Some research on Kenya-Somalia crisis

Update Somalia a bed of terrorists, says to Kenya "stay out"

Three years ago I had the chance to travel to Kenya and Sudan, so as with almost every place I've visited I have a heart for the area. I happened across an article yesterday suggesting that refugees from Somalia are beginning to surge into Kenya, at alarming rates. Then today this article:

LR FOLLOW-UP

Libertarian Republican has been continuously reporting on the situation in Northeast Africa. Now events on the ground are leading to frightening possibilities. Jawa reports that Al-Shabab Muslim rebels planned to blow up a bridge in Northern Kenya. In response, Kenya has massed Troops on the border. Quoting an African news source: "security forces were working to thwart possible infiltrations and cross-border movements by Islamist fighters."

Christian Science Monitor reports:

Kenya is home to hundreds of thousands of ethnic Somalis, and has become a begrudging host to thousands more Somali refugees... Islamist militias in Somalia have specifically threatened to launch terrorist attacks in Nairobi...

In the backdrop a major power struggle is developing between the ruling democratic government in Kenya and rival power sharer Prime Minister Raila Odinga (cousin of US President Barack Hussein Obama).

Developing...

LINKS

This brief article was linked by the Kenyan Post

Iranian Election Revolt

As news is breaking, much in Farsi, the only real source is the twitter feed #iranelection

A couple places I'm also watching include Iranian Election Liveblogging and this report from the Daily Dish:

One of my readers has forwarded this report that Moussavi has been put under house arrest and that Rafsanjani has resigned or been detained. There's also a report that Sianat az ara, the election monitors who are approved by all the candidates, have also declared the result a fraud. I don't read Farsi so if anyone can confirm this reader's news, I'd be grateful. As of now, I am not reporting this, just asking. I find nothing of this sort on the English wires. If it's true, obviously this moment is spiraling into something bigger. Will try to nail it down.

Will update in an hour or so

More Links: Revolutionary Road
Some are suggesting that mullahs are calling for a new election, to re-establish faith in the process, you can bet these mullahs will be silenced before tomorrow morning in Tehran.

To those who fear "truth" - Easter

Happy Resurrection Sunday - Easter - from Porter County Indiana politics

Happy Resurrection Sunday - Which we call Easter

Roughly 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ raised himself from the grave, he was all the way dead don't play games with the story in your head, and he overcame that death to show that he/God is dominant over even death.

"Where o death is thy sting ..."

Although we as Christ followers believe in our own mortality and depravity in sin, and our need for a redeemer to pay the penalty of our sins, and therefore the dominant role of the cross in helping us remember the horrible death and sacrifice of Christ

The Resurrection is in many ways more important. All other sacrifices died, the lamb the goat the bird, never to be seen again.

Jesus Christ rose again ... that's a really big deal. Quite possibly the most important event in human history, in 7,000 years, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A 100% man, who was 100% God (of course we can't understand that tension) died a horrible death and then three days later raised himself from that tomb, rolled away a multiple ton rock, and walked out still bearing the holes in his hands and feet ... the marks of the price he paid on our behalf.

Sorry for this pause in political debate, but it's well worth the pause. If you are offended at this blatant statement, or feel that no one has the right to state "truth" when there are so many different opinions in today's society ... welcome to post modern predictable thought ... you too have been duped by humanities 7,000 year desire to be "my own person" and "not need a god"

Take a deep breath and dare yourself to ask "where do I stand for eternity?"

Live Leak - Alarming Video

Latvian Government - Falls apart

Marketwatch is reporting that the economic crisis has struck a blow to another former Soviet nation, this time Latvia.

Latvia's coalition government collapsed Friday, plunging the Baltic country into political turbulence at a time when its economy is mired in a severe crisis and investors are increasingly concerned about the situation in Eastern Europe

Obama still allowing War on Terror in Pakistan

In a positive sign, President Obama is still allowing the War on Terror to keep dropping terrorists in Pakistan with missiles from drones. Since we're winning in Iraq, stands to reason he'll do the same exact thing Bush would have done and finish winning the peace there too.

Funny how liberals run by attacking strong defense, and then once they talk to their advisors they end up doing the exact same thing.

Keep Gitmo Open - Video

Israel alone with Obama Administration?

Will Israel be the last nation willing to confront terror in the mid east? Atlas Shrugs recounts some of the hour long exchange between former UN Ambassador John Bolton and the Jerusalem Post this week.

Operation Cast Lead was timed to end immediately before US President Barack Obama's inauguration. Since then, rockets have continued to be fired on Israel from Gaza, with limited retaliation, and preparations for a possible second round. Had Israel not pulled out, would that have put an automatic strain on Jerusalem-Washington relations?

I do think the Obama administration will be less friendly to Israel than the Bush administration. And I understand why the leadership in Israel might have wanted the operation finished by January 20. There may have been other reasons to stop, as well, although with the renewed launching of rockets, those reasons are less apparent.

Military operations like Cast Lead should be carried through to their own logical conclusions, and I think Israel has to calibrate its military actions based on its own self-interest. Trying to judge what it should do based on American politics is a perilous venture.