Profile

unixronin: Galen the technomage, from Babylon 5: Crusade (Default)
Unixronin

December 2012

S M T W T F S
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     

Most Popular Tags

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Thursday, April 9th, 2009 01:32 pm

“International efforts to thwart Somali piracy would appear to be floundering. Perhaps words from the 19th Century could offer a solution [...]”

A pretty good historical retrospective comparing the Somali piracy problem with the Barbary pirates and the suppression of the slave trade.

With Somali piracy still threatening shipping, it sounds as if modern navies need a few Captain Robert Denmans, or the like-minded American, Commodore Stephen Decatur.

...And I can’t find it in myself to argue with that.

Friday, April 10th, 2009 06:21 pm (UTC)
I saw an article in my RSS feeds this morning that says Obama doesn't want to go down that path. He's sending in hostage negotiators from the FBI.

I'm of a split mind about that decision...
Friday, April 10th, 2009 07:39 pm (UTC)
This is his first sharp-end crisis, even if it's a small one, and he just blinked.
Friday, April 10th, 2009 07:54 pm (UTC)
Yup.
Friday, April 10th, 2009 09:28 pm (UTC)
Here's the article (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/09/national/w165754D30.DTL&feed=rss.news) I was talking about.
Friday, April 10th, 2009 10:10 pm (UTC)
But, this (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/10/national/w110056D07.DTL&feed=rss.news) looks like he's at least got the stick ready if the carrot fails. That's a good sign.