America's Hidden War in Somalia

Afghanistan and Iraq aren't the only fronts commanding America's military attention. Afraid of allowing al Qaeda a safe haven in Africa, the U.S. is supplying crucial assistance to the remnants of Somalia's government in a planned offensive to retake the country's capital. Surveillance planes have been sighted in the area and American advisers have helped train Somali forces for the past several months, The New York Times reports. While the assistant secretary of State for Africa, Johnnie Carson, tells the Times that "This is not an American offensive," another American official offered a prediction that covert forces could be used more directly to take out al Qaeda in the area. “What you’re likely to see is airstrikes and Special Ops moving in, hitting and getting out,” the official said.