The US must speak so the pirates understand

Piracy on the high seas has been a military issue for the United States since the founding of the Republic. President Thomas Jefferson waged our first foreign war to fight Islamic pirates in the Mediterranean.

So why is President Barack Obama dithering full-speed ahead, with the FBI impounding the pirated Maersk Alabama as a "crime scene"? Why doesn't the Navy have standing orders to kill any pirate who harasses an American ship or crewman on the high seas?

Islamist pirates preying on innocent shipping off Somalia operate under a defined command-and-control system, often through tribal elders on land.

Tribal elders "represent" the pirates and agreed to help free kidnapped Maersk Alabama skipper Richard Phillips of Vermont, as long as the US would allow the pirates to go free. This indicates the level of influence - if not control - the elders have over the criminal groups.

The US, with lawyers in command, insisted on arresting the pirates. The Somali elders said no deal. We should have agreed with the elders not to arrest the pirates. Then we should have made the exchange for the heroic freighter captain - and shot the pirates dead. That's how the law works in a lawless land.

Dispatching the pirates and their sponsors at the first provocation would allow President Obama to send the right political message in a language that Somali warlords and Islamist pirates understand.

Obama needs to do it right now, before it's too late: Keep your hands off American ships and crew, or you will die. But he shouldn't diminish the office of the American presidency by getting personally involved. He should let others send the message. If Obama lets four Somali pirates can tie his hands and neuter the US Navy, then he will be declaring open season on more American ships and on American interests and citizens around the world.

As for ships and citizen crews of other countries? If their governments support us in the war on terror, we should help them if we can. If not, it isn't our problem because their governments chose not to be our allies.

(Satirical "Hands Off Somali Pirates" art courtesy of the PeoplesCube.com.)

Comments

[Rick Barnes]

I am so relieved that CAPT Phillips is now safe and free and out of harm’s way! He has given us all the best example of leadership possible by risking his own life and becoming a captive of the Somali pirates in order to guarantee the safety of his crew members. God bless the U.S. Navy SEALs for always doing “good things for our country” quietly, effectively and efficiently.

[Matt]

Excellent post.

[jasmine]

the somali pirates are doing a great job..i dont know why this american think they can go and pour toxic waste on peopls land and there not gonna do anything about it they forgot who they were dealing with. the somali people are very dageorous and are not scared to die unlike the american!!!go pirates yay!!