A Definition of Terror

(CBS/AP) A U.S. Air Force gunship has conducted a strike against suspected members of al Qaeda in Somalia, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports exclusively.

The targets included the senior al Qaeda leader in East Africa and an al Qaeda operative wanted for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa, Martin reports. Those terror attacks killed more than 200 people.

The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second, and sources say a lot of bodies were seen on the ground after the strike, but there is as yet, no confirmation of the identities.

One night in November of 2005 I had an odd moment of reflection. I sat in relative quiet as a storm raged just a few thousand meters south of me. I watched the sky for nearly an hour as an AC-130 Spectre gunship circled the city of Fallujah. The sky was filled with many other sites and objects but the gunshp was the most interesting and fascinating. From within the belly of this beast spewed the most horrendous and awe inspiring sight - fiery death in short bursts.

The aircraft carries three automatic cannons ranging from 25mm to 40mm and one 105mm gun. It has an IR and radar package that allows the plane to see in day or night, fog, rain, snow, sandstorm or any other nuisances.

Imagine for a moment not being 2000 meters away from the target area but instead actually being the target. All you see is a flash of light, by the time you hear the thud of the 105 or the burp of the automatic cannons you are also hearing the explosions around you.

These weapons certainly give the US a tremendous advantage but if you ever really want a definition of terror - seek out and find someone that has been in the target area of one of these monsters, if they still live.