At this location Eric Posner talks about what we can do about the piracy thing. Worth the read. His conclusion is that there isn't much we can do in the mid-term (we have already acted in the short-term, in ways that we applaud, but may later regret).
Does anyone out there have a solution that will reduce the piracy problem, maintain our relations with our allies, curry favor in the Horn of Africa and also boost the standard of living of those who have felt forced to turn to piracy? If so, I think I can get you an interview with mid-level officials in the Obama Administration. Just let me know.
Regards — Cliff
3 comments:
Historically, the only proven solution to any piracy problem is in their home port(s). I should think stablizing the economies and politics of Eritrea, Ethiopia and the Sudan would go a long way towards reducing the economic incentives for piracy, not to mention create the home port policing necessary to control the problem from there. A mere fraction of what we've wasted in Iraq would have gone a long way towards solving all this a long time ago, but there's no time like the present to do better. I also have to believe food aid to starving Muslims in the Sudan wouldn't hurt our global reputation in the process.
Cliff,
Solving problems like that is REALLY hard.
Throwing spitballs, however, is easy, and I'm feeling lazy, so here goes a wet wad of paper:
How amazing is the righteous indignation of the pirates? Not sure if you've seen all these pirate quotes that are in some of the media stories, but it's as if no one had done ANYTHING provocative in the first place..it's like, yes, I can rob you, blindfold you, threaten you with weapons, etc. but if you respond with force, now you're bad. And now I hate you.
If I walked into a bank with a weapon, demanded all the cash out of the register, but then got shot by a policeman, haven't I sort of lost the moral high ground I might have if, say, I were hit inside my house by a cop's stray bullet?
Also, if we're going to aid folks in the Sudan, let's keep all the suffering in mind...not such a great place to be Christian these days..
best,
gp
I think the Pirates are following the rules in the UK, where pulling a plastic gun on someone breaking into your house can get you in a lot of trouble.
I am betting that chap we took on board and didn't shoot is going to be a lot of trouble before it is over. His lawyers might argue that he was really on board under a flag of truce and thus we should return him to Somalia. They might argue that he is under age (16 to 20 is the latest guess I saw). Then there is the fact that he is an economic refugee. On the other hand, I think that a trial is the way to do it—that or sent him to Gua...no, forget that.
Regards — Cliff
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