Jeremy Scahill - Dirty Wars

491 “We shall fight the enemy wherever they are”:“Somalia’s al-Shabab Rebels Leave Mogadishu,” BBC.co.uk, August 6, 2011.

491 “harvest the fruits of peace”:Jeffrey Fleishman and Lutfi Sheriff Mohammed, “Somali Shabab Militants Retreat from Mogadishu,” Los Angeles Times, August 6, 2011.

491 90 percent of the city:Abdi Sheikh Mohamed Ahmed, “Fighting Erupts in Somali Capital After Rebels Say Leaving,” Reuters, August 7, 2011.

491 20,000 troops:“World Must Aid Somalia at Historic Juncture on Its Road to Stability—UN Envoy,” UN News Centre, August 10, 2011.

491 “Al-Qaeda’s elements in East Africa”:Michael G. Vickers, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, “The Evolution of Al-Qaeda and Associated Movements,” prepared remarks for delivery at a National Defense University symposium, September 13–14, 2011, www.ndu.edu/inss/docuploaded/VICKERS.pdf.

491 fifteen-ton truck:Mohamed Ibrahim and Jeffrey Gettleman, “Truck Bomb Kills Dozens in Somalia’s Capital,” New York Times , October 4, 2011.

491 “This is the biggest attack”:Clar Ni Chonghaile, “Mogadishu Truck Bomb: al-Shabaab Insurgents Claim Responsibility,” Guardian, October 4, 2011.

492 launched an offensive:Jeffrey Gettleman, “African Union Force Makes Strides Inside Somalia,” New York Times , November 24, 2011.

492 “Battle of Daynile”:“The Burundian Bloodbath: Battle of Dayniile,” video, 32:28, propaganda video from al Shabab’s Al-Kata’ib Media Foundation, released November 12, 2011, posted on Vimeo by “Saadaal Wacan,” November 12, 2011, http://vimeo.com/32059413. The author relies on the video for details of Shabab’s treatment of the slain soldiers, and for the statement from Sheik Rage.

492 “Claims of al-Shabab’s imminent collapse”:Christopher Anzalone, “Al-Shabab’s Setbacks in Somalia,” CTC Sentinel 4 (10) (October 2011).

493 series of meetings:Ibid.

493 “To our beloved brothers and sisters”:Jamal Osman, “Al-Qaida Targets Somalia Drought Victims with Cash Handouts,” Guardian , November 1, 2011.

493 “Whoever thinks today”:“Speech of Mujahid Sheikh Mukhtar Abu Al-Zubeyr About the Death of Qaddafi and the Historical Battle of Dayniile,” translation and transcription of speech delivered by Mukhtar Abu al-Zubeyr (aka Ahmed Abdi Godane), posted on the Ansar al-Mujahideen forum on November 17, 2011, www.ansar1.info/show-thread.php?t=36981.

494 “They are not fighting for a cause”:Author interview, Mohamed Ahmed Nur, June 2011.

494 “If you use the drone”:Author interview, Ismail Mahmoud Hurre, June 2011.

494 new drone base in Ethiopia:Craig Whitlock, “U.S. Drone Base in Ethiopia Is Operational,” Washington Post , October 27, 2011.

495 “always thought that it is best”:Author interview, Nasser al Awlaki, January 2012. All statements and information attributed to Nasser al Awlaki come from the author’s interview, unless otherwise noted.

495 one of the closest people to my heart:Author interview, Abir al Awlaki, September 2012.

496 “Ibn al Shaykh”:Facebook page of Abdulrahman al Awlaki, screenshot downloaded by author.

496 loved hip-hop music:Author interviews, Awlaki family members, August 2012. The following details about Abdulrahman come from the author’s interviews with family members.

496 Abdulrahman woke up:Author interview, Nasser al Awlaki, January 2012. Details about Abdulrahman’s departure come from the author’s interview with Awlaki, unless otherwise noted.

496 had turned sixteen:Author copy of Abdulrahman al Awlaki’s birth certificate.

496 “I am sorry for leaving”:This description of Abdulrahman’s note is based on the recollections of family members.

496 “find his father through him”:Author interview, Saleha al Awlaki, September 2012.

498 “The CIA has become more militarized”:Author interview, Philip Giraldi, March 2012. All information and statements attributed to Philip Giraldi are from the author’s interview.

498 “a mini-Special Operations Command”:Author interview, State Department liaison, November 2012.

498 “be a major player”:Author interview, Colonel W. Patrick Lang, November 2012.

498 interrogation sessions with Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame:Daniel Klaidman, Kill or Capture: The War on Terror and the Soul of the Obama Presidency (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012), p. 263.

499 small house in Khashef:David S. Cloud, Jeffrey Fleishman, and Brian Bennett, “U.S. Drone Strike in Yemen Kills U.S.-Born Al Qaeda Figure Awlaki,” Los Angeles Times, October 1, 2011.

499 kingdom’s payroll:Mark Mazzetti, Eric Schmitt, and Robert F. Worth, “C.I.A. Strike Kills U.S.-Born Militant in a Car in Yemen,” New York Times, October 1, 2011.

499 seeing drones hovering:Sudarsan Raghavan, “Anwar al-Aulaqi, US-Born Cleric Linked to al-Qaeda, Killed in Yemen,” Washington Post , October 1, 2011.

499 took operational control:Greg Miller, “Strike on Aulaqi Demonstrates Collaboration Between CIA and Military,” Washington Post, September 30, 2011.

499 Operation Troy:“U.S. Officials Warn of Possible Retaliation After al Qaeda Cleric Is Killed,” CNN.com, September 30, 2011.

499 arrived in Ataq:Interview, Nasser al Awlaki, August 2012. All information and statements attributed to Nasser al Awlaki come from the author’s interview, unless otherwise noted. The details of Abdulrahman’s movements in Shabwah are based on the author’s interview.

499 “I called the family house”:Interview, Saleha al Awlaki, August 2012. All information and statements attributed to Abdulrahman’s grandmother, Saleha, are from the author’s interview.

499 “no qualms”:Klaidman, Kill or Capture, p. 264.

500 “Bring it to me and let me decide”:Ibid.

500 “collateral requirements”:Ibid.

500 stayed in the same house:Ibid.

500 finished their breakfast:Sudarsan Raghavan, “Awlaqi Hit Misses Al-Qaeda Bombmaker, Yemen Says,” Washington Post , September 30, 2011.

500 JSOC aircraft and ground forces:David Martin, “Al-Awlaki Strike Plan Included Jets, Special Ops,” CBSNews.com, September 30, 2011.

500 “eleven missiles missed”:Shaykh Harith al Nadari, “My Story with al-Awlaki,” Inspire 9 (winter 2012), released May 2012.

500 “Anwar Awlaki has been killed”:“Anwar al-Awlaki Killed in Yemen,” AlJazeera.com, September 30, 2011.

500 9:55 a.m. local time:“U.S. Officials Warn of Possible Retaliation After al Qaeda Cleric Is Killed.”

500 jambiya dagger:Author interview, Nasser al Awlaki, January 2012.

501 “Earlier this morning”:Transcript, “Remarks by the President at the ‘Change of Office’ Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ceremony,” Fort Myer, VA, September 30, 2011.