Posted by
Dawn on Thursday, November 20, 2008 12:28:31 AM
Somalian Islamic pirates have taken over the high seas off the coast of Africa and beyond. They have commandeered nine vessels in just under two weeks and have over 300 hostages held captive. Because millions of dollars have been paid in ransoms for the release of crew, cargo and ships, piracy has become a very lucrative business. Once destitute villages in Somalia have suddenly become thriving boomtowns and their starving children are being fed, all due to the largesse from these high-rolling thugs. International law makes it difficult for civilized nations to assign jurisdiction over open waters leaving the pirates to raid, pillage, plunder and kidnap with impunity. Spokesmen from august and sovereign nations have come out and instead of issuing harsh warnings of dire consequences to the pirates, they have laid responsibility for the plight of these ships squarely on the back of the shipping companies. Advice such as hire more guards, get some guns and maybe a pitbull, are hardly comforting words to organizations whose crew and cargo are being held for millions of dollars in ransom.
Oil tankers are huge vessels and it is difficult for a lay person to comprehend how they can be captured with only the crude rope ladders used by a band of filthy, drugged up, AK-47 wielding terrorist thugs. However, if the ship`s crew consists of only 12 unarmed seamen, relinquishing the ship is their only recourse to stay alive. Two nations have recently taken aggressive actions against the pirates. The Indian Navy took the fight to the enemy and sunk one of their mother ships. The British Royal Navy recently killed twoYemeni pirates after the British ship had been fired upon in a blatant show of stupidity on the part of the pirates. These actions of military might and prowess by the Indian and British Navys should be heralded and continued.
Somali Islamic terrorist pirates are now on board a Saudi oil tanker which is loaded with over two million barrels of oil which was purportedly on the way to the US. Negotiations with the terrorists and Saudis are in process and a ransom of $10 million has been demanded. No one is willing to fire on or raid the ship at this time. One burning question everyone should be asking is: What if the terrorists were hell bent on suicide and just blew up the ship? Two million barrels of oil would make one big explosion, a giant, gaping hole in the sea and bring a whole new meaning to the phrase, global warming. Some other questions are: Would the United States ever negotiate with Somalian Islamic terrorist pirates? Is Hillary Rodham Clinton really qualified to be Secretary of State and to represent and conduct our country`s foreign policy in these dangerous times? A new administration of hope and change is waiting in the wings. A whole new world of piracy and Islamic terrorism is on the stage waiting for the curtain to rise.