Reader Response: Somalia Attacks Justified?

The attack on Somalia is just another reason why the US foreign policy for the past 50 years has disgusted me. We who believe in peace in the world must get behind a strong United Nations to convince the US that their actions and foreign policies are destroying the world. I have lost complete respect for their sanity. I say this as a 61-year-old female nana of four from Canada. The suffering of women and children all over the world and their looks of pain are never far from my mind. The backroom dealings with a bunch of rich, old men seem to be dictating the fate of so many innocent people who deserve to live their lives too. - Sherry Smith

Attacks occurred near the Somali-Kenyan border

The US is totally justified in carrying out air strikes in Somalia, or any other country for that matter, that is harboring terrorists. These people are responsible for killing American citizens, as well as many other people from all over the world. We cannot let these people get away with these crimes. The entire world has to stand up to these animal terrorists, Europe included. If the world does not stand up now, we will have a much, much bigger problem in the years to come. No one stood up to Hitler until it was too late, we can't afford to do the same thing again. - Richard Mattis

Pre-emptive strikes that kill innocent civilians and destabilize economies only encourage more people to believe violence and terror are solutions. Many in the US find President Bush's foreign policy deplorable. - Dorothea Izzo

While I am not confident of the overall wisdom of launching these attacks, I've no doubt that those on the receiving end of the attacks richly deserve them. - Tom

The US gets criticized for actions taken to stem terrorism. Terrorists are killing defenseless men, women, children and our freedom. How do you bring terrorists in for peace talks? Let history speak for itself. Europe has harbored and produced terrorists over the centuries because they dealt with words and promises and the terrorists replied with tanks and guns, killing civilians indiscriminately. We do not want to see history repeat itself, therefore we will stop them when and where ever we find them. In doing so, we may succeed in saving lives here and abroad. - Frank Penna

Readers disagreed on Europe's reaction to the attacks

My friends in Germany, wake up and smell the jihad. Just look around you and observe your beautiful yet sad country, reeling from a century of warfare, and understandably wishing for peace in this world, being assaulted from within by an evil religious and philosophical threat. These are the very same people causing death and mayhem in the Middle East, Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, England, Spain, Thailand, and virtually in every horrific hotspot on the entire planet. Eradicating these people, especially their fanatical and absolutely evil leaders, as was done in Somalia just now, is the only way to achieve a true and lasting peace. Somalia will only have this chance by eliminating the radical Islamic threat. Only a fool loves war, but only an extinct fool ignores those intent on killing and dominating him. Godspeed to the Ethiopian army. More civilized nations, especially the "blind mice" of Europe, had better come on board before it's too late. Germany: you have fought for all the wrong reasons in the 20th century; now is the time to redeem yourself and fight for the right reason. - Ron Jendry

I believe it was the Islamist and warlords that destabilized Somalia, not the USA, which killed a known terrorist, one that could have easily struck any of the EU embassies or nations. I believe that the EU has lost perspective here and that it is easier for the EU to criticize than it is to take action or stand by a known ally. - J. Becher