My first thought here would be that the U.S. is deploying drones to counter a threat which exists if AQ gets a hold on both shores (Somalia and Yemen). If one looks at a map, control of both basically closes or bottlenecks the safe approach to the Suez from the south across the Gulf of Aden.

Now whatever people may think about the original Bin Laden branch and "flagship franchise" of Al Qaeda, I think these other offshoots are real enough and definitely not pro-US in any form. I'd just note that the restriction of shipping into the Suez itself would have dramatic and very painful effects world wide, and almost immediately. The world cannot handle another shock like that would throw into things at this particular moment in time.

Perhaps this once, Wikileaks did some real damage on something that was in place, doing some real good in keeping shipping lanes open.

how far can drones travel?

The article isn't entirely correct.

The drones to be operated in Somalia are meant primarily for anti-piracy operations. But they have recently been trying to find and eliminate the cell leaders organizing these pirates on land.

If they happen to find some Al Quaeda while they are there, it's a bonus. But I wouldn't hold your breath.

You might also like to know that everybody's favorite warlord, Erik Prince, is involved.

This has nothing to do with "terrorists" in Somalia or Sudan.

This is all about dominating and controlling Africa for the Western cause. It's why we bombed Libya. We can't have any more of the cheap manufacturing base of Africa threatening to stop supporting our relatively luxorious lives

They have to make good on their promise to bring all the troops home somehow, all the delays on doing so were because of hiccups in the manufacture of drones, now that they have enough they can start to bring our troops and continue their dirty work behind our backs.

American bases bother you, but apparently al-qaeda bases, training camps and pirate havens are just fine. Just who is brainwashed here? It's amazing how soviet era, hate-america training is still operative.

Just goes to show you how crazy the governments can get, at one point they might even start a nuke war that will kill everyone but them

This is absolutely disgusting.

I mean WTF. How is blowing up kids, and that's what they are, going to help protect me when my own government back home is so corrupt that many have lost faith in it?

This is the very reason why our defensive budget alone is more than the entire budgets of nations..

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
My first thought here would be that the U.S. is deploying drones to counter a threat which exists if AQ gets a hold on both shores (Somalia and Yemen). If one looks at a map, control of both basically closes or bottlenecks the safe approach to the Suez from the south across the Gulf of Aden.

Now whatever people may think about the original Bin Laden branch and "flagship franchise" of Al Qaeda, I think these other offshoots are real enough and definitely not pro-US in any form. I'd just note that the restriction of shipping into the Suez itself would have dramatic and very painful effects world wide, and almost immediately. The world cannot handle another shock like that would throw into things at this particular moment in time.

Perhaps this once, Wikileaks did some real damage on something that was in place, doing some real good in keeping shipping lanes open.

Common sense. Great post.
Too bad some people are too paranoid and full of it to actually see the bigger picture.
All they see is the small little confined world they've created for them selves.