U.S. Woman Negotiating With Somali Pirates

abcnews.go ^ | 11-27-08 | Raddatz, Coolidge

[doug from upland]

U.S. Woman Negotiating With Somali Pirates

Virginia Businesswoman Michele Ballarin Returned Just Last Week From Somalia

By MARTHA RADDATZ and RICHARD COOLIDGE

Nov. 27, 2008

An American businesswoman with connections to U.S. intelligence and the military has been talking with the Somali pirates who have commandeered the Saudi oil tanker Sirius Star, trying to get the ship released, ABC News has confirmed.

Michele Ballarin, an american businesswoman with connections to U.S. intelligence and the military, has been talking with the Somali pirates who have commandeered the Saudi oil tanker Sirius Star, trying to get the ship released, ABC News has confirmed.

[ari-freedom]

ok but remember: millions for defense and not one cent for tribute

[Boiling Pots]

What is she offering, is she going to cook, do their laundry, what?

[gwilhelm56]

Geez ... everyone’s a Foreign Policy Expert, now??

[Westlander]

So were negotiating for the Saudi’s? Wonderful.

[Red6]

There is no talking to pirates. This isn't even like a bank robbery or any sort of domestic crime where hostages are involved.

There is no negotiating, no ransom, no nothing.

ANYTHING, other than the knowledge that the outcome will be capture or death will lead to more pirates, more hostages, more nonsense. You're creating a lucrative business when you engage in paying ransom to these people. It's better to loose the ship and everyone on board than to pay a cent, because even if you keep it secret from the media, even if you do it under the table, everyone will know the real deal, and the bad guys will multiply, get more aggressive, and make bigger demands. You can not win with compassion, what people see as intellectual, or any other trash babble. You do not give the bad guys a way out. You do not cave in.

[Diogenesis]

Michele Lynn Ballarin is President and CEO of Select Armor, Inc. Perhaps we are going to supply them with Armor?

[Colorado Doug]

Geez ... everyone’s a Foreign Policy Expert, now??

Everything being relative, after Jimmy Carter, it can't get any worse, so, yes, if she spent the night at a Holiday Inn, she is at least as qualified as that fool.

That said, it's foolish to negotiate with pirates. It would all stop if the world followed India's lead and just killed them.

[ClearCase_guy]

On what basis can an American business woman legitimately present any threat of physical force? I would think she might be able to offer ransom, but anything more than that (and that would be a very bad thing) ought to be beyond her power.

So what's the point?

[Diogenesis]

Donor Contribution
Michele Ballarin
President & CEO
Select Armor
Updated
Q1/2008
Hillary Clinton
$2,300
http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=Ballarin&fname=Michele

[gwilhelm56]

**There is no negotiating, no ransom, no nothing.**

Any negotiations that I would endorse...

Mr. Pirate. would you prefer to die by Nuclear Explosion or basic NAPALM?

[doug from upland]

Frustrated with the pirates, a senior government official told ABC News, “It’s pretty sad when a horse country socialite has more sway in Somalia than the whole U.S. government.”

[DieHard the Hunter]

The next hostage beheading video in the making...

Nothing good can come of this.

[Wolfhound777]

Wow...negotiating with third world turds with a relavance complex..whatever happened to shooting them in the head?

[television is just wrong]

this is what happens when you have a spineless president elect who won’t do anything.

[PROSOUTH]

“That said, it’s foolish to negotiate with pirates. It would all stop if the world followed India’s lead and just killed them.”

Dead men don’t spend money,at least these wouldn’t. and the next bunch of Pirates would figure it out real soon........