http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto...20021214/ap_on_re_af/somalia_yankee_come_back Sorry, no can do this time.
As much of a Hell hole that place is, I would love to go back there. Mostly for revenge of course. Asside from revenge there is no other reason.
Not wishing to do Dante's job for him but this one has been done: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24503
I'm normally sympathetic to people's plights, but Somalia can screw. Everything that went down with Black Hawk Down won't be forgotten anytime soon.
But that was a film, one loosely based on fact at that. Maintain your sentiments regarding the situation by all means, but don't get them from a Hollywood production.
Yes, yes, I know they did, and it was awful. But there may have been reasons as to why that actually happened that the film didn't highlight. The film didn't give the whole story, which was my point. But obviously I'd understand if the US didn't want to go in again - just don't base all the knowledge of the situation on a Hollywood film. That's all.
The film was based on the book of the same title, the book was very accurate. The author interviewed almost everyone who was in the incident. The History Channel had a great documentary about the true story of BHD and they conducted interviews with the Rangers and Night Stalkers that participated in the operation. It was as bad as it was portrayed in the movie.
Generally anything Mark Bowden does is pretty accurate. I don't know how far the mvoie differed from the book, but I don't think the American Public is exactly chomping at the bit to send our troops back there.
For the record, while I'm far from an expert on the situation, I didn't get my whole recollection from the movie. In fact I've never seen it. I didn't know what else to call it, hence I called it Black Hawk Down. However, given what happened, I ain't about to support helping Somalia with anything for a long ass time, if ever.
I would think the Saudi's, Iranian's, Iraqi's, Kuwaiti's, and the rest of the middle eastern countries of Islamic religious believes would be there to help their brother's in a heartbeat. "In October, at peace talks in Kenya, 20 factions and the transitional government endorsed a peace agreement calling for a cease-fire and a new system of government. But negotiations are months away from completion, and no one wants to disarm first, so clan-based clashes continue." Here's some free advice: Use the United States of America's constitution for your government and begin. My favorite line from the article: "People lost confidence in the Americans when they started hunting Aidid, our comrade, our leader," said Hassan, who said he grabbed his AK-47 rifle in anger after a rocket fired by a U.S. helicopter destroyed his house. " Interesting thing about the military are the rules of engagement. How is it this guy got all upset when the shots probably were from his house? Send the food, but no military personnel. Let the Saudi's and French handle the other part. Never saw the movie either, I saw it on tv live as it happened. Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me. Not going to happen a second time.
Thought the same thing. Anyway, living in Columbus, Ohio let me ask, "Who still lives in Somalia whan they all seem to be here?" Well, maybe someone from Minn/St Paul could answer me?
That's funny. Their people are starving year after year yet they find time & energy to shoot down American copters. I thought malnutrition made people lethargic. They can all choke on genetically altered US rice for all I care - if they're not afraid to eat it.
Well said. If these countries are such great places to live and we all know the Saudis have buckets of money, let them fix this for once. How about this so called holy man Bin Laden? He's a millionaire. Oh, but then again, its all the US's fault, right?
They are on drugs. Don't you know what you talk about? The bosses get them nice and drugged and these guys feel like warriors. It reminds me of my father-in-law. This Peruvian mountain man used to chew coca leaves (you know where they get cocaine from) and works in the fields all day long without feeling cold, thristy or hungry. Turns your teeth green, but gives a nice buzz.
anything that quotes noam chomsky is bi-partisan journalism at its best. please. this just serves the exact opposite of the movie, somewhere in the middle the truth probably lies.
Did you read the book? The book was based on verified first hand accounts from both sides of the battle. The movie actually did a great job matching the book very closely. That was an intense movie. As for the country - it woudl be twice as difficult to set up a gov't in Somalia as Afghanistan. There is zero infrastructure. It is a free for all. Who ever has the most guns rules. If we go back in - we go back with 100,000 troops and set up shop for the long haul. No mini out-posts and day trips into the country. They are starting from scratch.
excellent post, although I would have to argue that the truth lies a lot more with Bowdens accounts of the operation. The History Channel's documentary of the operation also had interviews with Somali's who fought against the US.
For those who think my input is leftist anti-Americanism. Yes, I have read the book, watched the film, seen countless documentaries and read a plethora of other books on the subject - all as part of my University course. I posted that link only because of the prevailing sentiment on this thread that the Somalis simply attacked those glorious US soldiers out of hand and without remote provocation. This is wrong, and true, the link will have been the other side of the coin, but that is what's needed when coming to some conclusion regarding the situation (as capt. america comes vaguely close to saying). What the Somalis did to the US military men was truly horrific, never will you hear me say anything to the contrary. However, the reasons behind their anti-US (or as they saw it anti-invasionist - it could have been anti-UK or anti-French or whoever) feelings actually have something behind them. I understand the US not wanting to go back into Somalia for the obvious reasons - the treatment of the military men would make all sensible people reason against such a thing. I felt there needed to be a certain voice of reason taking into account the psychology of those who felt they were being invaded amongst other deeper rooted problems.
Was it Marie Antoinette who said - "Let them eat sand"? We could really do them a favor and air drop thousands of fly swatters.