U.S. Special Forces planning attacks in Yemen and
Somalia
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WASHINGTON,
September 21 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Several hundred U.S.
Special Forces troops are ready in east Africa to make commando raids to
capture or kill suspected al-Qaeda fugitives and other targets as a new
weapon in the (so-called) U.S. war on terrorism.
Between
200 and 500 Special Forces are among 800 U.S. soldiers moved secretly in
recent weeks to a French military base at Djibouti, according to
intelligence sources quoted by the U.S. media. The force also has
several dozen attack helicopters.
U.S.
military officials have confirmed that there is a presence but have not
said how large it is.
Djibouti
is strategically placed on the Horn of Africa at the meeting point of
the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, within striking distance of Yemen and
Somalia, two hot spots for followers of Osama bin Laden. Military action
also is being considered in Sudan and Djibouti, U.S. intelligence
officials added.
According
to USA Today, several dozen midlevel al-Qaeda members are believed to be
hiding in Yemen, bin Laden's ancestral homeland and a longtime base for
al-Qaeda operatives and a sanctuary for others who fled the U.S.-led war
on terror in Afghanistan.
The
British newspaper, The Guardian, reports bin Laden’s family originally
came from the southern province of Hadhramaut. His father-in-law still
lives there.
The
planned operation in the region would be a major new front in the
military war on terrorism, which has been largely focused on
Afghanistan, reports the paper.
The
Guardian reports the move coincides with the arrests of Yemeni nationals
and alleged al-Qaeda suspects in the United States and Pakistan.
Yemen
has denied that U.S. forces will be allowed to stage operations in the
country, saying there was only cooperation in the security and
intelligence domains. "Yemen's position is clear: Yemeni forces are
the ones responsible for conducting any operations - be they searches or
attacks," a Yemeni official told news agencies.
But
a U.S. military official quoted by The New York Times on condition of
anonymity said: "We are paying close attention to that part of the
world."
"We
have forces ready, pre-positioned and waiting for actionable
intelligence."
The
United States also has the USS Bellau amphibious assault group in the
region with helicopter and vertical takeoff Harrier fighter aircraft. An
elite Delta Force commando "snatch team" and army Green Berets
are also in the force.
The
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), with its own paramilitary apparatus,
is preparing a vast anti-terrorism operation, according to media
reports. USA Today also reports the CIA will run the operation.
It
has deployed specialized units in the region, similar to the ones
involved in the raid in Pakistan that snared top al-Qaeda member Ramzi
bin al-Shaiba, of Yemeni origin and an accused organizer of the
September 11 attacks. Eight of the 10 men held in the latest Pakistani
operation are from Yemen.
Special
Forces have already been used in Pakistan and have trained armies in
those countries helping the war on terrorism, including Yemen, the
Philippines and Georgia.
The
deployments have been part of a change of policy in post-September 11
campaigns that saw major military force used against the Taliban and
al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
Now
there is a greater apparent preference for well-targeted commando raids.
U.S.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has sent a secret memorandum to
General Charles Holland, head of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM),
seeking more underground strikes on al-Qaeda, The Washington Times
reported recently.
But
this would require a major change to the command structure of U.S.
forces.
SOCOM
has been based at Tampa, Florida, with the Central Command led by
General Tommy Franks. SOCOM has been equipping and running Special
Forces which were then allotted to the army, navy, air force or marines.
Now
SOCOM will have more control on the special units.
"There
will be certain cases in which SOCOM will be the supported command.
There will be many cases in which they are not," said U.S. Defense
Department spokeswoman Victoria Clarke.
SOCOM's
responsibilities will inevitably see its duties and means increased,
especially as General Franks, who is in charge of the Gulf and
Afghanistan region, will increasingly have to focus on Iraq.
