A series of bomb blasts in crowds watching the Word Cup finals in Kampala, Uganda, killing at least 74 people is a reminder that Al-Qaida is a terrorist group with no borders.
U.S. intelligence officials have been telling us since 9/11 a favorite weapon of Al-Qaida is indiscriminate bombing of large gatherings, preferably those marking patriotic, religious or sporting events.
The Uganda bombings fit the Al-Qaida M.O. to the letter and intelligence officials are pointing the finger to the Somalia-based militant group Al-Shabab. The group is known to have battle-tested Al-Qaida veterans pushed out of Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan because of U.S. and NATO military successes.
“I remember blacking out, hearing people screaming and running,” Kris Sledge, 18, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, said. His right leg was wrapped and he had burns on his face. “I love the place here but I’m wondering why this happened and who did this … At this point we’re just glad to be alive.”
Joann Lockard, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, confirmed one American was killed. NBC News identified him as Nate Henn who was associated with the San Diego-based Invisible Children group.
The Uganda massacre of innocent people is a reminder that the extra security measures Americans endure on boarding jetliners or attending popular events such as Tuesday’s Major League All-Star game in Anaheim are for their own protection no matter how infuriating.
Granted this is not the time or place to second guess our mission in the Afghan/Pakistan war. It just seems to me we are doubling down in an Afghan civil war killing Taliban insurgents for a corrupt government. Those resources — 51 American lives last month and $63 billion last year — could better be spent on covert operations where we have pushed the real enemies, Al-Qaida: Yemen, Sudan, Africa, Indonesia and our trusted ally India.
Cross posted on The Remmers Report
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Jerry Remmers worked 26 years in the newspaper business. His last 23 years was with the Evening Tribune in San Diego where assignments included reporter, assistant city editor, county and politics editor.