you think there are actual bases with big signs saying "pirate base here"? you forgetting what happened last time we went into that country to capture a warlord. we suffered a terrible loss. study the story of black hawk down. is it worth losing a bunch more servicemen so a few morons can pass out bibles? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mogadishu_(1993)
While Mr Obama's overall foreign policy record leaves a lot to be desired,his record on terrorism and pirates deserve high marks. Every pirate that has taken an american hostage has been killed or captured with a 30 year prison sentence.Of the hundred or thousands of people that have been taken hostage since Mr Obama has been in office only around 10 have been Americans from 2 boats being hijacked. Mr Obama has sent a clear message to pirates,if you kidnap an american you will be killed or captured.The US will not negotiate a ransom,the US will not allow pirates to make it to Somali shores with american hostages,the threat of killing a hostage will not change this policy.If a pirate kidnaps an american the only thing he can look forward to is death or 30 years in prison. It would be foolish to take military action in Somalia over 2 US boats being hijacked by pirates.
Nonsense. Obama's message to pirates is we will treat you with kid gloves unless it becomes a media event and my poll numbers might suffer. This situation has been a festering wound for way too long. We don't need to send in ground troops. A couple of planes could shoot up these pirate havens and inflict terrible damage. I really don't give a crap if "innocent" civilians are killed. How innocent are you if you are living in a pirate port? The west is either going to have to just surrender to these savages and the terrorists we face throughout the middle east or stop being so PC about civilian casualties. We sure didn't worry about it during WW II. We have AWACS planes that can track every ship for hundreds of miles. They know which ones are likely to be pirates. Interdict them and sink them. No survivors.
I agree its a problem,but its not that big a problem for the US. Currently pirates have 600 hostages at sea,not one of them are American.Out of hundreds of hijacked ships,only 2 have been US ships.Out of thousands of hostages taken,only 10 from 2 boats have been American. US ships make up less then 1% of pirate hijackings. Pirates seem to have gotten the message that if you mess with US ships the only thing to look forward to is a hail of gun fire from Navy Seals or 30 years in prison I doubt strategically bombing pirates are as easy as you suggest.From what I have read pirates live along side the rest of the Somali population.It would probably be hard to identify pirates from honest fishermen in groups near the sea.The possibility of killing thousands of innocent people who have nothing to do with pirates over 2 US boats being hijacked isn't justified
That's happened, what , twice? As I said, unless it becomes a media event or his poll numbers begin to suffer. You make some reasonable points but we differ on the seriousness of pirates feeling free to kill American citizens. I also draw a linkage with the pakistanis holding an american in apparent violation of diplomatic immunity. Sometimes principle has to take precedence. One principle that I consider very important is you don't mess with american citizens.
YES, Tell me something when you have a cockroach problem do you solve it by just killing the ones you can step on or do you go after their nest's and food supply? case closed
Depends on how bad the problem is.There have been 2 US ships hijacked in 2 years.I am not going to call an exterminator if I only see 2 cockroaches in 2 years