Floppingaces has been reporting on the problem of Somali Piracy for well over a year now. Most of those reports have originated from Bill Roggio’s The Long War Journal. Finally, the mainstream media can no longer ignore the problem, and it’s “suddenly” in the news…well, it ain’t news to our readers. They’ve seen this problem go unaddressed for a long time.
They’ve seen Somali pirates seize ships carrying hazardous materials-materials so toxic that entire villages were wiped out and the UN suspected WMD! Our readers have read about ships carrying a dozen Soviet-built main battle tanks seized by Somali pirates. They’ve even read about a supertanker being taken. Now the pirates have attacked an American-flagged vessel. The crew fought back (like Americans on Flight 93 fought back). The Captain was taken by the 4 surviving pirates, and they left in a lifeboat.
Luckily, we have President Obama in the White House. His “talks without preconditions” foreign policy can’t possibly fail (oops, the boat carrying a negotiator was fired on and driven back by the 4 pirates). His reputation as a man of conviction, courage, and fearlessness no doubt will scare the pirates into letting go of the heroic American Captain (oops, the 4 pirates in the lifeboat said their not afraid). Surely the 4 pirates will hand over their hostage any time now, right?
How strong is the Obama Admin foreign policy?
It’s so strong that 4 twits from a village in Somalia, armed with 4 rifles can prove the entire Administration’s foreign policy (based on “Smart Diplomacy”) to shame, invalidation, and impotence.
No. Why would they? Obama’s paralyzed. He has no idea what to do, and no will to do it. This is an epiphany moment when he’s got to realize that “talks without preconditions” just don’t work. It’s time he listened to the speeches he reads on his teleprompter, “Words have to mean something.” A threat from a man who has no courage or willingness to pull a trigger is not a threat.
Here’s a simple solution:
Have a SEAL swim up to the lifeboat, put some holes in it to make it leak uncontrollably, and make it sink. You can’t swim and fire an AK47, and we know the Captain can swim (he’s already tried to get away, but there was no one there to pick him up). It’s real simple, but President Obama and his entire Administration are taking the Jimmy Carter response to hostage taking: do nothing ’cause doing anything can be risky. Well here’s a newsflash…when it comes to bad guys (and I think it’s safe to put a Somali pirate in that category), doing nothing is doing something; it’s emboldening, it’s heartening to them. It’s the same as surrendering to your own prison.
C’mon Mr. President, step up. Be a man. Be a leader. Be a Washington, a Lincoln, or more specifically a Jefferson, and get tough on pirates. It’s time your words meant something (of course, that’s the problem with your entire Presidency so far, isn’t it?).
Author of “Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War
Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War: Malensek, Scott: 9798864028674: Amazon.com: Books
Give em the money, have Geithner tax em to death. Then, big O can fire the leader. That will stop this piracy
Obama must view Piracy as redistribution of wealth for a poor third world cesspool
that has no big government or any other enterprise. Besides that he most likely views
it as class warfare on a global scale and he supports that in the US.
The Pirates are not a Law Enforcement issue, they are Terrorists. He is weak on Law Enforcement
& Terrorism so expect the piracy to continue.
Obama will not do anything to upset the UN and we know who they support on this issue.
Unfortunately, the next step may be that he continues his move toward reinventing Jimmy Carter appeasement and he plans a “rescue mission” to try to outdo the peanut farmer’s ill-fated sandstorm wrecked Iran mission. Maybe wait until there is a terrible storm at sea and then send a hostage rescue team made up of Americorps kids in inflatable rafts armed with strongly worded condemnations.
The mainstream media wouldn’t do it. So we are trying to get your important messages to the American people. This post is a suggested read at, http://aresay.blogspot.com/ 2
Hmmm, laughing matter for Hillary, she’s a big help.
Our Fearless Leader should respond the same as he responded to the budget earmarks: it’s last year’s business, so his hands are tied. Besides, it started when Bush II was President, so it’s obviously Bush’s fault. Obama just inherited the problem. And just like the deficit, Obama knew about this problem but did nothing to address it.
Actually, the Somali’s have been engaged in such piracy at sea before the turn of the 21st century (so it was Clinton’s problem as well)[, but the most significant uprise started near the end of 2006.
Diplomacy must be part of a long-term solution, but the present situation calls for short-term tactics and a strategy to maintain safety in the region until a long-term solution is implemented.
Unfortunately, Obama seems to me to be a “one-trick pony.” He’s got vision (though I don’t often agree with it), but I haven’t seen many medium-term or long-term successes, I think these latter skills require a background of successes under similar (or similarly critical) circumstances, along with feedback from experts with similar backgrounds and/or mindsets AND even some experts with fresh new ideas.
I don’t think Obama has the firsthand experience, and his advisors don’t seem sufficiently capable either, so the situation is paralyzing. The situation should be treated as a miniature battle, and I like the idea to use Seals to sink the rescue boat. I think it’s far too late for a diplomatic solution, but that’s all up to the pirates. Otherwise, to put it in terms that Obama can understand:
“It’s time for a full-court press, Mr. Obama, and you’ve got the ball!”
Jeff V
It appears that Our Pretender in Chief is voting “Present” on the Piracy issue and letting others witness his ineptitude and take blame for the consequences if it goes badly.
* Inept
*Incompetent
*But had a St. Louis Pizza baker flown in for his enjoyment.
Obama (Nero) fiddles while more immediate issues are not addressed.
The 52.5% of America that voted for him will suffer soon as will the rest of Us.
The most un-qualified for office ever President. He does not want a Strong America,
has Zero Leadership skills and I am hoping that the Military exercises some iniative
and considers their Oath to Uphold the Constitution & Leave No Man Behind more important that Obama’s lack of Values.
It is time to kill some damn Pirates, like a Real President, Jefferson, did in 1802 by sending the USS Constitution to the Barbary Coast with brave Sailors & Marines to get some business done.
It is the exercise of American Leadership & Courage, not American Arrogance that got that accomplished.
I guess they did not teach him that in that madrassa in Indonesia.
Go Navy! (They really have the Ball. Not that Community Organizing Punk in the White House!)
Damn the Obama! Why hasn’t he put on his cape and flown there to beat those bad guys up instead of just sending warships!
Obama has a very small window of opportunity now. In the past five days the hostage ship has drifted from 300 miles out to sea, to between 20 and thirty miles off the coast of Somalia. Within nineteen hours from now, around 6am Monday, April 13, 2009, the ship will run aground onto the coast of Somalia, and from there the Captain, will be transferred to a safe house, or perhaps tried by an Islamic Court as an infidel, and sentenced to what kind of gruesome punishment is anyone’s guess. This is in miniature, the Obama Administration’s policy toward Iran. Talk, talk, talk, the clock goes ticking toward a disastrous outcome, but darn, if Obama is going to be persistent and unBushlike. Dictators of all sorts are taking the measure of Obama and are probably drinking champagne knowing they have nothing to fear from him. Our allies too are taking note, and that outcome will not be a pleasant one for them or us.
Here he is, Super-Uber-Bauerish-President007bama:
In the machinations of a liberal cartoonist.
Just wait, big O is going to come out and explain to these folks that $2M is unfair windfall profits, and that they need to get in line or he will release the people with the pitchforks, or sumthin’. Remember, O is really smart.
@:55 into it:
teleprompter, teleprompter on the wall…who’s the best commander in chief of all?
[scary sound effect here]
Weeeeeeeellll, um, you’re scared to poke a hole in a life raft which is all that’s needed to rescue a brave American merchant Captain held by 4 Somali pirates with rifles. Put another way….4 untrained guys from some vill in Somalia have 4 rifles and an unknown number of bullets. You’ve got the most sophisticated Navy that the world has ever seen, and the 4 guys have the edge.
Soooo, who’s the best commander-in-chief of them all?
Atu the Somali pirate’s in the lead right now.
Oh teleprompter, how you’ve failed me…
Please Barack, just have Gibbs tell the world there are no pirates like he said there was no bow. People will believe it. Yeah, that’s the ticket!
Somehow, he can always find a way to bash his domestic opponents, but he can bow to anyone from a foreign nation, kings, or a few no name pirates, if they are not domestic enemies.
You know, like the bully that takes lunch money (from bankers and executives), but, once outside the school yard, trembles in fear from the thought of big brothers showing up to whip them.
We have many SEALs, Green Berets, Delta Force, Air Commandos, probably in the middle to senior enlisted pay grade range, who could formulate a rescue plan in 30 minutes or less and pull it off. Not to say officers can’t, but there are plenty of people we have, capable, experienced and dedicated, who could make it happen, while the man with the authority craps his pants, and then tells us the threats to a life of an American citizen is a “distraction” and then has another party with 140 of his close
lobbyistsfriends.Obama Domestic Doctrine: “LET THEM EAT PIZZA!”
Obama Foreign Doctrine: “Come abuse us at will. We have done it to you far too long, so it’s time to reciprocate.”
liberaldude
9Reply to this comment
Damn the Obama! Why hasn’t he put on his cape and flown there to beat those bad guys up instead of just sending warships!
Why don’t we just send your smart @ss in exchange for the Hostage.
Perhaps you can entertain them with your dull wit or uncharming personality?
Rest assured, I won’t care whatever they choose to do with you.
Maybe you can live blog it.
Listen to his own speeches? The Karoake Jesus pretending to be the President of the United States of America does not even recognize his own speeches when someone elses’ speech appears on his teleprompter. I doubt he’s ever read them. What I want to know is who is the real voice behind the teleprompter . . . .
Granny, pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! 🙂
Had the Captain been French, he would have been Free and Safe already.
He’s free. The pirates are dead. Go Obama!
Three pirates killed, one captured and the Captain is safe. Finally!
CNN is breaking news from Kenya Maritime Authorities that the Captain is freed, and that three of the terrorists (they don’t use that word though) have been killed and the fourth has been captured. These reports have not been confirmed yet, but if true, then I will give plaudits and congratulations to Mr. Obama and the Navy Seals and/or Marines who took part in that successful operation. I knew the Navy/Marines had it in them to do it, and I will be very glad, along with tens of millions of patriotic Americans, if the reports are true, that Obama didn’t wait for a UN Resolution to do what had to be done. For that he will deserve applause for doing what’s right, even though it will probably shock his lib/socialist base that he used ‘cowboy diplomacy’ to end this hostage crisis.
This thread is a great example of the idea that you should take care to wait for a situation to conclude before you assign credit or blame. It’ll take a lot of soap and water to get the egg off FA and fans’ collective faces.
We don’t need to become that which we criticized for the last eight years.
As Curt posted in comment #23, and in his most recent post, three bad guys dead, one captured and very brave maritime Captain is safe, unharmed and having a very special Easter day (at least US time…). All hail our military. And I can’t wait to hear the details of the rescue mission that have not yet been released.
And those Somali elders sailing enroute to push along negotiations, along with their threats to the US about taking the hostage back via force? Oooops… run along home, boys. Nothing to see here. The US military has seized their opening… successfully.
Scott, I’d have to disagree that poking holes in the lifeboat would necessarily result in an unharmed hostage. There would be nothing to them shooting the Captain prior to the sinking, as they have promised to do in the face of any known rescue attempts.
liberal dud…. yes, Obama was oh so helpful. He masterfully received his written and telephone updates. I shall give him full credit for not thwarting the military’s attempts to handle the situation as the commanders deemed fit by caving in to backing off. Then again, after it escalated to the point it did, that was hardly an option.
But I think “go Obama” should rightly be stated as “go US military!” The TOTUS contribution was merely to “closely monitor”.
Yes, “Go Military” Indeed.
But the President is Commander in Chief – the man with the final say in military operations. Partisanship aside, he deserves credit for any military success or failure, just like any other Commander in Chief.
“And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that, “Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.””
– Barack Obama
I think that no matter which side of the the political spectrum we are on, we can see in this instance that he has stood behind his words.
Of course, it could never happen without our great men and women in uniform, who indeed deserve the vast bulk of praise and gratitude. On Easter, no less! A celebration of new life!
Thank God
Thank the US Military
Thank the Captain
Thank the crew
Thank Obama for finally taking action
DaNang67, I totally disagree. I’m of the opinion that Obama never would have taken action if this site and others-even MSNBC-weren’t criticizing his days of inaction.
@Scott Malensek:
With respect, Obama didn’t take action, the military did.
I think Obama turned this one over to them with an instruction to use extreme caution. Then he went about planning how to spin the situation if it turned into a disaster. He can still count on the old media to force feed the “grazers” whatever story will protect him from disaster.
Conservative bloggers’ criticism can now be used against them, because it was premature, as I said. This situation didn’t lend itself to micro-management. If it had gone south I, for one, would never have blamed Obama.
My message is simple. Don’t give Kos a link to prove how knee-jerk we conservatives are. They’ll use it for self validation and to diminish our legitimate criticism.
We might consider how Obama approaches policy on piracy in the future. The situation as it stands today has frustrated us all for quite a while. It needs more response from the civilized world. (That usually means America has to act.) This episode has forced it into the headlines and the entire public is aware of it now. This should force the Administration to frame a response. That response (or lack thereof) may provide opportunities for criticism over time. We must be patient in letting that play out lest we look like bitter naysayers.
From what I read, the credit should go to the Captain. Sounds like he jumped off the lifeboat again, and the USN was ready to take the shot this time.
Knee jerk or not, the nutroots like KOS and MSNBC will either blame the entire event on Bush, or on conservatives (as they have recent mass murders).
Let them call it knee jerk. Meanwhile, the Captain is a hero.
Flopping aces seems to have embarrassed themselves on this one, A bit impatient were we children ? Next time just better wait for the adults to decide when the best time to act is
John ryan,
Nah, I think I’ll just keep on criticizing. It’s really a lot of fun to blast that nimrod.
I dunno John. Seems we got it just right. We called for action & the military took action under generic standing orders.
Looks to me like we were dead nuts on the money about when to act.
@John ryan: If Obama hadn’t been sitting on his hands waiting for a popularity poll to tell him how he should react, there would have been Navy SEALS in the water around that lifeboat the FIRST time the Captain jumped overboard, which is, I’m sure, what he was counting on!
@Cary:
President Bush gets credit for the liberation of 40 million plus people in 3,2,1…..
Well said John Ryan!
The adults in question were in uniform. Well done, Navy!
Phew – I bet the on the on-scene US navy commander glad he choose the right time to act as he saw fit rather than be swayed by any advice, criticism and impatience such as those expressed here.
@GaffaUK:
Have you not been paying attention?
The orders were to take action only if Phillips life were in imminent danger.
That’s a sign of weakness and establishes a firm footing for criticism.
@Aye
Hostage situations can takes days to resolve. In the end no doubt the pirates were tired and desperate. One of them was on board a US ship – out of the way. If they had charged in immediately then who knows whether Phillips would have been rescued earlier or dead by now. It seems the US Navy commander didn’t consider him in imminent danger before. For the inconvenience of being taken hostage – the result of this crisis situation is the best result. Period. But sure – go ahead and quibble.
These large ships ought be armed. Piracy is not new . These companies already hire skeleton staff at slave rates – so if pirated -they dont care about the crew . Insurance covers the rest.
Funny, the left that supposedly loves our military gives credit to their messiah first and not the Navy.
Biiiiig surprise. They are even trying to lie and say the obomination GAVE the order to rescue the captain.
Typical lefturds. If reality doesn’t fit your view, change reality and not your view.
@Aye Chihuahua:
“President Bush gets credit for the liberation of 40 million plus people in 3,2,1…..”
You’re late!….
http://caryscolumn.blogspot.com/2005/01/let-freedom-ring.html
@Hard Right
Of course, if the President had been Dubya – then the Right wouldn’t of given him any credit now would they? The credit goes to the US Navy commander, the snipers and Capt Phillips.
No doubt Obama will try to make political capital of it with a photo op sometime in the future with Capt Phillips but then again this is usual for Presidents and leaders to do this.
The captain, Bainbridge crew and Seals are to be commended for their outstanding bravery and skill when seeing this through to it’s successful conclusion.
Don’t know why it took two “permission slips” by the CIC to allow the Navy to act, Captain Phillip’s life was endangered from the time he left the Maerske IMO. I read over at Blackfive that our rules of engagement already allow for the actions the Commander of the Bainbridge was finally able to execute. Perhaps our FA military guys and gal can confirm this, or, was the Bainbridge commander wanting something in writing for his protection, as said on another blog, I tend to doubt that.
Obama’s comment at his housing presser was not necessary or helpful. He could have just said they were monitoring the situation closely and nothing to say now. He didn’t, instead he preferred “cocky or condesention” at a time when the whole country was worried about the life and safe return of one of our citizens. Flack for that comment was deserved, it also fed the doubts many already have about him.
problem with somalia will not be solved by military actions (americans have been there not so far ago and nothing has been changed). Somalia is not a country anymore. there is no goverment, no administration, no justice. It’s only people. They have to change and world should think how to do this – ocupation will not solve the situation.
What will?
Sending food….no, pirates attacked the food ships
I believe you’re wrong. Occupation IS needed. Just as President Obama has said for years, without security there can be no progress. Lacking occupation (since the US is busy, and the rest of the world doesn’t care), I submit that convoys, strikes on pirate bases, and special operations free for all attacks on hijacked ships would be the policy that best counters the pirates.
If you have an idea, then say it, but you can’t just providing security (ie occupation) won’t work. What will work better?
@Scott Malensek:
#46 is nothing more than a SPAMmer.
He/she commented on a Sept 08 thread a few minutes ago about Giuliani’s presidential candidacy.
Either a SPAMmer or very, very out of touch.
I de-linked the web site being hocked and left the comment since you posted a response to it.