Showing posts with label piracy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label piracy. Show all posts
December 21, 2011
Tribe Believes that SOPA Violates the First Amendment
April 15, 2009
Op-Ed Columnist - In the Age of Pirates - NYTimes.com
Op-Ed Columnist - In the Age of Pirates - NYTimes.com
Thomas Friedman is quick to deliver opinions, but comes up short on solutions. In fact, the problems in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea seem intractable. While not saying it outright, he is critical of TeamObama's foreign policy, which at this point is only a continuation of Bush foreign policy with a few overtures to problematic regimes like Iran and Cuba.
To be fair, there are no easy answers and the same GS career diplomats are working on these intractable problems. Thomas seems to be saying that military pressure may be a better solution...without quite recommending it.
Meanwhile Defense Secretary Gates says that the Somali piracy problem can only be solved 'on the ground.' He even hints, as others have at nation-building.
The world is full of rogues and bastards in addition to the RITS (Radical Islamic Terrorists) and RATS (Radical Arab Terrorists). BTW, I note with great humor the foolish new terms of art adopted by TeamObama for the war on terror/terrorism [this from WAPO 4/4/09: "SECRETARY OF STATE Hillary Rodham Clinton recently confirmed that the Obama administration has dropped the phrase "global war on terror." She didn't say why. "I think that speaks for itself. Obviously," was her elaboration...].
TeamObama seems to think they can soften the hearts of the Muslim world by describing reality in different words. Nonsense!
Thomas Friedman is quick to deliver opinions, but comes up short on solutions. In fact, the problems in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea seem intractable. While not saying it outright, he is critical of TeamObama's foreign policy, which at this point is only a continuation of Bush foreign policy with a few overtures to problematic regimes like Iran and Cuba.
To be fair, there are no easy answers and the same GS career diplomats are working on these intractable problems. Thomas seems to be saying that military pressure may be a better solution...without quite recommending it.
Meanwhile Defense Secretary Gates says that the Somali piracy problem can only be solved 'on the ground.' He even hints, as others have at nation-building.
[WSJ 4/14/09: "Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday that despite the successful rescue of an American merchant captain Sunday, piracy off the coast of Somalia will flourish until a stable government is established in Mogadishu.What? rebuild another nation? Not likely! It's obvious we (the world) have no viable answer.Mr. Gates said poverty and rampant criminality in Somalia make piracy an attractive option for local youths, and problems there are "probably going to get worse."
![[Robert Gates]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_teS6rdS6yHr_jHb73CmQeQ3eq5HYXRur7qOc601khHL_XuOZiNb_N08YUixL7dMEOFQ-tEp_6m4VcI5H7HT4ZH_ZBkgUXK0H97khzAx22c5Qvxzzlw_2HOVfs6Z-vlvkBCAadj1vuuMV1lLxM_9Ac=s0-d)
Robert Gates
"There is no purely military solution to it," Mr. Gates said in an address to the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Va. "There's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation for these kids.""]
The world is full of rogues and bastards in addition to the RITS (Radical Islamic Terrorists) and RATS (Radical Arab Terrorists). BTW, I note with great humor the foolish new terms of art adopted by TeamObama for the war on terror/terrorism [this from WAPO 4/4/09: "SECRETARY OF STATE Hillary Rodham Clinton recently confirmed that the Obama administration has dropped the phrase "global war on terror." She didn't say why. "I think that speaks for itself. Obviously," was her elaboration...].
TeamObama seems to think they can soften the hearts of the Muslim world by describing reality in different words. Nonsense!
April 13, 2009
In Rescue of Captain, Navy Kills 3 Pirates - NYTimes.com
In Rescue of Captain, Navy Kills 3 Pirates - NYTimes.com
We in Vermont are very thankful for the safe rescue of Captain Phillips on Easter Sunday by America's finest.
This was made for TV reality ad exhibits the best of what we have learned in dealing with renegade terrorists, kidnappers and pirates. We'll never know all the details of the tightly coordinated efforts of the Navy, the work of the Navy Seals in particular, the FBI and other government agencies who pulled this off. But what we do know is that we can win tactically when the conditions are 'right.'
Strategically, dealing with the pirates presents a much bigger problem because they hold so many hostages and shippers are willing to pay to retrieve their crews, cargoes and ships. If the United Nations was worth its salt, it would mount a targeted strategic effort to focus the world's naval resources on the pirate entrepreneurs. Little hope for that from the feckless U.N. that consumed nearly as much time fussing over the language of a worthless 'condemnation of North Korea's missile launch.
Some of the TV talking heads mumbled yesterday about rebuilding the nation of Somalia in order to control the piracy. At best, wishful thinking, but in my view, utter nonsense!
I think convoys of ships escorted by armed naval forces offer the best near-term hope to thwart this scourge, at least for the few hundred miles of heavily traveled routes. Sinking a few of the pirate vessels on their way to a target would be a strong signal that their successful business model has some downside risk. If we can identify them as pirates, we can certainly track their ships via satellite and blowing a few out of the water may be a deterrent.
A WSJ editorial includes this thought:
Meanwhile, creative minds, I'm certain, are working on a plan to target the shore-based pirate operations.
We in Vermont are very thankful for the safe rescue of Captain Phillips on Easter Sunday by America's finest.
This was made for TV reality ad exhibits the best of what we have learned in dealing with renegade terrorists, kidnappers and pirates. We'll never know all the details of the tightly coordinated efforts of the Navy, the work of the Navy Seals in particular, the FBI and other government agencies who pulled this off. But what we do know is that we can win tactically when the conditions are 'right.'
Strategically, dealing with the pirates presents a much bigger problem because they hold so many hostages and shippers are willing to pay to retrieve their crews, cargoes and ships. If the United Nations was worth its salt, it would mount a targeted strategic effort to focus the world's naval resources on the pirate entrepreneurs. Little hope for that from the feckless U.N. that consumed nearly as much time fussing over the language of a worthless 'condemnation of North Korea's missile launch.
Some of the TV talking heads mumbled yesterday about rebuilding the nation of Somalia in order to control the piracy. At best, wishful thinking, but in my view, utter nonsense!
I think convoys of ships escorted by armed naval forces offer the best near-term hope to thwart this scourge, at least for the few hundred miles of heavily traveled routes. Sinking a few of the pirate vessels on their way to a target would be a strong signal that their successful business model has some downside risk. If we can identify them as pirates, we can certainly track their ships via satellite and blowing a few out of the water may be a deterrent.
A WSJ editorial includes this thought:
"While praising the rescue, Mr. Obama added yesterday that "we must continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks, be prepared to interdict acts of piracy and ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held accountable for their crimes." But since the Navy can't stop every hijacking, some kind of military action against pirates on land may be needed. The Somali gangs operate openly in the port city of Eyl and claim "shares" in ships held for ransom. The willingness of the Saudis and Europeans to pay ransom is one reason the pirates have become so brazen.
Somali pirates are turning the high seas into a state of anarchy not seen in a century or more. They'll continue to terrorize innocents until what we call the "civilized world" demonstrates that they will suffer the same fate as the pirates who made the mistake of kidnapping Captain Phillips."
Meanwhile, creative minds, I'm certain, are working on a plan to target the shore-based pirate operations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)