Somali Pirates and Obama
After Somali pirates hijacked an American ship earlier this week, most of the crew got away. The captain, however, was taken hostage. The pirates say they will release him if they are paid $2 million. Obviously, Washington D.C., cannot agree to such a deal.
It took the media and bloggers a few days – initial reaction was calm – but slowly but surely people started to wonder whether there was not something Obama could and should do. At the very moment that debate ignited, other Somali pirates hijacked yet another American boat.
The result: Team Obama has an international emergency on its hands. The longer the hostage situation lasts, the more people will join the growing chorus of hardline critics. Some, such as Duane Patterson on Ed Morrissey’s Internet Talk Radio Show yesterday, believe the U.S. should consider the pirates terrorists. This means they have to be dealt with swiftly, smoothly and violently.
Others, such as Morrissey himself, believe Obama was right – initially at least – to refrain from commenting on the crisis. There was not much he could do – negotations were (still are) in progress. Everything he says about the matter will have an impact. As such, keeping his mouth shut (correct me if I summarize your earlier position wrongly Ed) was Obama’s only option.
Reports now say some members of the military are advocating a military response. Attack the pirates and the extremists on land. Destroy their training facilities. Do not let them get away with this, do not treat them like common criminals.
I initially believed the pirates should be treated like… pirates, but the more I read about this matter, the more I get the impression that extremism might actually be involved. Somalia has a tremendous radicals-problem. If the pirates resemble Osama Bin Laden more in their beliefs than Captain Jack Sparrow, the U.S. has no other choice but to try to rescue the hostages and to bomb pirates and Somali extremists wherever they are.
You can, in theory, negotiate with criminals – not with extremists.
Lets wake up. The people in the position to save Mr Richard Phillips (an AMERICAN) should have done so at first. This is the first time in a very long time that the pirates have captured an AMERICAN! If we do nothing and let the pirates continue we (USA) are asking for further trouble. What would be next? A carnival cruise line held captive by pirates sometime soon? Lets get our American freed asap! Freedom isn’t fee is we (USA) can’t even protect our citizens in harm way. Furthermore countries who host pirates need to be dealt with in the utmost hand of the highest law. Please save Mr. Phillips!
Please read A Cooperative Strategy
for 21st Century Seapower United states Navy
I hope somebody could understand the need to protect and defend our citizens and not too wait. Please send these pirates a msg not to take free people hostage. Thank you
It’s starting to look like the administration is only interested in getting away from this story, and that the compliant MSM are doing their best to bury the problem for them.
The ships’ captain is a brave and good man and he deserves better.
It appears the liberals have found a way to end piracy. They’re going to stage a series of 12 benefit concerts for the pirates, beginning July 13, 2009, and ending July 13, 2010 — the 25th anniversary of the first LIVE AID concert to benefit Ethiopian famine relief efforts.