Comments on: A model decision?

By: Kalliegh

Kalliegh — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:13:51 +0000

The problems in Somalia are anything but NEW. The criminal activity in that one region has been and will remain rampant. Neither is Piracy new. I also thought of Thomas Jefferson’s solution, when I first heard of the Captain taken hostage by the Pirates and held for ransom. I recalled what Thomas Jefferson did when confronted with similar circumstances. He sent in U.S. Marines to Tripoli to deal with the Pirates.

The lawlessness in Somalia and lack of real authority is the real dilemma, the U.S. or any other Country has no one person to exercise any sort of diplomacy with? So how can this be put to rest by “Diplomatic” means,and does our current President, have the ways and means to end this terrorism?

President Thomas Jefferson did not believe in paying ransoms to the pirates. He took the battle to them. Thomas Jefferson did not have the United Nations and NATO in his time. The U.N. SHOULD step in.
We have more than enough evidence in that region to know that it is filled with Al Qaeda terrorists, they killed our sailors in the attack on the USS Cole, the U.S. Army Rangers gave their lives in the streets of Somalia. Have we forgotten them too?

The U.S. Marines have not forgotten the war on piracy, it is still in the Anthem for their Corp. “To The Shores Of Tripoli.”
Yet, can the United States get involved in yet another conflict on another side of the hemisphere? I believe the United Nations should step in. Of course they were not of much use the last time, and for all I know they may still have some forces in the region. I do know that Somali is NOT a safe place to visit, and you can not read anything that isn’t “BAD NEWS” about that country. Who is prepared deal with this piracy before many lives are lost, when ransoms begin to be refused to be payed? There are many good articles on the net about the parallel between Jefferson and the Piracy that is happening in this century. I am sure that were he alive he would be appalled that this sort of thing was still going on, and, that we, the United States were doing nothing about it.
A good website to read is http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/8348/ “Fixing Somali Piracy the ‘Jefferson’ Way”.

By: Teredo

Teredo — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:24:27 +0000

While I agree that the place to hit the pirates is ashore, the absence of any central government authority or law enforcement in Somalia would only mean a temporary respite before the pirates were back in business again. Why the owners of these merchant vessels seem unable to protect their ships baffles me. There must be thousands of ex special forces personal from the States and Europe who would jump at the chance, if properly armed and well rewarded, to sign on to protect these ships for passage through these waters. The cost of arranging such protection couldn’t possibly compare with the ransoms being currently demanded and paid.

By: KevMikeF

KevMikeF — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:53:39 +0000

“…attack them at their home bases.” is definitely the way to go. I suspect that, in the near future, that is exactly what we’ll see. And, between now and then, there will be very little talk, or bluster, if you will.

It’s worth noting that, The Treaty of Tripoli, as a ratified treaty according to the Constitution, is the law of the land.

“Art.11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen;…”