Joined
·
2,566 Posts
I call BS. These are cowardly attacks and are all about the money plain and simple. Retaliatory attacks aren't even in the equation. Keep killing them and they'll soon get the message.The rescue was a dramatic blow to the pirates who have preyed on international shipping and hold more than a dozen ships with about 230 foreign sailors. But it is unlikely to do much to quell the region's growing pirate threat, which has transformed one of the world's busiest shipping lanes into one of its most dangerous. It also risked provoking retaliatory attacks.
$40,000,000.00 in paid ransoms so far by the shipping companies is a far bigger message, it's worth the risk.Retaliatory attacks aren't even in the equation. Keep killing them and they'll soon get the message.
Exactly. By paying the ransoms in the first place a very bad precedent was set, according to Wiki (which may not be the most reliable source) the payments are as high as $150MM in 2008 alone. It will require taking out the leadership on land to stop this threat, but can the US really handle a third front right now?$40,000,000.00 in paid ransoms so far by the shipping companies is a far bigger message, it's worth the risk.
Third front? Nothing like that is required. We tried to "nation build" in Somalia in the early 1990s. They didn't want to have a nation, especially one "built" by NATO. The ABC news article quotes a "spokesman" for the pirates (This is pretty surreal) as saying that from now on, any American merchantmen or sailors taken captive will be killed.can the US really handle a third front right now?
Seriously? There is no government to speak of in Somalia. There is nobody to make that demand to. Has your account been hijacked?We tried to "nation build" in Somalia in the early 1990s. They didn't want to have a nation, especially one "built" by NATO. The ABC news article quotes a "spokesman" for the pirates (This is pretty surreal) as saying that from now on, any American merchantmen or sailors taken captivw will be killed.
RESPONSE:
Step One: Make contact with the people employing the pirates and tell them that, the next time a US flag ship is attacked, or if a US national is killed, we will consider that a declaration of war by Somalia on the US. And that we will use the cheapest weapons available (big nasty bombs from B-52s) to kill the greatest number of Somalis in the pirate/fishermen ports withy the least chance of US losses. And that we will use the most relaible and accurate weapons available (cost no object to kill YOU) to target the Somali warlords.
Step Two: Carry out your promise and don't look back.
That doesn't mean there are no hierarchical or de facto authorities. Did I anywhere mention a Somali "government?" I didn't. But somebody's getting rich from these mega-million extortion payments, and they aren't necessarily the families of the pirates. BTW, do you suppose that these ransom funds are being used to support al-Qaeda and Taliban activities in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere? (That is to say, killing American and NATO, Iraqi and Afghan troops and civilians?)There is no government to speak of in Somalia.
+1 for Arc LightStep One: Make contact with the people employing these pirates and tell them that, the next time a US flag ship is attacked, or if a US national is killed, we will consider that a declaration of war by Somalia on the US. And that we will use the cheapest weapons available (big nasty dumb bombs from B-52s)
Well right there is your main problem....you believe what is posted at the Huffingtonpost! Seriously.....come on.Seriously? There is no government to speak of in Somalia. There is nobody to make that demand to. Has your account been hijacked?
Also, while it seems things have progressed beyond the initial environ in which the piracy began, it is worth a look at how it began:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/you-are-being-lied-to-abo_b_155147.html
Third front? Nothing like that is required. We tried to "nation build" in Somalia in the early 1990s. They didn't want to have a nation, especially one "built" by NATO. The ABC news article quotes a "spokesman" for the pirates (This is pretty surreal) as saying that from now on, any American merchantmen or sailors taken captive will be killed.
RESPONSE: We tried being "Mr. Nice Guy" in the 90s. That didn't work. But that's OK. We can be flexible.
Step One: Make contact with the people employing these pirates and tell them that, the next time a US flag ship is attacked, or if a US national is killed, we will consider that a declaration of war by Somalia on the US. And that we will use the cheapest weapons available (big nasty dumb bombs from B-52s) to kill the greatest number of Somalis in the pirate/fishermen ports with the least chance of US losses. After we empty the coastline, we just roll inland until we're bombing the Ethiopian and Kenyan border. And that we will use the most reliable and accurate weapons available (cost no object to kill YOU) to target the Somali warlords who are getting rich from the ransoms. Oh, and we'll find their stashes of ransom cash and use it to build US/Israeli holiday resport on the newly vacated Somali coast.
Step Two: Carry out your promise and don't look back.
+1We should charge protection money to offset the national debt.
I think this settles the old Pirates vs Ninjas question. When was the last time you heard about a ninja getting paid.$40,000,000.00 in paid ransoms so far by the shipping companies is a far bigger message, it's worth the risk.
Perhaps my reply was not precisely worded. The link I posted was meant to provide the following context:That doesn't mean there are no hierarchical or de facto authorities. Did I anywhere mention a Somali "government?" I didn't. But somebody's getting rich from these mega-million extortion payments, and they aren't necessarily the families of the pirates. BTW, do you suppose that these ransom funds are being used to support al-Qaeda and Taliban activities in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere? (That is to say, killing American and NATO, Iraqi and Afghan troops and civilians?)
As for the specious claim that Somali pirates are some ad hoc environmental "coast guard," since when do coast guards storm vessels at sea, take hostages and ransom cargoes and crews? Get a grip.
They are not the only source. Shall I go read FOX for the truth?Well right there is your main problem....you believe what is posted at the Huffingtonpost! Seriously.....come on.![]()
kinda hard to recruit new pirates when there are explody things falling on the port cities.-I'm not suggesting the pirates not be combated, just that carpet bombing everything from the coast through Ethiopia, in addition to being wrong, will accomplish nothing or make matters worse.
Dead pirates makes me happy. I was just b!tching about that situation yesterday, thinking of the Navy leaving that poor MF-er to rot on that lifeboat.
If I had my way, I'd throw the other one overboard and tell him to swim for it.
Kudos to the Navy SEALs !! F_yeah