as usual, things are not necessarily as simple as they appear.

http://tinyurl.com/9h7cq9



Yup.

I don't understand why, if there is such a huge problem, the tankers don't find another route.  I would also caution against the feelings of sending out a fighting force as protection.  The Somalian Coast isn't anywhere near the mainland of the USA, and they the cargo ships are private concerns.  I don't see why my tax dollars should go towards providing security for private companies.  I may be wrong, but it doesn't sound right.

as usual, things are not necessarily as simple as they appear.

http://tinyurl.com/9h7cq9



Karma for that editorial.

I noticed in the news they didn't bother to mention why Somalis are turning to piracy.  We are just supposed to assume it's because they're vicious and nasty -- and they are, the pirates that is.  

Their country is also dispossessed.  Somalia is in a state of near anarchy with the threat of famine ever present.  Whatever political events transpired in the past twenty years, the average Somali had no say in them.  

Now, as Mr. Hari points out, the rich countries are poisoning their environment and stealing their food.  What would you have them do?  

Can we see similarities among Somali pirates, Afghan terrorists, and Chicago gangsters?  Yes.  They are all starting from zero.  They are all feared and hated, and the blood they shed is never the blood of their true oppressors.

This does not mean we make heroes out of bomb-toting terrorists, urban dope dealers, or pirates off the coast of Africa but understanding why any of these bad actors exist requires analysis beyond the Cheney mantra: "Because they're evil."

What abut the next Captain Phillips?  How many more Captain Phillipses are there to be?  

Are we going to demand our governments and our corporations admit responsibility for their role in setting the stage for the piracy epidemic?  It doesn't look like it.  We haven't event gotten around to that question in the latest panic over the drug wars in Mexico.
::)

something about the whole gleefullness over the captain rescue reminds me of when the saddam hussein statue fell or when they captured hussein. people were all rah-rah and i was being a pest, going, dude, this statue thing is complete BS, and everyone came down on me. Someone was all, "The greatest moment of freedom in history and here you are being a wet blanket! i feel SORRY for you!" and here we are six years later, going, hmm. maybe that statue thing wasn't so great after all.

don't get me wrong, i was very impressed with the captain's heroism (more so, frankly, than with the snipers; that was damned risky and could have ended up very differently, although i'm glad it worked). but piling on the somalis as a whole or getting all rah-rah might be a bit premature. if i were the obama administration i'd be dispatching more forces to try and protect the other hostages being held to try and avert reprisals that might undermine US relations with the countries those hostages are from. i dont mean to piss on the parade but this could still backfire.

I agree, though the situation is rather different from Saddam being deposed. 

That's the danger of the "rah-rah" nationalism.  People really do feel like they're pissing on the parade if they say, "Hey, wait a minute..."

I wanted to bring up some of the same issues as you, but I also thought they might very well kill Captain Phillips, so I put it on hold until he was safe. 

By the way... thinking about this...

The news reports say that those snipers shot two of the pirates from about 75 yards away when "they popped up their heads".  That is very short range, pretty much a "gimme" for a naval sniper.  Like Tiger Woods playing putt-putt.

Those Naval sniper rifles are extremely high power.  I have to think that those pirates now look like The Headless Horseman.  Had to be one hell of a mess...

By the way... thinking about this...

The news reports say that those snipers shot two of the pirates from about 75 yards away when "they popped up their heads".  That is very short range, pretty much a "gimme" for a naval sniper.  Like Tiger Woods playing putt-putt.

Those Naval sniper rifles are extremely high power.  I have to think that those pirates now look like The Headless Horseman.  Had to be on hell of a mess...
oh man, you hate to ponder that. poor captain guy must have felt like he had a front-row seat at a gallagher concert. he's like, yeah, okay, it's great being hailed as a hero and all, but next time i'm sending the first mate to do that sheesh. "what's that? more pirates lookin' for hostages? gilligan, li'l buddy, looks like you're up."

I heard those pirates were three teenagers with rifles. 
:o

I heard those pirates were three teenagers with rifles. 
:o
like most front-line soldiers, then.

I heard those pirates were three teenagers with rifles. 
:o


And no heads...

And no heads...


Arrrr me maties! Draw near and I tell ye the tale of the three teenage headless pirates who haunt these here depths to this day!
:-\\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcyGStVc8QY

young turks sound off!

And no heads...


http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/7982/fpsdoug1ei.gif

BOOM! Headshot!

Ninjas 3, Pirates 0. 

If we're talking about SEALs, the only surprise is that the score wasn't 4:0.