U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Escapes Harm After Somali Mortar Attack!

A U.S congressman from New Jersey escaped danger after some Somalis fired mortar shells at the airport that his plane took off from.U.S. Rep. Donald Payne was briefed on the perils of traveling to Mogadishu.As chairman of the subcommittee of Africa,he wanted to visit with Somalia's president and prime minister to discuss piracy among other things.He was warned by the State dept. not to go there,but U.S. Rep. Donald Payne felt secure enough to go.Unfortunately,his trip got cut short & he did not get a chance to have that meeting.

Mr. Payne thinks that the U.S. policy should be changed towards Somalia.He said that we should support Somalia's new government because it would really help to combat piracy.Instead of pouring money into Afghanistan & ignoring Somalia,our government needs to give some financial assistance to Somalia,he says.Donald Payne says that a strong Somalia is the key to a stronger Africa!And we all know that Somalia is in desperate need of a governing body!

Here's more on the attack that was aimed at the U.S. congressman:

"Payne, who represents portions of Essex, Hudson and Union counties in northern New Jersey, is chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health. Part of Payne's mission was to investigate how to stamp out the country's rampant piracy.

"He felt it was important to travel there to see first-hand what was happening," McKenney said.

Pirates in Somalia have threatened retaliation for Sunday's U.S. Navy operation that killed three Somali pirates who had been holding an American shipping captain hostage.

But there's no evidence, as of early Monday afternoon, linking the incident at the Mogadishu airport with the operation that liberated hijacked sea captain Richard Phillips, U.S. officials insisted.

An African Union official who witnessed the shelling at the Mogadishu airport, told AFP, "The plane of the congressman was leaving and the mortars started falling."

"There were no casualties, but the attack was aimed at the congressman," the official told AFP.

At a press conference before he departed for the airport, Payne championed broader efforts against piracy and defended the deadly operation to free Phillips.

"I think that any country, any company has the right to protect itself and to protect employees and citizens. The action of the United States was not inappropriate but the piracy was inappropriate," he said.

"Illegal activities must be dealt with," he said. "If you don't deal with criminal behavior then they will continue."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.