Captain Richards is free and three of the four Somali pirates who held him captive are dead in what is an Easter Sunday triumph for the first major episode of piracy directed against a US ship in modern history. While the ship itself never fell into the Pirates’ hands, the cargo reached its destination – relief supplies for impoverished Africans, and all crew are now safe, disturbing questions demand immediate attention as a disturbing list of foreign provocations are mounting as a test of how the Obama administration will use US strength and intelligence in fighting the scum of the earth.
On the big stage, Barack Obama failed to project an image of American strength putting more emphasis on what he perceives as American failures before his time in office rather than assertively addressing the problems at hand and letting the world know the US will stand strong against all who stand in its way keeping the world safe from terrorism and safe for the world economy to function freely.
On the small stage, the US Navy and other resources acted promptly and forcefully without any apparent interference from the White House. That’s a good thing, but what’s next?
That the United States proved strong in the one episode directed against the country so far does not eliminating the threat. While this drama was playing out, the French were not as successful with an attack directed against one of their ships. An Italian ship was also taken.
Now that the United States has been drawn into the fight, solving it now becomes legitimate theater for an American solution. If the Obama administration is satisfied all our men are safe and our ship delivered its content willing to let the world community, as in the United Nations, address the broader issue, it will prove weak and spineless in a situation that can only get far worse if not brought under control now. That these goons have become bold enough to take on a US flagged ship indicates this is no minor little criminal enterprise. The safety and security of the world waterways cannot be compromised under any circumstances as there are way too many terrorists and criminal causes who could throw the world transit of vital commodities into chaos if allowed to flourish at all.
This is not a criminal matter. It is an act of war. We must target the command and control centers that direct these pirates and destroy them. Any operating bases must be attacked and wiped out. Forget out “bringing them to justice.” If some are taken prisoner, they must be tried in the strictest jurisdiction affected, and at very least thrown in jail forever.
Negotiations can only take place between two parties who have valid capital to exchange. Pirates have nothing but stolen assets as their bargaining chips so no concessions can be ever pondered as a solution. At the heart of the pirates’ operation is the heart of Islamic terrorism and anarchy. Such individuals have no moral principles or authority to begin with. Any willingness to grant them favor will be seen as weakness. Weakness breeds more consequences. There is only one correct response, overwhelming and never-ending force until the act of piracy is impossible to scheme.
The ball is in Barack Obama’s court. This is no small matter. How the administration responds will determine how the pirates react. They must be destroyed. There is no other option.
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