The excuse? Somalia is a failed state, and the rest of the world should fix the problem. What’s the likelihood of that actually happening? The United States, the only nation that might do something about the problem, is constantly attacked by critics when it interferes in the governments of crazed dictators and oppressive regimes. The EU and China, who’ve been favorite targets of the pirates, are neigh on legendary for refusing to do anything in these sorts of matters. Where’s the impetus to fix the problem on the land? The U.S. is damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
The one thing we can do is make a stand at sea. This is the first pirate attack on a major American vessel in 200 years. I doubt it was simple luck that held the pirates at bay all this time. Unless it was a total accident, these pirates knew they were attacking an American crew, and obviously decided there wouldn’t be enough trouble from the U.S. to avoid the target. Now why would they all of a sudden decide that?
The current administration is openly against the idea of expanding, or even supporting, military actions overseas. Negotiation is the new name of the game. Groups like these pirates know that Obama and his cabinet want to look tolerant and progressive, but will it come at the cost of emboldening the most intolerant and reactionary of our enemies? Perhaps this pirate parade is just opening round of a whole bevy of international insults.
The saddest part is that the hostages, regardless of their nationality, do not have police to protect them. Private companies are left to pay ransoms to secure their release. This glaring loophole in international law is something these enemies of civilization brazenly abuse, and it is time for America to point of that we will not stand for this kind of insolence. The political fallout that might follow the destruction of a few pirates is nothing compared to the message our tolerance and complacency sends to these bottom-feeding raiders and, more importantly, renegade enemy organizations.
