My must read of the day is "Raids Suggest Future Shape Of Counterterror Bids," from the Associated Press:
The U.S. commando raids in Libya and Somalia suggest the future shape of U.S. counterterrorism efforts — brief, targeted raids against highly sought extremist figures — and highlight the rise of Africa as a terrorist haven.
What stood out most to me was the briefly mentioned issue of "the rise of Africa as a terrorist haven."
The fact that Africa is a safe-haven for terrorists isn’t new, but it nevertheless reminds us that places America neglects become breeding grounds for jihadists who turn their attentions to our allies—and to us. I’m talking here about Syria. We may not have intervened militarily, but it’s not over. There are still thousands of foreign terrorists fighting in Syria.
It wasn’t this way two years ago. It has deteriorated to that, and it would have been far less likely to do so had the United States been involved earlier.
When you think about possible outcomes for Syria and ponder the arguments that a stalemate is the best route, also remember that what we see in Africa is a real possibility. A terrorist safe haven, similar to Somalia, is an enormous threat that should not be taken lightly. Syria is on a trajectory to become exactly that.