Ron Paul wants to hire privateers to deal with the Somali pirate situation. I'm not sure if it's absolutely brilliant, or the most cracked-out scheme I've heard of. I think my real fear is that they won't be so much privateers/bounty hunters as vigilantes, and that's not good.
For what it's worth, I don't support what the pirates do. That said, I do understand the desperate drive to try and provide for yourself and your family, and even for your country. I would imagine that many of those who have legal means of making money (or no means at all) also support the pirates, at least to a point, because it's income for everyone (I figure trickle-down econmonics work better in really poor economies, not so much in first-world ones. I have no proof to back this up). Somalia is hopelessly poor, and I imagine doesn't offer much in the way of futures. Piracy is a way out, and who doesn't want to be a pirate? Still, I deplore what's happening out there.
One other note. You know there's piracy in those shipping lanes, and you know you need to send your freighter through there. You also know that the pirates don't really attack ships that can protect themselves (ie, armed ones). Isn't it cheaper to invest in a few semi-automatic weapons and sniper rifles rather than risk being hijacked and ransomed, possibly losing the cargo, the commission for the cargo, and the crew? Just saying...
1 comment:
I would agree with that! I said to Eli, why don't they just give the ships a few basokas each. A basoka would blow up those little pirate boats for sure.
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