These days, there is no question of a bombardment of the port of Eyl, the main pirate base on the Somali coast.

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An air bombardment war is also out of the question as the USAF bomber fleet is too few in numbers to make a difference.

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They also question the long-term effects of an intense, sustained bombardment that could leave Iraq in bits, its north gobbled up by Turkey, its south by Iran, its middle decapitated.

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