U.S. military forces strike in Libya, Somalia; capture wanted al Qaeda leader

[Lanie]

(CNN) -- In two raids nearly 3,000 miles apart, U.S. military forces went after two high-value targets over the weekend. And while officials have yet to say whether the operations were coordinated or directly related, they show Washington's reach, capability and willingness to pursue alleged terrorists.
One operation took place Saturday in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, when U.S. forces captured Abu Anas al Libi, an al Qaeda leader wanted for his role in the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.
In the second raid, a team of U.S. Navy SEALs in southern Somalia targeted a top leader of Al-Shabaab, which was behind last month's mall attack in Kenya. The SEALs came under fire and had to withdraw before they could confirm whether they killed their target, a senior U.S. official said.
"One could have gone without the other," said retired Lt. Col. Rick Francona, CNN's military analyst. "But the fact that they did them both, I think, is a real signal that the United States -- no matter how long it takes -- will go after these targets."
The operations were carried out even as polls show Americans are skittish about U.S. military involvement in overseas conflicts. This means, Francona said, that others who might be in the U.S. government's cross hairs could have more reason to worry.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/05/world/africa/us-forces-africa-terrorist-raids/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[Adam]

He's dead.

[Celeste Chalfonte]

This is serious stuff and I don't mean to be flippant, but on the first skim through that, my immediate thought was, :They have malls in Kenya?"

[Frostbit]

This is serious stuff and I don't mean to be flippant, but on the first skim through that, my immediate thought was, :They have malls in Kenya?"

Large cities in select African countries do have cosmopolitan areas. Lusaka, Zambia was startling to us in this respect. The other facet is the absolute density of people on the street at any given time of day or night walking "somewhere".

We'll let you know our thoughts on Harare, Zimbabwe and Pemba, Mozambique after our stopovers on the way back to the African Bush in 4 months.

[Celeste Chalfonte]

Large cities in select African countries do have cosmopolitan areas. Lusaka, Zambia was startling to us in this respect. The other facet is the absolute density of people on the street at any given time of day or night walking "somewhere".

We'll let you know our thoughts on Harare, Zimbabwe and Pemba, Mozambique after our stopovers on the way back to the African Bush in 4 months.

I thought of you as I read Tess Gerritsen's latest novel. If Joyce doesn't already read her, you might mention it to her. Her recurring characters are Boston PD Detective Jane Rizzoli and ME Maura Isles. The latest novel is Die Again. Set partly in the African bush.

[Frostbit]

I thought of you as I read Tess Gerritsen's latest novel. If Joyce doesn't already read her, you might mention it to her. Her recurring characters are Boston PD Detective Jane Rizzoli and ME Maura Isles. The latest novel is Die Again. Set partly in the African bush.

Thanks!! Info passed on.

[Michele]

This is serious stuff and I don't mean to be flippant, but on the first skim through that, my immediate thought was, :They have malls in Kenya?"

A mall in Kenya is where al-Shabaab shot and killed a bunch of people. The reason I remember it is we have friends who lived there for 5 years and had just moved 9 months before.

[Celeste Chalfonte]

A mall in Kenya is where al-Shabaab shot and killed a bunch of people. The reason I remember it is we have friends who lived there for 5 years and had just moved 9 months before.

I know, it just struck me as incongruous. You hear all the time about terrorists overseas blowing up cafes, shuls, trains...I think of malls as mostly an American phenomenon, and certainly never pictured them in Africa.

[Adam]

I know, it just struck me as incongruous. You hear all the time about terrorists overseas blowing up cafes, shuls, trains...I think of malls as mostly an American phenomenon, and certainly never pictured them in Africa.

It's definitely incongruous with what we see on TV here. We basically only see the pictures of the Serengeti or pictures of some endless row of hovels that makes Skid Row look like Beverly Hills. In actuality, as Frosty mentioned, most major African cities have malls that look just like the ones you would have seen in suburban Tampa.

[Frostbit]

Excellent examples of an African visual disconnect....









Remember the Colonial influence, in this case German.

[Frostbit]

Personally, I prefer this....

[Celeste Chalfonte]

It's definitely incongruous with what we see on TV here. We basically only see the pictures of the Serengeti or pictures of some endless row of hovels that makes Skid Row look like Beverly Hills. In actuality, as Frosty mentioned, most major African cities have malls that look just like the ones you would have seen in suburban Tampa.

They don't usually show pictures of Africa during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

[Celeste Chalfonte]

Personally, I prefer this....

And welcome to all of it. I have permanently sworn off heat, humidity and bugs. Also don't do outhouses/field latrines, snakes, large predators or places without modern hospitals.

[Frostbit]

large predators

I respectfully submit there are far more "large predators" where you live than in Alaska and Africa.

[Celeste Chalfonte]

I respectfully submit there are far more "large predators" where you live than in Alaska and Africa.

I knew you would.