The Pirate Solution

Disclaimer: This is not for the queasy or politically correct liberal. Read at your own risk.

The Pirate Solution

It has only really come into the American psyche this past week or so, with the pirating of the merchant ship, Maersk, and the taking of its Captain. Thank God and the Navy SEALS for his safe return.

But the ravages by Somali pirates has been going on for some time now. As most know, these are the same people, from the same area of the world, in which the infamous Blackhawk Down movie was experienced in real life by our troops in 1993 Mogadishu, Somalia. With 18 of our Troops killed in that mess, some of those bodies were dragged through the streets by civilians and militiamen. They celebrated those U.S. forces deaths.

Why were we there? We were there, our men were there, to capture a brutal war lord who was starving the people of Mogadishu, keeping the UN food relief from his own people. We were trying to HELP the people of Somalia.

Today, some of those same people have turned to pirating. They use the safe havens of that country, and no one there is doing anything to stop it. The multinational shipping is at their mercy, with countless seizures and victims in the wake. To date, the pirates have ransomed millions, so in their eyes, crime DOES pay.

The answer, in this ol' bald man's eyes anyway, is this - Target the most likely areas those war-lords and pirates stay and operate from, and level it. Not a stick left standing. Yes, I know - Women and children? Yes. Yep - It's tough out there. But then, many of them took part in the slaughter and parading of our dead troops in 1993. Then, as soon as the next band of pirates come out of the bush to climb into another pirate boat, blow them to hell. If another town becomes the base of a new operation...level it.

In short order, the rest of Somalia will get the message and find a new line of work. If not, we'll build more bombs. We know our economy could use the lift in job security for the munition makers!

Lastly - this also needs to be our foreign policy. America will be there to help another country, in a time of crisis (such as natural disasters). But if anyone lifts a gun in our direction, while we trying to render aid?... Ashes to ashes, dust to dust....

American should have both hands at the ready. One, for help, when asked and needed. In the other, an anvil, to smash those who would cause us harm. Otherwise, we get, what we tolerate.