Posted on 04/12/2009 12:36:13 PM PDT by libh8er
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says the captain who survived capture by Somali pirates has courage that is "a model for all Americans."
Obama says he's pleased that Capt. Richard Phillips has been rescued and is on board a Navy ship. Obama says Phillips' safety was his main concern after being held hostage aboard a lifeboat.
Obama says he is proud of the U.S. military and other agencies that worked to free Phillips. The president says the United States needs help from other countries to deal with the threat of piracy and to hold pirates accountable.
The president praised Phillips for his bravery, courage and selfless concern for his crew.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
This Sunday, April 12, 2009 photo released by the U.S. Navy, shows Maersk-Alabama Capt. Richard Phillips, right, standing alongside Cmdr. Frank Castellano, commanding officer of the USS Bainbridge, after being rescued by U.S. Naval Forces off the coast of Somalia. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy photo)
The president says the United States needs help from other countries to deal with the threat of piracy and to hold pirates accountable.
Nope, all it takes is a phrase.
Letters of Marque.
Editorial
Letters of Marque and Reprisal
by Fred E. Foldvary, Senior Editor
Many people disapprove of the U.S. war against terror, or of how it is being conducted. But what is the alternative, other than changes in U.S. foreign policy?
One alternative to U.S. military action against terrorists who have attacked the U.S. and other countries, and are threatening further attacks, is to enact Letters of Marque and Reprisal. Article I, Section 8, paragraph 11 of the U.S. Constitution authorizes Congress to “grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water.” A “reprisal” means an action taken in return for some injury. A reprisal could be a seizing of property or guilty persons in retaliation for an attack and injury. It could include forced used against the perpetrators for the redress of grievances. A reprisal could even involve killing a terrorist who is threatening further harm and cannot be captured.
“Marque” is related to “marching” and means crossing or marching across a border in order to do a reprisal. So a Letter of Marque and Reprisal would authorize a private person, not in the U.S. armed forces, to conduct reprisal operations outside the borders of the U.S.A.
Such Letters are grantable not just by the U.S. Constitution, but also by international law, which is why it was able to be included in the Constitution. The Letters are grantable whenever the citizens or subjects of one country are injured by those in another country and justice is denied by the government of that country, as happened with the attack by persons who were in Afghanistan.
In October 2001, Ron Paul, U.S. representative from Texas, introduced bills H.R. 3074, Air Piracy Reprisal and Capture Act of 2001, and H.R. 3076, September 11 Marque and Reprisal Act of 2001, to authorize the U.S. State Department to issue such Letters. Private U.S. citizens would then be able to hunt down, attack and collect assets from terrorists who have or are planning to commit hostile acts against the U.S. and its citizens. (See Ron Paul’s Press Release.)
The Founders of the U.S. Constitution included Marque and Reprisal in addition to authorizing Congress to declare war, so that in some cases, the U.S. government would not have to engage the military and have a costly war. The risk would then be concentrated on those who chose to engage in the reprisal. This empowers private citizens to protect themselves and other Americans.
The Letters combined with high rewards for the capture of terrorists would create an incentive for Americans to conduct these operations. It would supplement U.S. government activity such as seeking out and eliminating the financial networks that terrorists use.
There has been little discussion in the mass media about Letters of Marque and Reprisal. Since these are authorized by the U.S. Constitution, introduced in a bill in Congress, and provide a possible alternative or supplement to U.S. military action, there should be more discussion and then action taken on this possibility. The terrorist threat seems to me to be a good example of the attacks that the Founders of the U.S. Constitution thought would be remedied by such Letters.
It’s good that at least one member of the U.S. House of Representatives is familiar with the U.S. Constitution and has taken action to implement this dormant power against attacks on the U.S. Why have other members of Congress not joined Paul to pass his bill on Letters of Marque and Reprisal?
— Fred Foldvary
i THOUGHT HE WAS TOO BUSY BUYING A DOG!! All of a sudden
oBAMA IS THE NAVY HERO!!! Of course the navy needs his permission to do what they will do.....but to say OBAMA GAVE THE ORDER...TO ASSUME HE IS THE HERO? ARRRGH MAKES ME PUKE!
Obama is an EVIL disgrace.
-PJ
He didnt have squat to say thursday.
When asked about Mr Phillips he responded:
“Um Guys? we are talking about housing”
How would Obama know anything about “COURAGE & HEROISM”?
Oh Dear Leader! Dear Leader! BITE ME!
I feel much safer when Fub0 does nothing.
Obama and the State Dept negotiations freed this man? OK... Let’s see what the good Captain thinks of the tape of Hillary’s maniacal laughter about his situation while he was a hostage.
Or about being an American, for that matter.
Shouldn’t Obama instead be talking about the economy, housing, or his new dog?
Look for the Captain and crew to be invited to the White House next week.
2007-2008 Marque and Reprisal Act of 2007
Anyone know if anything similar passed?
This is more insulting than the “no comment” was.
Three of the four pirates were killed during the Navy rescue. The other one is in custody.
A responsible president would be doing more than giving credit where it’s obviously due... he would be promising retribution and announcing that he was giving the navy full authorization to shoot first and ask questions later. He also should be starting a program of putting fire teams on American flagged ships for the express purpose of blasting pirates out of the water.
Dump this “we all need to work together pablum.” Leaders lead by example.
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