[chuck_the_tv_out]

Warner Todd Huston's pieces always seem to be full of phrases like this. "In what almost seems a", "It's quite hard not to feel that", "the Times almost seems to".

Talk about Frog in Pot syndrome. The NYT is run by anti-Americans. They're allowed that under the 1st Amendment, but that's what they are. For sure, it gets into treason territory sometimes and that should be investigated.

[Jeff Gordon]

Kind of reminds me of another President who was helpless in a hostage situation. That President was helpless because the hostage takers knew he was a pussy.

[allmost]

NYT = IHT

[Sertorius]

We are only powerless as we want to be.

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Why is Obama being so quiet about this? Possibly because he fears that if a Black President who values his socialist ties to his father’s homeland flexes his muscle against him, Africa will turn on Obama and paint him as a bad bad black muslim man!

[bill1952]

freedom of the press does not mean freedom from the truth

There is a difference and we should consider that.

[finnsheep]

Thanks for posting this excellent article and the link to the insurance industry. Meanwhile US taxpayers are being asked to bail out the insurance industry.

[Dallas59]

Well...we wouldn’t want Europe to think that we’re “dumb” again would we?/s

[evad]

NY Times Rushing to Say Pirates Show America's 'Power Limits'

They're right...
It's called FUBO.

[never4get]

On a calm seas night, wouldn’t a few Navy Seal snippers, under the cover of darkness, taking out a few Pirates do the trick? What the hell are they waiting for.

[Carley]

Wondering if the pirates are in touch with CNN or the NYSlimes for advice on how to escape.

[PreciousLiberty]

The NYTs headline should read “Pirate Standoff Shows Obama Weakness”. That would be honest, though. The “hostage negotiations” should go something like this:

“Hi, this is the USS Bainbridge. You have ten minutes to hand over the Captain, in which case you’ll survive. Otherwise we’ll take military action to end the situation, and you’ll all die.”

While this approach might lose a “hero captain” or two (or not), piracy would quickly come to an end off the Horn of Africa. It also occurs to me that outfitting a privateer might be fun... ;-)

[TomGuy]

"Standoff With Pirates Shows U.S. Power Has Limits,"

It is not a limit of arsenal power, but it is a limit of will power.

The US has lost the political will to resolve such situations decisively.

Clinton and Mogadishu.

Bush and the plane captured by the Chinese.

The US has become fearful of doing anything that would upset the UN, the Euros, the Muslims, the Mexicans, etc.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

The United States has the power to act. The question is, “ Does it have the will to act?” When we redevelop the cahonies, the pirate problem will disappear. Think of England when she ruled the seas.

[usmcobra]

It is within the power of the U.S. Navy to ensure that nothing floats along the Somali coast except for fuel, oil, and shards of disintegrated fiberglass amidst the blood of pirates.

Obama is a coward for allowing this to continue to escalate into a real crisis of epic proportions.

[The Duke]

Strange, I would have sworn that our guns were bigger than those of the pirates(?)

[The Great RJ]

What our handling of this whole pirate situation shows is weakness and a lack of leadership and resolve. The US should simply declare that any speed boats found in the major shipping lanes in this region will be deemed hostile by the US and be sunk on sight. The US should also declare that it reserves the right to arm or station US combat forces on US flagged vessels in the region. The pirates would be cut to pieces if they had the surprise of encountering well armed US Marines on a ship they were targeting.

[yazoo]

Our only limit is our unwillingness to sacrifice the Captain. Sink the damn ships in the least violent way and see how many of the hostages actually are killed as the ships slowly sink. Once the ships are sinking killing the hostages will not help them since they will have nothing to negotiate with. It will be every pirate for himself. Then, pick up the hostages and leave the pirates and their soaking wet AKs floating out to sea.