Posted on 12/31/2009 6:37:40 PM PST by d3b1976
PETER PAN DIDN’T NEGOTIATE WITH PIRATES SO WHY SHOULD WE?
By Andy DeStephano
High Seas chases, the overtaking of vessels carrying bountiful cargo and hostages. These descriptions sound like a movie trailer promoting the latest installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean Saga. Unfortunately these words are being used to report hijackings of Somali Pirates creating havoc for global shipping companies.
According to The Piracy Reporting Center of the International Maritime Bureau piracy on the high seas has increased by 200% from 111 reported in 2007 to 214 in 2009. Once again this past week yet another attack has been bestowed upon two more ships and their crews. As international forces patrol the waters in the Gulf of Aden and leaders debate upon whether to seek assistance from United Nation ground reinforcements; two companies are forced to decide to pay the ransom to safely free their employees. These attacks must be forcefully stopped now!
Waiting for a United Nations response is no different than asking your child to join a kid with a blanket to go and stand in a pumpkin patch on Halloween to wait for a pumpkin to deliver toys and goodies for good boys and girls. For readers who do not understand my comical reference let me rephrase my last comment; if you think the United Nations will respond quickly you are living a fictional life in a cartoon. I must credit the United States Navy for sending five fully equipped high-speed ships to the Gulf of Aden to respond to distress calls of vessels under attack; however five ships cannot respond to a massive number of attacks.
So what’s the best possible solution until the bureaucrats and bleeding hearts finally agree to eliminate the problem? I believe that ships and their crews have every right to carry firearms for protection. Allow people the basic right to defend themselves instead of relying upon protection from others. I understand there are different laws and ordinances relating to firearms in every country; however on the seas and in the ports one law should be created to govern vessels. I believe that while on the seas and docked in ports loading and unloading members of the crew should not be prohibited from being armed. If a member of the crew decides to carry the firearm on land then statutes of the area shall apply. Creating such a law will allow ships and their crew to protect themselves and allow individual nations to enforce firearm regulations according to their laws.
In conjunction with allowing ships and crews to protect themselves leaders must take a stance against piracy. These pirates are not a nation therefore; we must not give them the same diplomatic rights. Stop trying to deter, arrest, negotiate and appease these lawless bandits. Simply eliminate them with prejudiced force and rid the world of this global thorn in our side.
If a rat nest were discovered in your home would you bribe the rat with food to leave? Perhaps you would talk to the rat? Maybe leave an unopened can of poison out to prevent more from infesting your home? I know let’s just give in and share the house so everyone can win. No one would ever consider these options because they are absurd. The answer is obvious; you eliminate the problem by destroying the rat.
Pirates are the human form of rodents; terminate them immediately. For those who think I am too harsh continue to wait for Peter Pan and the ‘Croc with the Clock ‘ to solve the problem while enjoying your life in Never, Never Land.
Andy DeStephano is currently a Professor of Management at Berkeley College, New Jersey and Consultant. Prior to his entry into Political Commentary and Academics he has spent over a decade involved with Intercollegiate Athletics.
Apparently Peter Pan had a set.
Hard to conceal in tights
The pirates aren’t American so they don’t bother Obama
Yeah...Peter Pan didn’t negotiate with pirates. I can see the man on the street nodding their head in agreement at that. I recall a congresswoman saying that Xena Warrior Princess proves a woman can do everything a man could do. Or words to that effect. What have we become when fiction is regarded as fact?
LOL! Great point. In the original book no mention was made, and the few TV and movie versions of the story I have watched … I was otherwise occupied with the story to notice.
Because Tinker Bell is running things now.
Heck, ol’ Captain Hook would be glad to sign on as a privateer and wreak havoc on these Somalis who call themselves real `pirates’.
He’d even promise the Crocodile plenty of free meals,
“Jest follers my ship!”
;^)
You must find it in your heart...
Never-never land.
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