To The Shores Of Tripoli Somalia

IBD Editorials ^ | December 17, 2008

[Kaslin]

Law Of The Sea: The U.S. seeks U.N. authorization to fight Somali pirates from the air, on land and at sea. When American cruise ships become targets, maybe it's time to renew a proud tradition: Send in the Marines.

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On Tuesday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice formally presented to a special U.N. session on Somalia a draft Security Council resolution saying that member states fighting against piracy "may take all necessary measures ashore in Somalia, including its airspace, to interdict those who are using Somali territory to plan, facilitate or undertake acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea and to otherwise prevent those activities."

To some, the prospect of such concerted military action brings back memories of the last time U.S. troops were on Somali soil. That was in 1993, when during the "Black Hawk Down" incident two U.S. helicopters backing up a U.N. relief mission were shot down. Nineteen U.S. servicemen were killed, and their bodies were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu.

We have no doubt that this time, dealing with pirates based in a country with essentially no functioning government, there will be no fooling around, no half measures and no withdrawal in shame.

This time this enemy of civilization will be defeated. We've done it before.

[marron]

Its right and proper to go after the pirates. Its a mistake to ask the UN for permission.

We didn’t elect them. We don’t owe them even a tip of our hat.

[marron]

There may even be a worse threat on the way. Chaotic and virtually ungoverned Somalia is ripe to be the next al-Qaida base.

This is what happens when you leave a vacuum that terrorists can fill. We took Afghanistan away from them, but left them Somalia. Afghanistan didn't have a sea-coast. Somalia is right at our oil jugular.

[FBD]

thank you!
we owe the U.N. nothing but the middle finger.

[Dahoser]

We have no doubt that this time, dealing with pirates based in a country with essentially no functioning government, there will be no fooling around, no half measures and no withdrawal in shame.

I'm sure the IBD folks define this time as the period leading up to 1/20/2009. After that, appeasement and weakness are back in town.

[gondramB]

>>>Its right and proper to go after the pirates. Its a mistake to ask the UN for permission.

We didn’t elect them. We don’t owe them even a tip of our hat.<<

What concerns me is the possibility of mission creep to include nation building in Somalia.

[Emmett McCarthy]

I agree. Screw the UN. Some of the reps there may be getting pay-offs on this whole thing anyway. No funtioning government anyway. Just go in unilaterally. Level the two towns there where they gather, sink all the vessels, don’t come out of there with any captives. Leave them dead where they lay. Use as few troops as possible. Why risk our guys when we can kill so many of them from the damn air?

[sinanju]

If I was Rahm Emmanuel I’d be whispering in Obama’s ear that this would be the perfect opportunity to proactively demonstrate presidential ‘nads and not wait for the world’s bullies to “test him.”

The Somali pirates do not have state sponsorship, nor do they have a dedicated cheering section in the international leftist peanut gallery. Just about every country on earth (including the Iranians, Russians, Chinese, etc. who have also been massively inconvenienced by them) would be pleased to see them get a good thumping.

Never mind seeking UN blessing, just do it—like Our Bill “did” the Serbians in ‘99—without asking anyone’s permission, a democrat president can get away with that, after all.

The Chinese would call this “killing the chicken to scare the monkeys”.

Following that up with a single JDAM on Robert Mugabe’s villa would be another low-cost, low-risk way of proving his macho to the lowlifes that the Big “O” is no “kick me” sign-wearing Jimmah. Again, with the world’s tacit approval.

Not a sermon, just a thought...

[Emmett McCarthy]

Hell, it’s a pretty damn good sermon! It would do all the thing you say, I believe, and buy us some time before the rest of the world might come screwing with us while this inexperienced staged president-alleged might get some clue about the real world.

[krogers58]

Wouldn’t take too much, some C-130 Hercules, say about a half dozen, flying hourly missions, 2 flights per day for each of the gunships, throw in a few reapers/predators for some intel, and the idiots would cave right quick.

[sinanju]

Well, the tricky part would be sending in the SEALs to rescue the hostages. Then just sending in the B-52s to carpet-bomb this “Eyl” place at leisure. Or, failing that, more precise touches with the AC-130 and some ROV-spotted naval gunfire.

[I got the rope]

Screw the UN. The President should ask the Congress for permission...then give them hell.