• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

'57 dead' in first US raid on Qaeda in Yemen under Trump

truthatallcost

truthatallcost

DP Veteran
Joined
Aug 1, 2014
Messages
26,719
Reaction score
6,278
Location
California
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Other
Aden (AFP) - A US raid in Yemen killed 41 suspected Al-Qaeda militants and 16 civilians on Sunday, an official said, in what would be America's first military action in the country under President Donald Trump.

The three prominent tribal figures killed in the attack were identified as brothers Abdulraouf and Sultan al-Zahab and Saif Alawai al-Jawfi, the official and other sources said. They were known for their strong links to Al-Qaeda, the sources said.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-raid-kills-qaeda-linked-yemen-tribe-chiefs-073853092.html
Click to expand...

Isis better take note, they're next. Payback is a *****.

Do you think this is good news? Bad news?
Thoughts?
 
truthatallcost said:
Isis better take note, they're next. Payback is a *****.

Do you think this is good news? Bad news?
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

16 civilians....41 "suspected" Al-Qaeda.

No this is not how I would want to start...but he seems to be in the running for a noble peace prize.
 
Blue_State said:
16 civilians....41 "suspected" Al-Qaeda.

No this is not how I would want to start...but he seems to be in the running for a noble peace prize.
Click to expand...

The BBC reported that US commandos attacked the al Qaeda members on the ground, even entering a mosque where the militants had gone to hide. Isn't this better than Obama's drones randomly killing people?
 
News like this makes me wish Ron Paul were elected back in 2012 so we wouldn't be wasting our time and money in the middle east.
 
truthatallcost said:
The BBC reported that US commandos attacked the al Qaeda members on the ground, even entering a mosque where the militants had gone to hide. Isn't this better than Obama's drones randomly killing people?
Click to expand...

I don't think it makes a difference if we kill civilians with boots on the ground vs. air strikes. They are still dead civilians.
 
Nap said:
News like this makes me wish Ron Paul were elected back in 2012 so we wouldn't be wasting our time and money in the middle east.
Click to expand...

Yes it would be so much better to have no money at all because Paul thinks that we should still be on the gold standard.
 
Blue_State said:
I don't think it makes a difference if we kill civilians with boots on the ground vs. air strikes. They are still dead civilians.
Click to expand...

The point is that civilian casualties would be higher with drone usage.
 
Blue_State said:
I am curious on how you came to that conclusion.
Click to expand...


Documents detailing a special operations campaign in northeastern Afghanistan, Operation Haymaker, show that between January 2012 and February 2013, U.S. special operations airstrikes killed more than 200 people. Of those, only 35 were the intended targets. During one five-month period of the operation, according to the documents, nearly 90 percent of the people killed in airstrikes were not the intended targets. In Yemen and Somalia, where the U.S. has far more limited intelligence capabilities to confirm the people killed are the intended targets, the equivalent ratios may well be much worse.
Nearly 90 Percent Of People Killed In Recent Drone Strikes Were Not The Target | The Huffington Post
Click to expand...

I'm sure the CIA says that drone strikes are 175% accurate and yada yada.
 
truthatallcost said:
I'm sure the CIA says that drone strikes are 175% accurate and yada yada.
Click to expand...

Saudi Arabia is leading this war in Yemen. SA supports ISIS. Did we actually kill Houthis or al Qeda. The USA is/was supporting Nusra Front/al Qeda/ISIS in Syria. The article doesn't make it clear who we attacked in Yemen. If al Qeda is your ally in one MidEast Nation, then it is probably your ally in another Nation. SA and the CIA initiated al Qeda with Osama bin Laden. My play card is having difficult defining who's on first. Does anyone else have that problem?
/
 
Is that the anti-war crowd I hear that we haven't heard a peep out of for 8 years?
 
So, we killed 16 people who weren't armed, and weren't officiated with a terrorist group in any provable way...and this is being touted as a VICTORY?


If SWAT raided a crack house in south central, and killed a bunch of gang members, but, oh, by the way, 16 innocent bystanders were also killed, heads would be rolling.
 
Blue_State said:
I don't think it makes a difference if we kill civilians with boots on the ground vs. air strikes. They are still dead civilians.
Click to expand...

It makes TONS of difference. When you drone someone you don't get to collect intel they may have had on them. That intel can do a whole lot more damage than a Hellfire missile can.
 
truthatallcost said:
Isis better take note, they're next. Payback is a *****.

Do you think this is good news? Bad news?
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Killing actual terorrists is generally a good thing.

Is there some connection to Trump beyond the fact that it happened after 1/20? Sounds like it's a continuation of a policy Obama established (and was relentlessly attacked for by the right): increased drone attacks. From your source:

Under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, the US dramatically increased its use of drone strikes against suspected jihadists in Yemen, as well as other countries including Afghanistan. Although the US only sporadically reports on its long-running bombing campaign against AQAP, it is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen. On January 14, the Pentagon announced the killing of a senior Al-Qaeda operative in Baida the week before in an air strike.



truthatallcost said:
The BBC reported that US commandos attacked the al Qaeda members on the ground, even entering a mosque where the militants had gone to hide. Isn't this better than Obama's drones randomly killing people?
Click to expand...

You spend 8 years attacking Obama for this program, then when it happens under Trump you praise it? It really does just come down to the letter next to the name, eh Mr. "Truth"?
 
Leftists already have their peace sign banners and anti-war protest placards lined up and ready to go. They are chomping at the bit. They have been silent during the 8 years of the rat admonistration and by golly...its about time they got to protest again!

Seriously...whether leftists are willing to admit it or not, they are all so damn glad that Trump got elected. Every day is going to be like Christmas for them.
 
Josie said:
Is that the anti-war crowd I hear that we haven't heard a peep out of for 8 years?
Click to expand...
Yep. they are so giddy you can SEE it. The Global Warming protesters are gearing up too. FINALLY!!! YEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!
 
KevinKohler said:
So, we killed 16 people who weren't armed, and weren't officiated with a terrorist group in any provable way...and this is being touted as a VICTORY?


If SWAT raided a crack house in south central, and killed a bunch of gang members, but, oh, by the way, 16 innocent bystanders were also killed, heads would be rolling.
Click to expand...

Just read the article in the OP. I didn't see any words that the "civilians" living with the terrorists didn't have access to arms, and wern't "officiated" with a terrorist group in any provable way.

In fact, I didn't see anything that proves there were civilian causalities, other than the statement from an unnamed Yemini official.
 
It sucks that civilians were killed.

Probably being used as human shields by the terrorists. Cowards.
 
Nap said:
News like this makes me wish Ron Paul were elected back in 2012 so we wouldn't be wasting our time and money in the middle east.
Click to expand...

Except the religious extremists in the Middle East aren't going to stop wasting their time going after us.
 
Blue_State said:
16 civilians....41 "suspected" Al-Qaeda.

No this is not how I would want to start...but he seems to be in the running for a noble peace prize.
Click to expand...

Compared to drone attacks thats actually a pretty good ratio. Though thinking long term the best solution would be to get both sides to the negotiating table with a view to bringing about a funtional government so that Al-Qaeda enclaves can´t form in the first place.
 
truthatallcost said:
The BBC reported that US commandos attacked the al Qaeda members on the ground, even entering a mosque where the militants had gone to hide. Isn't this better than Obama's drones randomly killing people?
Click to expand...

Actually no. Not only were Americans put in harms way and one died but they still killed 16 civilians. A drone could likely have done better.

(CNN)A US servicemember died of wounds suffered during a raid in Yemen against al Qaeda -- the first American combat death under President Donald Trump, US Central Command said Sunday.

Three other servicemembers also were wounded.
Click to expand...

US servicemember killed in raid on al Qaeda in Yemen - CNNPolitics.com
 
Last edited:
Mr Person said:
Killing actual terorrists is generally a good thing.

Is there some connection to Trump beyond the fact that it happened after 1/20? Sounds like it's a continuation of a policy Obama established (and was relentlessly attacked for by the right): increased drone attacks. From your source:

Under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, the US dramatically increased its use of drone strikes against suspected jihadists in Yemen, as well as other countries including Afghanistan. Although the US only sporadically reports on its long-running bombing campaign against AQAP, it is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen. On January 14, the Pentagon announced the killing of a senior Al-Qaeda operative in Baida the week before in an air strike.
Click to expand...

Part of Trump's campaign included a promise to adequately deal with Isis, which could stabilize Syria, and end the refugee crises. Saturday's attack, in which 41 al Qaeda militants were killed, shows me that Trump is serious about his promise regarding Islamic terrorism.
------------

Every time I'd hear a radio report or read a story about an Isis or al Qaeda official being killed under Obama, I was pleased. I even started threads on DP about it when it occurred.

I can think of no single operation that killed 41 members or associates of a radical terror group at one time under Obama.

You spend 8 years attacking Obama for this program, then when it happens under Trump you praise it? It really does just come down to the letter next to the name, eh Mr. "Truth"?
Click to expand...

That's not how I remember it. I remember attacking Obama for contributing to radical Islam in the ME and Europe with his support for the Arab Spring.

Try to not lump me in with your idea of 'all Publicans do dis, all Publicans do dat.'
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom