Somali Pirates vow to fight US Navy

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Kevin

If there are no NGOs there right now, I think it's safe to assume that they either consider the country too dangerous or too corrupt [or both] to benefit from the services of an NGO. I do understand that western powers have attempted (unsuccessfully) several times to colonize Somalia and Ethiopia. The countries are full of veteran guerilla fighters who are completely loyal to their tribes/warlords/whatever. I don't think the cost-benefit analysis of trying to control the country via military occupation is something that's going to work out. Nor do I think that we can pour money into NGOs and other relief agencies and expect anything to happen (besides warlords siphoning everything away).

Sadly, I think the best option here is simply level all of their port towns and destroy any large ships in the country. The people in this country, due to the political and social issues there, I think are beyond our help.

Isn't that essentially what we did to the Barbary Pirates way back when? Destroyed their ports/fleets?

I understand your points but...if I remember correctly (and quite honestly I don't have time to track down all of that history so anyone who does can help) isn't it becaus eof Western colonization and de colonization mostly responsible for why these countries are in the shape they are now? My co worker (who is from South Africa) says so (doesn't make it so however but she has a lot of insight on this) and states because of this that these countries were left with scraps to fight over.

With that said, then how much better are we making it further destroying and further destabalizing these countries by taking out their fleets and ports. How much better would it make the West look by doing that?

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

With that said, then how much better are we making it further destroying and further destabalizing these countries by taking out their fleets and ports. How much better would it make the West look by doing that?

It wouldn't help them at all but it would help us because then there wouldn't be any pirates.

I don't really how it would look. Why should the West care about that?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I understand your points but...if I remember correctly (and quite honestly I don't have time to track down all of that history so anyone who does can help) isn't it becaus eof Western colonization and de colonization mostly responsible for why these countries are in the shape they are now? My co worker (who is from South Africa) says so (doesn't make it so however but she has a lot of insight on this) and states because of this that these countries were left with scraps to fight over.

Western colonization may be an indirect cause, but for the most part, as in many failed African states' cases, their problems are by and large self imposed. They had a working government for about a decade before they got caught up in some war over land with Ethiopia (note: never ever go to war with Ethiopia, those folks have a long, long history of dealing out ass kickings to major powers). After that, the government pretty much collapsed and never picked up steam again.

If I could name one issue which has been a major cause of failure (directly) in African states, I would have to say that tribalism is probably it and that colonialism makes a nice scapegoat, but c'mon... that was a long, long time ago. It's time for some of these countries to look within for their problems rather than to Western meddling in the early 20th century.

With that said, then how much better are we making it further destroying and further destabalizing these countries by taking out their fleets and ports. How much better would it make the West look by doing that?

Well, since the country as an entity really doesn't exist, I don't see how you can really make much of an argument that "they" have anything to do with those fleets and ports. And if a criminal enterprise is using the failed state as a cover to commit piracy, then eff 'em. Somalia had its shot and won't again until someone there emerges with enough power to really control a good piece of territory. An alternative might be to allow the piracy to continue so that whoever controls the coast might actually have a shot at becoming the new government? Who knows?

I'm glad this isn't my problem.

[moe.ron]

Another problem is the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia 3 years ago. That caused more damaged then good, rendering Somalia in a bigger mess.


Here's a wiki article on that invasion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_...2%80%93present)

[FHwku]

anytime you have coastal or fishing based communities living in abject poverty, piracy seems inevitable. their fishing resources are being depleted. Rayaale's weak transitional government fuels continued civil strife. it probably sucks to be Somalian. it has sucked to be Somali for some time.

there are other resources in Somalia: largely unexploited reserves of iron ore and probably oil, as well as other minerals. but those won't help much if they can't resolve transnational and civil issues. plus, the weather is shitty. oh, and everybody is hungry as hell.

[cheerfulgreek]

I'm watching the news, and they're saying three of the pirates popped their heads out of the boat and Navy SEALS took all three of them out with three quick shots. lol

[Kevin]

Flash game featuring pirates popping their heads out of holes in 3...2...1....

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Flash game featuring pirates popping their heads out of holes in 3...2...1....

lol lol

[agzg]

On Chicago 5 news last night they were reporting on the captain being released and the Somalis being killed and it was the most hilarious thing.

It looked like a flash game. Two construction paper "floating" boats, dark "Somali" shady figures, and a picture (square, no less) of the captain popping in and out of the smaller boat. The story is not lolworthy, but they way they reported it had me dying.

[AGDee]

I heard on the radio that the cargo this particular ship was carrying was food aid for Somalia and a couple other countries in the region.

[DaemonSeid]

...Done!

[Kevin]

Them too.