Defense secretary: Killed Somali pirates were "untrained" teenagers ("No Military Solution")

China View ^ | 4/13/2009 | Mu Xuequan

[tobyhill]

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Monday that three Somali pirates who were killed by the Navy's Seals to end a hostage crisis were "untrained" teenagers.

Addressing an audience at the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Virginia, Gates said that the slain pirates, aged at between 17 to 19, were heavily armed but inexperienced.

They were shot dead on Sunday at the end of a five-day standoff with the U.S. military after they attacked a U.S.-flagged cargo ship about 400 kilometers away from Somali and held an American captain as hostage.

"As long as you've got this incredible number of poor people and the risks are relatively small, there's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation for these kids," Gates told students and faculty members.

[Will88]

Gates is a moron as is the muslim in the white house.

Gates is apparently the consummate bureaucrat, unencumbered by any particular personal or political standards, and thus able to serve in any administration. I've heard him referred to as a bureaucrat often since he decided to stay on with Obama.

But it's still bizarre that he saw any reason at all to make those remarks at this time, before that audience.

[Rebelbase]

“LOL! Oh, we have trained pirates now, do we? “

Avast ye Matey, we all started as powder monkeys, ARRGH....

[Enterprise]

Another FReeper posted something like: Maybe we should send aid and food and help the Somalis - oh wait.

And come to think of it, the fourth pirate would have been born about the time of Blackhawk Down. He was born in the time when Americans were killed trying to make sure his parents were fed.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

(All We Are Saying is give the untrained PI RAT lackeys a chance ) )

Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism This-ism, PI RAT-ism, ism ism ism

All we are saying is give PI RATS a chance All we are saying is give PI RATS a chance


(C'mon) Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout Somili, Sinister, Banisters and Canisters, Bishops, Fish SHIPs, Merchant, and Pop Eyes, Bye bye, Bye byes

All we are saying is give PI RATS a chance All we are saying is give PI RAT a chance

[Rebelbase]

“What about the pirates that the French killed? Were they untrained?”

No they were over 21 and had official pirate union cards.

[Cicero]

This is about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. I knew that Gates would do whatever the hell Obama told him to do, including cutting vital programs in the military.

But what could he have been thinking of, saying something like this to a bunch of Marines at Quantico?

Mr. Gates, when did untrained gunmen become LESS DANGEROUS when they point a weapon up close at a prisoner than trained gunmen? Would YOU want to be in that position, hostage to a bunch of undisciplined pirates? I think maybe that’s what you deserve.

[ShandaLear]

Obama killed children!

[marmar]

Pissy, that was some great work by the SEALS, I had been sitting here for days thinking of different ways to get rid of these young terrorist. I salute them, even while those who are supposed to protect them are stabbing them in the back. Bottom line we have to unite........

[katiekins1]

You play, you pay

A short sweet and precise comment. I agree.

[Cheetahcat]

“Addressing an audience at the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Virginia, Gates said that the slain pirates, aged at between 17 to 19, were heavily armed but inexperienced”

So that means they were harmless I guess? Gates go away!

[Nachoman]

What a tragedy. Those pirates were just starting to turn their lives around.

[Kozak]

"As long as you've got this incredible number of poor people and the risks are relatively small,

Please. Every major maritime power from Rome to Britain to the US ( when it had balls) knew EXACTLY how to deal Pirates. It's no secret. And it certainly is not a new phenomenon.

[LibLieSlayer]

It is a Warlord society and always has been. They are a murderous islamic nation filled with evil and mayhem. Yes, I know people that missioned there in the 80’s... It was a sh!thole then and a bigger sh!t hole now. Kill any that challenge our ships.

LLS

[Tenniel2]

Anyone who characterizes a handful of post-adolescent thugs with one flimsy rattle-can (albeit damned near indestructible) AK47 apiece as ''heavily armed'' has no business being anywhere in the same time zone as the Pentagon, never mind allegedly running the damned place.

Indeed, come back, Rummy -- (almost) all is forgiven!

[RetiredArmy]

Using Gates thoughts, I guess the 9-1-1 terrorists were UNTRAINED airline hijackers and untrained in the art of crashing jets into buildings?????? Gates is as stupid as these fools that think taking our guns away will cause gangs and crooks to be unarmed also! Give a thug a gun and he is a armed thug or terrorist. THAT IS WHY YOU ASSES WILL NOT GET MY GUNS!!!

[LibLieSlayer]

Age matters not... kill all that challenge us.

LLS

[popdonnelly]

Perhaps the President should apologize to the pirates.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

This whole incident ( as far as the CIC and the current administration and the MSM is concerned ) has made the USA a laughing stock and joke to the entire world.......
I hope the PI RATS are sleeping well with the Fishes tonight.

The SOMILI PI RAT'S new home

[LibLieSlayer]

They have to be related... it must be that pu$$y gene.

LLS

[Enterprise]

Two thumbs up! :^)