Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

THE AUDACITY OF ROPE: HANG ALL THE PIRATES -- NOW
NY Post ^ | April 14, 2009 | Ralph Peters

Posted on 04/14/2009 2:54:16 AM PDT by Scanian

A TRUE American hero has been freed. Three pirates are dead. A fourth pirate is in custody. Our Navy shone.

Now the hard work starts.

This weekend's success won't be enough to keep our merchant mariners and cargo ships safe. Somali pirate gangs have already threatened retaliation against third-party captives. (We'll see what they do.)

And all Somalis believe that the United States lacks strength of will and staying power. They remember President Bill Clinton's cowardly retreat from Mogadishu. They'll expect a replay from President Obama.

Some pirates may avoid US-flagged ships. Others will go out hunting for them -- to teach us a lesson.

Will our president behave as Clinton did with al Qaeda, simply hoping the problem will disappear? Despite the blessed rescue of Capt, Richard Phillips, the indicators aren't encouraging.

It's time for real audacity, Mr. President. But this one takes rope, not hope. Pirates must hang.

Instead of standing tall, our just-vote-present president refused to make a statement reinforcing our principles during this ordeal. Rather than confirming that the United States won't be intimidated by pirates and won't pay tribute money, he ducked.

Obama's politics were clever: He positioned himself so that he could distance himself from a military operation that went wrong, while taking credit for any success. And what was that nonsense about authorizing deadly force "if the hostage's life is in danger"?

Deadly force should always be authorized against pirates. These aren't shoplifters at K-Mart. We're dealing with murderous terrorists. Can't we please be serious?

Piracy is not a law-enforcement problem. It's a military problem. Always has been. And retribution can't be "proportional," a tit-for-tat tap. Pirates and their supporters must be punished fiercely and comprehensively.

What should we do?

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: force; military; piracy; pirates; punishment; ralphpeters; somalipirates

1 posted on 04/14/2009 2:54:16 AM PDT by Scanian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All

Background Link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2225190/posts


2 posted on 04/14/2009 2:56:31 AM PDT by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cindy
Better background link - from Toby Keith:

Grandpappy told my pappy, back in my day, son
A man had to answer for the wicked that he done
Take all the rope in Texas
Find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys
Hang them high in the street for all the people to see

3 posted on 04/14/2009 3:12:18 AM PDT by TurtleUp (Turtle up: cancel optional spending until 2012, and boycott TARP/stimulus companies forever!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TurtleUp

Don’t you realize that it’s all our fault that these pirates even exist? We didn’t help Somalia when they were being taken over by criminals. Large fishing companies have taken all the fish from their fishing waters. They started attacking just so they could eat. Really. I read it on D.U. /s


4 posted on 04/14/2009 3:18:58 AM PDT by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: al_c

Remember the poor Pirates that Obama had slaughtered, were just Babies, Untrained Teenagers, 17 year olds’ that BHO will have to send to Juvi.
barbra ann


5 posted on 04/14/2009 3:58:37 AM PDT by barb-tex (The new Republic of Texas will include the states of the Confederacy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

Make them walk the plank.


6 posted on 04/14/2009 4:14:23 AM PDT by kcordell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

(Excerpt)

What should we do?

* Attack their harbors with land, sea and air power. Kill pirates, sink their vessels (including those dual-use fishing boats) and wreck their support infrastructure. The clans behind the pirates must feel sufficient pain to rein in their young thugs. The price for piracy should be stunning.

And we don’t need to stay to rebuild Somalia. End the fix-it fetish now. We need to leave while their boats are still burning down to the waterline.


7 posted on 04/14/2009 4:42:19 AM PDT by Travis McGee ("Foreign Enemies And Traitors" is at the printer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kcordell

“We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.”

Seems to me it’s time to apply the Coulter Doctrine.


8 posted on 04/14/2009 4:43:11 AM PDT by 2nd Bn, 11th Mar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

.....What should we do?....

The first decision to be made is that there are no innocents in coastal Somalia. No man, no woman, no child is innocent.

The population is criminal and should be punished by removing their livelihood. their life at sea must be disrupted for a decade


9 posted on 04/14/2009 4:47:08 AM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . John Galt hell !...... where is Francisco dÂ’Anconia)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

Liberal Use of the Military 101.

Obama will to the Clinton thing. Lob a few cruise missiles over there, declare victory, and go home. Problem solved until he's out of office and an attack on America happens. Then the Republicans get to clean up the mess.

10 posted on 04/14/2009 4:48:58 AM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July, democrats believe every day is April 15)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian
http://www.yachtpiracy.org/en/dangerous_regions.htm

Useful link

11 posted on 04/14/2009 8:51:46 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk (The Election of 2008: Given the choice between stupid and evil, the stupid chose evil.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson