Comments on: Solving the Pirate Problem http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/ The best online marketing blog by Joel Gross Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:44:29 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jordan http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17562 Jordan Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:12:57 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17562 They're likely wearing no shoes to avoid the added drag should they fall overboard. Not a sign of "desperation" just strategically dressing for the job. The easiest solution is to arm the merchant marine, or allow companies the option to arm vessels which will be travelling in known pirate territory. This allows the crew to have an immediately viable response and greater numbers. 20 armed seamen versus 4 pirates is a much tougher nut to crack then giant container vessels attempting to evade smaller, speedier boats. They’re likely wearing no shoes to avoid the added drag should they fall overboard. Not a sign of “desperation” just strategically dressing for the job.

The easiest solution is to arm the merchant marine, or allow companies the option to arm vessels which will be travelling in known pirate territory.

This allows the crew to have an immediately viable response and greater numbers. 20 armed seamen versus 4 pirates is a much tougher nut to crack then giant container vessels attempting to evade smaller, speedier boats.

]]> By: J http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17423 J Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:30:52 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17423 I don't have enough information to strategize and prioritize US foreign nation building. What I'm saying is these are miserable, failed chaotic states, with very desperate people. That we efficiently shot these three pirates in the head, while a job well done by our military, is not quite a feat worthy of bragging. It's more of a grave and sober necessity to protect our own, and that should be the attitude - not blowhard boastfulness. There should be more conversation about the desperate situation the Somalians are in. Check out some pics of the three shoeless pirates here: http://abcnews.go.com/International/popup?id=6863980 More Somalian pirate pictures here: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/pirates_of_somalia.html I don’t have enough information to strategize and prioritize US foreign nation building. What I’m saying is these are miserable, failed chaotic states, with very desperate people. That we efficiently shot these three pirates in the head, while a job well done by our military, is not quite a feat worthy of bragging. It’s more of a grave and sober necessity to protect our own, and that should be the attitude – not blowhard boastfulness. There should be more conversation about the desperate situation the Somalians are in.

Check out some pics of the three shoeless pirates here:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/popup?id=6863980

More Somalian pirate pictures here:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/pirates_of_somalia.html

]]> By: Joel http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17421 Joel Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:12:57 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17421 J, What do you suggest as a solution then? We obviously don't want to get mired in another Lose-Lose situation like Vietnam or Iraq or Afghanistan. Should we end piracy and just let the Somalians sort out their own issues amongst themselves? J,

What do you suggest as a solution then? We obviously don’t want to get mired in another Lose-Lose situation like Vietnam or Iraq or Afghanistan. Should we end piracy and just let the Somalians sort out their own issues amongst themselves?

]]> By: J http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17420 J Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:08:16 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17420 The pirate problem is only a symptom of the larger problem of the failed state of Somalia. While aggressive military force will deter more pirating, the lawlessness of the region can only be overcome by a much larger military involvement in the region - something like Iraq/ Afghanistan. I guess it's convenient to only care about chaos in a region when it affects your own country, but the attitude of the US towards those three shoeless Somali pirates is a little unsettling. The pirate problem is only a symptom of the larger problem of the failed state of Somalia. While aggressive military force will deter more pirating, the lawlessness of the region can only be overcome by a much larger military involvement in the region – something like Iraq/ Afghanistan. I guess it’s convenient to only care about chaos in a region when it affects your own country, but the attitude of the US towards those three shoeless Somali pirates is a little unsettling.

]]> By: Joel http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17119 Joel Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:14:59 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17119 Glad to hear I have big thinkers on my blog... Glad to hear I have big thinkers on my blog…

]]> By: CaptainCockoftheRock http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17118 CaptainCockoftheRock Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:08:51 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17118 We should make it a bit of a World's Toughest Military Forces Competition. See who can kill the most pirates, the fastest, with the littlest injury to civilians or private property... You get positive points for pirates killed or maimed, specialty shots, creativity, etc. You lose them for civilians killed (but ultimately pirates should be worth 2 points and civilians only -1, that way there is still incentives to take the risks). We'll sell the recording rights to Fox, pay off the dead sailors' family with advertising, and encourage military enlistment in one fell swoop. The international winner gets an extra spot on the UN Security council or payments from foreign countries. Brilliant. We should make it a bit of a World’s Toughest Military Forces Competition. See who can kill the most pirates, the fastest, with the littlest injury to civilians or private property… You get positive points for pirates killed or maimed, specialty shots, creativity, etc. You lose them for civilians killed (but ultimately pirates should be worth 2 points and civilians only -1, that way there is still incentives to take the risks).

We’ll sell the recording rights to Fox, pay off the dead sailors’ family with advertising, and encourage military enlistment in one fell swoop.

The international winner gets an extra spot on the UN Security council or payments from foreign countries.

Brilliant.

]]> By: Joel http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17027 Joel Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:44:34 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17027 I actually agree with you, though I wouldn't torpedo the ships. Simply tell all pirates there will be no negotiations or ransoms from now on. We will kill everyone on board the ship, then bomb the shit out of your hometown. If you don't want you goddamn elders running around with white phosophorous on their balls, don't go messing with the good ol' U.S. Navy. After we follow through a couple times, there will be no more reason for the pirates to exist. I actually agree with you, though I wouldn’t torpedo the ships. Simply tell all pirates there will be no negotiations or ransoms from now on. We will kill everyone on board the ship, then bomb the shit out of your hometown. If you don’t want you goddamn elders running around with white phosophorous on their balls, don’t go messing with the good ol’ U.S. Navy. After we follow through a couple times, there will be no more reason for the pirates to exist.

]]> By: BR http://www.blog.joelx.com/solving-the-pirate-problem/3108/comment-page-1/#comment-17024 BR Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:31:44 +0000 http://www.blog.joelx.com/?p=3108#comment-17024 There is an easy way to solve this problem. The US Navy should have a no negotiation/hostage policy. This means that if pirates take over a ship, the US NAVY has full authority to kill everyone on that ship, including passengers. Basically they have the right to send a torpedo towards that ship and blow it up. They NAVY should have one mission, and that is to stop the hijackers at any cost. This way the pirates know that there is no way for them to gain anything from hijacking ships, they will only get killed along with the hostages. Initially this method will cost some innocent lives but very soon hijackers will stop hijacking. In the long run I think this will not only save millions of dollars but also innocent lives. There is an easy way to solve this problem. The US Navy should have a no negotiation/hostage policy. This means that if pirates take over a ship, the US NAVY has full authority to kill everyone on that ship, including passengers. Basically they have the right to send a torpedo towards that ship and blow it up. They NAVY should have one mission, and that is to stop the hijackers at any cost. This way the pirates know that there is no way for them to gain anything from hijacking ships, they will only get killed along with the hostages. Initially this method will cost some innocent lives but very soon hijackers will stop hijacking. In the long run I think this will not only save millions of dollars but also innocent lives.

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